Re: [RC] re: televising endurance and new endurance concept - Paul
Hi Linda,
re: "It is always the most important question to
answer, "What is it you are
trying to do?"
Actually I am not trying to "solve" a problem. I am
just proposing to try a new type of ride. Actually it is not even that. I am
proposing to do a standard AERC ride, over a more confined course, with more
repeat trail, than we normally use. That is all I am trying to
do.
This new type of ride might
have some benefits to our sport. It might offer us the
opportunity to showcase our sport through electronic media. It
might attract some spectators to our sport. It might
help riders develop a better and more accurate sense of pace. It
might help riders who want to develop team work for National
and International competitions. It might help riders develop
different training methods for their horse. The added exposure from print and
electronic media might attract more awareness and interest in
our sport. There are other potential benefits that we
haven't thought of that might be discovered from trying
it.
It also might have riders throwing
themselves off their horses to the ground in total boredom. It might
have horses stopping and refusing to go forward. It
might have vets pulling half the horses (like that never
happens). It might go just fine but with every rider involved
swearing once was enough and that they would never do it again. There are lots
of things a ride of this type might do. We will never know
unless we try it. Given the placement of adequate safeguards for the safety of
the equines involved, what is the harm in trying?
It sometimes seems that Endurance Riding is more
often like a secret society than a sport. Many of our events are staged in
remote areas with little or no public or
even other equestrian peoples awareness that any Endurance Riding is taking
place there. While there are a few events that draw a little interest outside
the endurance community, the majority of rides take place only in our
little world. We don't know what might happen if the public,
including other equestrians, were actually able to watch Endurance Riding. Don't
worry, it is very unlikely that this would forever destroy the sport as we
know it:)
I was just talking to a veteran AERC person who
told me about the massive controversy back in the 70;s when the Duck first
proposed doing multi day rides. Apparently that was like a war getting that
concept through.
Right now I am leaning towards trying to get 8-10
riders together early this spring to do a glorified training ride/practice
ride for 25 miles on a one mile oval track. We would pretend it was a real ride
and do pulses and holds as if it were a real AERC ride. Then we can evaluate and
go forward from there if it looks worth doing..
Paul N. Sidio
(Not trying to cause trouble, just likes riding his
horses about anyplace at about anytime)
Spokane Mo
"Insanity is when you do the same thing over and
over again expecting a different result. Sanity is when you expect consistent
results from consistent actions. Sometimes it is a fine line between the
two"
