Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

Keep in mind that what one person finds "aloof and rude" may be quite twisted.  A friend told me about someone (and I happen to know this person) who does NATRC, and went to an endurance ride about a year ago.  She decided after that ride that she'd stick with NATRC, because endurance riders were rude and stand-offish...when asked what she meant, she told my friend that whenever she'd arrive at a NATRC ride, other riders would immediately drop everything and come over and help her set up her camp, horse pen, etc....and endurance riders didn't do that.  (!!!!)  Turns out that, at least at the NATRC rides she attends, people get extra points or something like that for going out of their way to help other people.  Hmmm...take away the points incentive, and let's see how "helpful" those people would be.  <G>  Bet they'd be just like endurance riders...friendly, but not falling all over themselves to wait on one another hand and foot.  LOL

 

Dawn in East Texas

 

On 11/30/06, Lynne Glazer <lynne@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

I'm trying to think from a NATRC rider's standpoint--what would make us seem rude?  Asking to pass, and doing so?  Going faster than they do?  Or alternating gears, some walk, some canter for example?  I usually do some galloping, too, on safe trail because it's FUN for both of us.  One of my horse's favorite things is to canter up a short hill and automatically gear down at the top, usually when we're by ourselves or with a buddy.  That might seem rude.

 

It's probably rude if I'm leading my horse through a vet check and he lunges at someone else's feed pan.  We already know about the gate-thing, since most of ours are wire gates albeit with smooth wire loops.    If you've been holding the gate for a gang of riders and you see a few minutes away another group coming, I don't think it's rude to hitch up the gate and go.  In fact often someone from the approaching group will call out and say, "it's ok, we'll get it!".  

 

I'm pretty sure most of us get off of the trail in order to pee if somebody's coming.  And will yield the trail if asked when underway.  

 

Nobody likes a tailgater.  Risky for the leading horse's back ankles/tendons, risky for the 'gater for tripping, scary for that human IMO.   Not being able to maintain a pace when the leader can also be off-putting to the folks behind.

 

OK, now the aloof-thing.  I've encountered some riders that were deeply into their "groove thang" and not too aware of other humans or just not conversationally-minded.  OK with me!  I enjoy riding alone during competition as much as with someone.  My horse is at his best alone or leading others, though we're still working on that pace thing.   

 

Endurance riders are legendary for loaning out gear in an emergency.  I'd never been the beneficiary until last January when during leading my horse out of a canyon, a branch snagged my stirrup along with its leather and sheepskin fender off without me noticing until remounting, oh, miles later.  Another rider loaned me a matching stirrup so that I could compete the next day, and some other kind person found my snagged setup and carried it clear to the mid-ride/only vet check.  

 

Lynne

 

On Nov 30, 2006, at 1:02 PM, MisticalRide@xxxxxxx wrote:

In a message dated 11/30/2006 1:26:23 PM US Mountain Standard Time, AmiraMay311@xxxxxxx writes:

did NATRC CTR for 2 years before trying endurance and heard all sorts of "negative" things about it...one of them being what Kate mentioned about endurance riders being "rude" on the trail and aloof in camp.

 

I did a little NATRC several years ago.My mare (now retired) would not, could not ever stand still for mounting at a ride,.Other than this fatal flaw, my mare was an incredible athlete. I thought maybe we would have more fun doing Endurance. I too was told that I would find the Endurance riders very rude. I have only done one LD, and listened in on Ridecamp. I must say, so far , I have been absoluetly shocked at the lack of rudeness I have encountered. Worse yet some friend of a friend I hardly know loaned me a portable stall for my first ride.You guys better get your stuff togather your reputation is in trouble.

 

Elaine