I am happy I did not buy Rio too. Although I did love him and still miss his little self.............................but as a crew person and general admirer...........mb
The sport is what it is. I don't see a lot of support to change it. The beauty and maybe the Achilles heel of endurance is it is a big tent. It is there for people to race if the horse is up to it, it is there for people to ride the same horse for 10 years if they horse is up to it. The bylaws are simple and the rules are simple. I think most members like it that way. When you start requiring people pass test for "equitation", etc. you fundamentally change the sport. When you start requiring log books what they do "down under" you are changing to sport to what it is "down under" not what it is in the AREC.
Personally I don't see anything wrong with the sport as practiced in the AERC.
As for MB - I am happy you didn't buy Rio - we your wisdom around these days.
Truman
Angie Fura wrote: > Hi MB - you are absolutely right, people that run up front without > the appropriate knowledge or skills can shorten their horse's career > unnecessarily. That's my point exactly. I'm also saying that, in > addition to "managing, feeding, and conditioning" these > horses, equal emphasis should be placed on the rider's > equitation skills. > > I see plenty of horses run with or even ahead of the pack and > consistently achieve success despite their riders. This is a > testament to how incredibly brave, tolerant and powerful these animals > are. > > > *Angie Fura > *www.tracetribute.com <http://www.tracetribute.com> > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > *From:* marybenstover <merryben@xxxxxxxxxxx> > *To:* ridecamp <ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> > *Sent:* Monday, December 1, 2008 12:58:36 PM > *Subject:* Re: [RC] WEC trails - Steph Teeter > > Anyone that's brave, or perhaps foolish enough, can jump on a horse > and run with the pack up front?????? > > > > > > > > This is a totally foolish statement and not true at all. I usually > tell people that if I had bought Rio from Becky for $500 when she > offered, he would only be known as the horse that killed Maryben and > would not be a world champion let alone a Tevis winner and his > legendary other accomplishments. I have ridden 8,000 miles, several > in the top ten, BC's and there is no way I could "jump on a horse and > run with the pack up front." And those that do so without knowing > what to do and how to do it usually ruin or kill their horses. I have > one such horse in my pasture that I rescued from an idiot owner. Not > just anyone can run with the pack up front and finish unless they have > done their homework, know how to manage, feed and condition the > individual horse, and a huge number of other variables. If you know > people who consistently run at the top (or better yet crew for them) > you know that they are dedicated, hardworking and smart riders. Off > the soapbox now.............................................mb > >
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"The trouble with fighting for human freedom is that one spends most of one's time defending scoundrels. For it is against scoundrels that oppressive laws are first aimed, and oppression must be stopped at the beginning if it is to be stopped at all." H. L. Mencken