In a message dated 10/28/2006 4:47:10 P.M. Pacific Standard Time,
tprevatt@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx writes:
Bottom
line there are those out there that are ripping it up in the LD's. They
have the horse to do it and they train to do it. On the other hand there
are 50 mile riders that are ripping it up. I think pretty much the number
or reasons someone will race an LD or 50 for that matter on a given day
are as numerous as the people that race them. I've raced a 50 and I've
raced an LD. I don't do it all the time - in fact I do it
seldom
Just a question - I have found that even LDs can be so different from each
OTHER. There are some that at perhaps 30 miles are so rugged and technical that
they can almost be compared in effort to an easier 50. Also, it has always
seemed to me that complaining about LDers who race - not that the thread was
doing this but it came to mind - some hot shoes a few seasons back made a
big to-do about how people shouldn't waste their time on LDs and go straight to
50s because LDers just run their horses into the ground. I thought then
and I think now - if that were true - which I don't believe - then isn't it
better to have the idiots racing only 25 as opposed to 50 miles? As in any
sport, it is better for the athletes concerned to come up in the system, and it
seems that LD has been a great ladder for many, and also a great place for
rehabbing horses (and people) to get back into competition condition; a place to
ride those last few competition miles with that old campaigner; and a place to
bring up that new youngster without as much concern about injury.
In the times I am reading about, I wonder what rides they are - what the
trails are like etc. I know for a FCT I could NEVER ride Malibu as fast as I
could ride say Manzanita or Bear Valley - given the same horse in the same
shape. There are other factors that don't lend themselves well to comparing ride
times.
