Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

As always, words of wisdom from Frank.  I finally got my copy of EN yesterday, and immediately looked for the offending ad.  My first thought was, looks like a typical ride photo to me.  I looked for the "oozing wounds" on th horse's front legs...I saw some dark smears, but really couldn't tell if it was mud or blood.  Yes, it might have been better to choose a photo without these smears...but I'd rather see the smears than a horse and rider team who are all spiffy and spotless, and look like they've been in the makeup tent for an hour before a staged photo shoot.  Heck, I look worse than this rider after the first 5 miles of a ride!  <G>  And the rider's _expression_ looks more natural than one who is grinning like they are posing.  Now, I know some riders manage to pull off the nice smile at ride pics.  I just never can get it right...I'll be having fun, but the camera always seems to catch me looking mad, stressed, constipated, about to pass out, grimacing, worried, etc. - or all of the above.  <G>  Now, a little more dirt and sweat on the horse would look more natural, and maybe some scratches on the rider's face where she didn't duck in time for a branch...  LOL

 

Dawn

 

On 11/16/07, frank solano <fradasol@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

This thread on the appearance of a horse in the EN advertisement is interesting.

 

What's wrong with the picture?

The rider looks happy, the horse looks happy.

 

  Perhaps an endurance advertisement of a horse coming into a vet check with three people sloshing cold water on it to get it to cool down just enough to meet pulse/recovery criteria, while massage is being applying to tightening muscles (in order to continue), while cold water is being applied to active pathology in lower limbs to slow it down so the vet check can be passed, would be more appropriate?

  Perhaps an endurance advertisement of a horse racing out of a vet check to "catch up" after having to remain in that vet check an extra few minutes to meet recovery criteria or for its gut motility to kick back in would be more appropriate?

  Perhaps an endurancement advertisement of a horse whose cut or banged up lower limb cuts are being evaluated to determine whether than horse is sound enough to CONTINUE on the oh-so-important-endurance-event it now finds itself on.

  There are many ads which could be run in a magazine to illustrate the sport, some absolutely wonderful and inviting, to be sure.

 

It's amazing how "wrapped around the axle" people get on the "appearance" of things and then are able to turn an eye at what is standing, live, right before them.

 

I know, "appearances" can be deceiving.

 

Frank Solano