This ride was the farthest I've trailered my horse 5.5hrs. The ride was
put on by a first time management team with fairly inexperienced vet
staff. Many things could have been done better, but I give the management
credit for a good first try.
Because the endurance motto is "to finish is to win", I feel everyone
riding deserves to feel accomplishment with their efforts. When I ride, I
ride first to be safe with my horse and to ride to the best of my
ability. I am an inexperienced rider - nearly 3 yrs in the saddle and
ernestly desire to learn all I can to be the best horseman I can be for
the sake of my horse.
I finished the ride outside the top ten. My horse and I finished healthy,
but we could not find out how we placed in relation to the other riders.
I was really disappointed in the ride management regarding
acknowledgement of all the riders who finished the ride. They
acknowledged the people in the top ten of all the distances, but no one
except the top ten knew how they finished relative to anyone else. To me,
this is very important. It helps me decide how to plan strategy for my
next ride experience and it helps build my confidence. I came away with
the feeling that anyone who doesn't finish in the top ten isn't worth
mentioning or keeping track of. I was disappointed.
I have the greatest admiration for those riders and horses that are doing
50 and 100 mile rides. At this point in my experience, I'm in awe. I know
what they are doing is so hard and demands so much discipline and work
...I can't even imagine myself ever riding 100 miles. The longer distance
riders deserve great credit for their hard work. My 25 miler is my
challenge for now. I train hard for my rides and I'd like to finish top
ten sometime before I move up to 50 milers, but my confidence won't be
hurt if I don't as long as we keep improving.
I wish the ride management this weekend had given all the riders credit
for completion by at least telling them how they placed in the pack.
Happy Tails
Susan & Sabian