Why adult riders should all pay their share...

[Linda Cowles <linda_cowles@mentorg.com>]

> Is there some psychological problem going on here that I am missing?  Why
> are you single people so bent on trying to change the family membership?
> Why do you care?  Think about it.  Then go ride your horse.  

> > families? What difference does it make to singles? ....

If singles bear a burden, it does make a difference... Our money and
where it goes is important, right? We wouldn't be in this discussion if
it wasn't. Many families are one riding member with juniors, and in this
case, an equitable rate structure benefits them. 

Families get many savings because of their joined interests, while
singles usually each have sole support of horses, rigs, etc. Many
families have two incomes, or have decided to tighten their belts in
order to have a single-income-family standard of living. I'm single, and
am lucky that I have what it takes to support this hobby, but members
can all pay their share... singles shouldn't be expected to pay extra so
that a married or group member can pay less if the same services are
used.

Now that I've said THAT - watch me attach caveats to it!!!

I think that generous membership discounts should be available for
Juniors *and* Seniors!!! Our seniors are a HUGE inspiration to all of
us. None of our high-life-milage members *ACT* like seniors (which may
create problems) and I'd like to recognize and support that! Seriously
though, most of us have income drops when we retire, and a reduced rate
is a wonderful way of showing consideration for many of these folks who
are here with us year after year.... It doesn't need to be complicated.

I advocate determining the costs of the Endurance News, standard adult
membership, and special services, and distributing those costs across
the competing membership as used by those members with allowances for
the ends of the age spectrum.

I also think an "associate" membership is a great idea, particularly if
it's available for folks who want to belong to AERC, and who may ride
occasionally, but don't care about points or placings... My concept of
associate membership is that the AM can ride as a member, isn't awarded
placings or awards, and the horse/rider mileage isn't accumulated or
tracked at all, even if the horse is a registered AERC horse. 

Who is a typical Associate? For years I rode my endurance misfit in one
or two LD rides a year, and an occasionally easy local 50... more often
I crewed for friends or watched from the sidelines. My money that would
go towards a membership still went - but to a trail charity. We have
many ex members that love endurance, don't compete, but may support us
is this way if we give them something they value in return. Inclusion at
a reduced rate has a high value for some folks. Especially if they get a
special decal!

One benefit that AERC could investigate offering is Member Insurance
like AHSA. I belong to AHSA just for the insurance! It's a good policy,
and if we could offer similar insurance, we could attract more inactive
members back into our ranks as associate members.

I'm heavily biased towards a menu system of enrollment, and my ideal
membership form would look like this:

  EN subscription:  ______ = $(cost + std markup)
  EN On-Line subscription: _______ = $(cost + std markup)
  Adult Rider Membership: _______ =  $(cost + std markup)
  Senior Rider Membership:  ______ =  $(cost or cost minus some %)
  Junior Rider Membership:  ______ = $(cost or cost minus some %)
  Associate Membership:  ______ = $(25-50% of Adult membership)
  Insurance Policy:_________=  $(cost + std markup)

Miscellaneous contributions:

  General AERC Trails Fund  $ _______
  Nature Conservancy  $ _______
  ... other national or regional Non-profit org...
  Junior Support Program  $ _______
  ...etc...

Miscellaneous contributions? YEP!!! I give a couple hundred bucks a
year, minimum, to different land conservancy, trail development, open
space advocacy groups. I usually do it anonymously, because I hate
getting "those" phone calls!!! I would love to be able to contribute
through AERC, and have these organizations see "us" dedicated horse
people as a special interest group that appreciates - and supports -
their efforts.

Have a Happy New Year... here's wishing you all many miles and many
smiles...

  Linda and the herd of endurance wannabes and one has-been (but wasn't
much)