Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

Everyone needs to read Joe's message.  He's right on, he's had a tremendous 
amount of experience, and he has a long and successful history of endurance 
riding.  You couldn't find too many people with a better perspective on this 
issue.

Barbara

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Joe Long" <jlong@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "Ridecamp (E-mail)" <ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Cc: "sherman" <sherman@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Saturday, July 05, 2008 10:37 PM
Subject: Re: [RC] [RC] LDs Are Different


> I see that this perennial argument has come up again.  I haven't read all 
> of the posts on this,  but from the sampling I did read it seems like the 
> same-old same-old all over again.
>
> Here is how I see it.
>
> We have a sport that is a form of distance riding, of which the AERC 
> sanctions certain types of events.  The AERC  breaks these down into two 
> categories, Limited Distance and Endurance.
>
> There are actually three broad stages of distance vs. the amount of 
> talent, preparation, commitment and pacing required.
>
> We have the LD rides of 25-35 miles that require the least:  most horses 
> on pasture that are ridden occasionally can successfully complete an LD 
> ride, and most people who ride occasionally can do the same.  The level of 
> talent, preparation, commitment and pacing required is relatively low. 
> Please note that I did not say "all."  Some horses that are overweight 
> would need to lost some weight first, for example.  But most horses can do 
> it.
>
> We have the endurance rides of 50 miles an up that require more.  Most 
> healthy horses can be conditioned to successfully complete a 50 mile ride 
> without a large amount of time and effort, and most healthy people can 
> prepare for and ride them as well.  Personally, I'd like to see the 
> definition of an endurance ride be longer than 50 miles, at least 60 
> miles -- but that's not going to happen.
>
> Then we have the 100 mile rides.  Actually, the distance that represents 
> the biggest change in difficulty is about 80 miles, but with our English 
> measurements the 100-mile one-day ride has a lot of tradition going for 
> it.  Not all horses or people can succeed at 100-mile rides, no matter how 
> much training and conditioning they have.  The level of commitment for the 
> rider is significantly higher.  The success rate for those attempting it, 
> even with proper preparation, is significantly lower.
>
> Nevertheless, there is a greater similarity between the 50 mile distance 
> and the 100 mile distance than there is between the 50 mile distance and 
> the 25 mile distance.
>
> Now, there are some people and horses for whom, due to physical 
> limitations or handicaps, 25 miles is the most they can ever do.  A 25 
> mile ride can be more difficult to  accomplish for these people or horses 
> than a 100 is for others.  That does not make a 25 mile ride the same as a 
> 100, though.  We don't define the level of challenge by the limitations of 
> some participants.  It does mean that someone with such a handicap can, 
> and should, take pride in what they ARE able to achieve. My first wife had 
> a heart problem and for her to ride 25 miles was not only more difficult 
> and stressful than for most of us to ride 100 miles, she literally risked 
> her life to try it.  She did try it, once, and no one was more proud of 
> her than I was when she crossed that 25-mile finish line.  But we both 
> knew that it was an LD ride and wouldn't dream of calling it what it 
> wasn't.
>
> In my opinion the AERC has wisely developed two separate categories for 
> these distances, with LD and Endurance.  LD miles and Endurance miles 
> simply are not comparable.  The bottom line:  if you really want to ride 
> endurance rides, ride 50's and up.
>
> Does this make LD riders "second class citizens?"  I don't think so. They 
> are just different events.  I've been around our rides a long time, in 
> over 25 States, and I've never seen any LD rider treated like a 
> "second-class citizen."  I have encountered a few (very few) who make 
> themselves feel that way.
>
> Now let's get back to riding.
>
>
> --
> Joe Long
> jlong@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
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