Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

Faustina
  Thank you for coming clean.
 That is exactly what I suspected happened, however I never brought it 
up as I could not prove it. You are right about the training.  Truman let me
know that I and the horse were ready. Race day had 500 miles on the 
horse at the end of hte ride in the January to May period of time of 
that year. Long
slow distance was most of it, but also speed work, tempo work and hill 
work for strength. The area we train in is the Shawnee National Forest 
which is much more difficult terrain than the ride course of the first race.
  No one that tried to discourage ever, not once asked me what training 
I or the horse had. At the end of the ride when the race director came, 
told me about the
meeting and said "major respect" he then said "you know, you will never 
win on a horse like that". I asked him what the aerc motto was.
  However, all is forgiven. This year they told me they had me listed 
as a "hot shoe" to be competative and wanted me to come back. I had to 
figure out the phrase.  I did want to make sure that my wife and the 
other first timers I was bringing would be welcome as they were not as 
thick skinned as I was. They
were really welcomed and some are picking up the sport as a result of a 
very nice experiance.
  Greg Watson, who managed the Mighty Oaks team at the gsfr race told 
us that he had no idea that gaited horses could have so much endurance 
or speed.
He made the whole thing worth while.
  So, it is not what happens to you that is so important but how you 
deal with it.  I have encouraged other gaited riders to give endurance a 
shot and am trying to
find out how good the properly trained gaited horse can really be.
  Now, if I can just talk my wife Sandy into carrying weights in her 
saddle bags to average out the advantage she has over me by weighing 60 
lbs less than I do.
Keith Kibler
Shawnee Sunrise Farm
Marion IL
               


Duffy wrote:

> I guess I don't really need to chime in here, but as I was a "fly on 
> the wall" for some of what led up to Keith's experience, I guess I'll 
> do it anyway...
>  
> Just prior to Keith's first ride another person who had been an "E" 
> mentor for him sent out a rather inflammatory post imploring other 
> riders to keep Keith from "harming" his horse in his quest to place 
> well.  What was NOT covered for MOST of the folks who were contacted 
> by email or nudged and whispered to at the ride were Keith's 
> qualifications.
>  
> You see, Keith has a LONG history of HUMAN endurance type events 
> (Marathon, triathlon and ironman competition).  He prepared his horse 
> as carefully for the speed and distance as he had previously done for 
> himself...but without KNOWING his background, people did, as you 
> suggest, Angie, think that he probably didn't know what he was getting 
> into....add to that the mass email asking for someone to stop him, I 
> believe he took the brunt of well meaning but rather misplaced concern.
>  
> Yep, I ride gaited.  On a funny breed no one ever heard of...and I 
> *KNOW* that there were a LOT of folks who were certain I did not 
> belong on the endurance trail...some were quite willing to let me know 
> I needed an Arab <grin & wink>.  But all in all, I have to say that 
> Endurance folks are the best of that rare breed of quality 
> people-horsefolk.  Horsefolk look out for horses, and also for the 
> folks that they recognize as also being horsefolk...they're just 
> sometimes more wary about awarding that appellation.
>  
> So yes, Angie, I think your post is a very valid description of how 
> MANY folk reacted...but I also believe that, in hindsight, Keith had 
> done more homework before his first ride than *I* learned in my first 
> year riding endurance. 
>  
> So, I guess we're all wondering just what the point of my rambling 
> is...(not unusual, I have that effect).  Basically, just to try and 
> say that yes, it DOES happen.  Sometimes, certain situations make it 
> more pronounced.  Is it getting better?  I truly hope so and BELIEVE 
> so!  So, one more time, I will ask ALL of you riders to keep an open 
> mind about that funny walkin' critter in the next trailer and continue 
> to share your advice, your water, and sometimes even your 
> anti-monkeybutt powder with what could just be the newest addict to 
> the sport!
>  
>  
>
>     ----- Original Message -----
>     *From:* rides2far@xxxxxxxx <mailto:rides2far@xxxxxxxx>
>     *To:* kwkibler@xxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:kwkibler@xxxxxxxxxxx>
>     *Cc:* bechack@xxxxxxx <mailto:bechack@xxxxxxx> ;
>     Ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:Ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>     *Sent:* Thursday, October 04, 2007 2:14 PM
>     *Subject:* Re: [RC] GSFTR
>
>
>     >>  After we finished as the only gaited horse that day in the 50
>     and were 3rd and firstin our weight division, the race director
>     told me >>>that we had earned major respect
>
>     My only problem with this statement is that when you cringe at a
>     rider finishing really fast at their first ride they consider it
>     to be sour grapes. Anyone who's been around for a while is far
>     more likely to *respect* the rider who shows up at his first ride,
>     rides a *good* pace on a fit horse and checks out the sport and
>     their horse carefully before "coming to win". We've seen plenty of
>     riders we didn't *respect* run too hard and place high.
>
>     There's been just a couple of riders I've worried about through
>     the years who have showed up *on Arabs* and everyone was alarmed
>     at their quest for a win from the beginning. After a while we
>     figured out that they were actually very experienced horsemen with
>     good fit horses. What some newcomers may see as "not friendly" or
>     "jealous" is actually concern for the horses and our sport. Once
>     we see they know what they're doing more power to them! They'd
>     probably be disappointed to know how little most of us really
>     *care* who wins.
>
>     Angie
>
>
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