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Re: [RC] [RC] Endurance rider - Lynne Glazer<ramble on>It boils down to one region, West, that does not view LD as the rest of the country (and Canada) seems to, though in PS we still give balls to the wall LD racers the hairy eyeball--but we have few of those as the culture here is not about racing. If you showed up and rode a Grand Prix test with a horse that wasn't Grand Prix-ready, it would be apparent to even the unschooled, who can apply a Sesame Street "which one of these is not like the others?" litmus test just by eyeing the other entrants in the class. It's not like you can do part of the test and pull, using it as a training device like some who enter 50s do, or riding "Duck Miles" during XPs. PNER, the most fun and the longest banquets for sure. ;-) I'd like to ride where there's a regional organization some day. Doesn't look like it's ever going to happen here in PS. You're a "runner" no matter what distance you enter, despite whether or not you're a specialist. You can further distinguish it if you want. I too am tired of this recurring discussion, though I liked the last exchange between David LeBlanc and Bruce Weary, with Carla's commentary about Bekki. (go Bekki!) We're all distance riders, as Kim says. Maybe I'm just feeling particularly challenged just trying to return to the sport at all--had SUCH a nice ride last Sunday, but around 7 miles into it the knee I'd hurt 3/06 went nuts, on a set of steep rocky downhills (from day 2 of the Bar H course.) Illumination of sorts when I realized I might have been bracing it, and I'll try NOT doing that, next time out. So I can't even do 25 miles right now, and my great Remington Steele horse is for sale. He was having a good time also until I did that. (Got some advice about trying to "bicycle going backwards" to keep from bracing on downhills, hope it works.) I remember being new very clearly. Started out of region when LDs weren't required to be sanctioned, and inculcated into the "not a race" attitude. The most shocking part to me were the starts, and it took years at both distances for me to realize it was smarter to wait and start behind the pack. So much to learn about how to judge what was "normal" for my horse, I remember being alarmed that my mare would not be interested in drinking until mile 20 or 21 consistently, until she continued that into 50s and multi-day rides; the gelding drinks early and often. The Great Saddle hunt times 5. Failure for human to drink = heat exhaustion. Vets are your partners. Smorgasbords are my horses' favorite part of endurance. You can trot and canter while eating, drinking and yakking. Pee quality is always suitable for mealtime discussion. Bring what you got, truck/trailer/hoss. Never try anything for the first time at a ride. </ramble> Lynne <http://www.photo.lynnesite.com> <http://lynnesite.blogspot.com/> On Jul 5, 2008, at 2:39 PM, Truman Prevatt wrote: heidi@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:Call yourself what you want--our bylaws do not define riders, they define rides. You may be an "endurance rider" who simply has never done an "endurance ride."But you are still a dressage rider. In reality as I found out one time from my dressage instructor anyone can show up a ride a Grand Prix test. So I guess a rank beginner could call themselve a Grand Prix rider if they entered a Grand Prix class. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
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