Stacey,
I didn't take any of your comments to be inflammatory, rather a platform
from which to discuss certain points brought up in your message. In fact,
loops into base camp has certainly generated some useful discussion over
the past few days. I certainly appreciate your feedback, though as we've
agreed, part of your reason for not attending the ride was based on
misinformation. I general, when I am "informed" of facts about a ride that
might seem a little off the beaten trail, I tend to call ride management
and confirm the trail, or parking or whatever has me concerned, this
way I don't miss out on a potentially good ride.
I was merely trying to give a ride manager some feedback as to
why there may have been a lower turnout than other rides in our
area. I don't believe that it was because of rides occuring on
dates 1-2 weeks away. Many of the the local riders in this area
compete every week, and attend multi-day rides on a regular basis.
I know of 6 riders that would have attended that ride (last weekend)
and the ride this weekend and would have gone to the ride in Sonoma in
two weeks had it not been cancelled. Some of my friends compete all
over the country and beyond.
I suspect that most riders *don't* compete the same horse every week on 50's
but rather different horses. In addition, I dont believe the majority of people
have more than one horse to campaign, and that staggering the rides is the
norm rather than the exception.
The reputation of the ride I was referring to (whether right or wrong) is
that it is a series of 5 loops each going into camp. I was corrected that it
is in fact 3 times into camp. People in my area talk that this is a ride
to avoid because of it. Other rides come into camp once or twice, but not 5
times - AS I WAS CORRECTED, THIS IS NOT THE CASE. Maybe this could be
clarified in the ride entry to dispel this perception.
The ride entry has specified "loops into camp" as discussed above, a call to
ride management would easily dispel any misinformation. Let me just add that the
recent Quicksilver Fall ride *also* had three loops into camp ;^)
It is MENTALLY difficult for a horse to come into camp multiple times. I
*my opinion* believe that 5 loops into camp is MENTALLY cruel when it also
covers 50 miles. I guess it is a true test of endurance - it would test both
mental and physical endurance. Personally, I have no interest in testing
I think we've done the 5 loops into camp to death, (erroneous information and not
likely to be encountered), but rather the issue (and a good one to debate) is
personal preference as to all checks in camp, all checks out of camp, or an
admixture of both. If anyone has been keeping tabs on the posts its about 50/50
in the preference columns, though I suspect that the majority of the readership
does not consider leaving the trailer as excruciatingly cruel punishment, but
a difficulty in some cases, and not in others. My personal feeling still remains
that it is something your horse should do willingly, either because of training
or because they really do enjoy getting out on the trail. I'd enjoy continuing the
debate and hearing from other riders. In any case, Los Vaqueros will continue to
exist as a three loop ride, unless I get a generous land grant from the forest
department before the next ride date! ;) :) :)
my horse in this manner.
Stacy
Dom
______________________________________________________________________
Dominique Freeman | "Life is short, science is long" |
fadjurs@sadandy.hpl.hp.com | |
Hewlett Packard Laboratories, | |
Palo Alto, CA USA | |
Phone: (415) 857-8596 | |
FAX: (415) 852-8576 | |
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