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[RC] re: turtle awards & roger's comments - Michelle AquilinoThanks Roger for your initial point.? It seems at times that we are shifting away from the motto of "to finish is to win".? I am actually quite concerned about the increasing competitiveness of the LDs, and fewer people moving up to the longer distances.? I think LDs are an excellent opportunity for horses to experience the sport in a less competitive environment, and I worry about newbies not having that environment for their horses anymore.? Anyway, I agree with Roger that we need to avoid situations that dissuade people from moving up to the longer distances.? It should be?about finishing with a happy and healthy horse, and not about your "placing".
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I agree with Lif though on the turtle awards.? I LOVE the turtle award, have always wanted one, and had been worrying that my horse would get too fit and me too competitive before I had the chance to win If someone doesn't want the turtle award, let someone else have it, ha ha.? Not everyone can afford a proven endurance horse or the time to condition a horse to a "winning" level, but just about anyone can take a horse they love, and complete an endurance ride at a turtle level =)? It's the "everyman" award!
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And I agree with Roger, (as was probably obvious before, lol) we shouldn't encourage having riders out there thinking "I need to ride faster, because I'm starving!"? ha ha.
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I love turtle awards though, and hope to get more in the future =)? It's the award I can hope for without having to worry about my horse's sacrifice at the same time ;-)? The ONLY thing I don't like about "trying" for the turtle award is risking being over-time, because that would be horrible =P
-- "Don't breed or buy while shelter animals die"
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