Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

Dear Truman, Lisa, et al,

Having randomly tuned into what might be a humorous exchange w/ Dr. Q, and
having found, instead, people threatening to take their marbles and go home,
I feel I must speak up here.

As someone relatively new to the sport and to AERC, I am rather oblivious
to, and dismissive of, the internal machinations of the old guard. I am
thrilled to have an AERC and I urge all of you to cast away old gripes for
the greater good of the organization.

As I suppose is the case with many newcomers, I
- wait eagerly for my Endurance News each month.
- even in the busiest of times times, troll RC for (hard criterion...<drum
roll>)   : Posts That Will Make Me a Better Endurance Rider and Horse
Caretaker.
- I thank god/dess for AERC rides, events, organization, clinics, committee
work (the actual work, not the arguing about it)--especially the Welfare of
the Horse and the Trails Committee. I would not attempt to do 50-100 miles
in one day without the kind of support we get at sanctioned rides. And local
endurance organizations do not give the sport the visibility that a national
organization does. 
- am somewhat amused, somewhat impatient with all the energy that goes into
squabbling about rules, regulations, weight divisions, personalities, FEI
vs. AERC, ride vs. race, armchair quarterbacking of distant unwitnessed
events, etc. It seems some people use politicking as a cross-training
activity for endurance. >:-} (None of these discussions, BTW, meet my Hard
Criterion. I sort by Subject/thread and hit Delete.)
   Hey--for the few rides I do, I try to take care of my horse, be polite
on the trail, learn from those around me, obey my out times, and keep my vet
card clean and dry. That's about all the chapter and verse a new person
needs. 

Ya know, when I watch the Tevis awards and see people come up on stage for
their 2nd, 10th, 27th, 28th buckle, my first thought is, "What masochists!"
My second thought is: "The first buckle was for themselves, all the rest are
for the Sport" (to give back to it).

Similarly, I ask you to refrain from what would be the petty protest of
leaving AERC. I urge you to stay in for the benefit of us newcomers, for the
sport, for the trails, and for the horses.

Beverley
_____________________________________
Beverley Kane, MD
Horsensei Equine-Assisted Learning & Therapy
Woodside, CA
http://www.horsensei.com

See Emmy Award-winning Stanford "Medicine & Horses" on NBC-TV
http://www.horsensei.com/nbcnews.html




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