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RE: [RC] How do you NOT act like a newbie? - David LeBlancChelsea asked yet another question: I've heard you guys talking about some things that people, who don't really know what they're doing, will do on a ride. I try as a rule to be courteous and don't want to upset or bother anyone, especially since I'm a newbie, and I was wondering what I should know to NOT do on a ride. I read that list on endurance net, any other suggestions? Well, there's good newbies and bad newbies. A good newbie will admit that they have no clue, politely ask for help, and are generally overwhelmed with helpful people. Things to do and not do: Do not pass everyone at warp speed while whining that you can't hold him back. Don't follow someone who's going to fast. Ride your own ride!!! Do not ride the other person's ride. Especially don't do this while whining that you can't hold them back. If you need to get away from a horse that's going too fast, find a place to stop - a patch of grass, or a water stop. Maybe even get off until the other person is well out of sight. Do ask nicely if you can go by if there's not room, and if there is, a cheery "Hello!", followed by "passing on your left/right", while leaving plenty of room so there's not a wreck if someone's horse kicks. Do _not_ gallop past someone standing on the ground trying to fix their tack. It wasn't a newbie who did this to me, but it was really rude. Do slow down before the vet check. Get off the horse, loosen girths and walk in. I do this 1/8 to 1/4 of a mile out, depending on weather and how fast I'm riding. Do not start in the front for your first ride. I prefer not to do that ever. If you're at a water trough, and someone else comes up, it's nice if when you're ready to leave, you ask the other person if it's OK. Some horses will stop drinking if someone leaves. This somewhat depends on how much of a hurry you're in, and whether they're already with other people. If someone's in the process of getting on their horse at a water stop, it's nice to wait until they're in the saddle before you run off. Do not argue with the vet or the RM - ever. Groveling may be OK, depending on circumstances. If you get stuck behind someone, try not to tailgate. If your horse is being a pain and wants to tailgate, or the trail gets congested, check with the person in front of you and see how big a problem this is for them. If you tailgate me at the start, you could get kicked, and I could get bucked off. Later in the ride, it might be fine. If you get pulled, that's not the time to discuss what's wrong with the vet, especially if there's a line. The vets will be a lot more helpful when they're not busy, assuming that you're not headed directly for the treatment vet already. If someone comes up behind you, it's because either you're loafing, or it's because they have more horse left than you. Either way, let them by. If they slow down later, you can pass them. Try not to consistently leapfrog people. When someone does come up from behind you, asking "Would you like to go by?" is a nice thing. They may be in a hurry, or they may be relieved to find another horse to follow who's saner than their horse. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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