Re: is this fair?

[carl meyer <carlmey@citrus.infi.net>]

Dorothy,
Dorothy Beebe wrote:
> 
> When I bought my Arab, I hadn't even heard of endurance riding--all, right,
> I admit it:  I bought her because she was BEAUTIFUL!!
> 
> When I discovered endurance riding, I was thrilled.  Here was something I
> could do with my horse that didn't require a lot of special stuff (or so I
> thought when I started).  I traded in my distance bike riding for distance
> horse back riding--its much more fun and no one looks at your strangely for
> talking to your horse!!
> 
> I started with 25s, noticed the price difference, and it just made me want
> to be ready to do 50's all that much sooner.  However, when I start my colt
> on endurance, I plan to bring him along slowly and we'll probably only do
> 25s for the first 2 years.  Although the cost is more per "mile," the ride
> will be just as fun!
> 
> In fact--since all the peripheral costs are the same--HOW COME WE HAVE TO
> PAY MORE FOR 50'S AND 75'S??? 

Dorothy...I never thought about that!...wonder if any other ride mgrs.
 have...actually, it might not be a bad idea, now that you've mentioned
it. I think we all get locked into what's always been, and an exchange
of ideas from others, especially newcomers, is refreshing....I'm manag-
ing the FLORIDA ENDURANCE CLASSIC (7 March) and labored over how to
price the distances..(I do every year), based kind of, on the miles rid-
den...this is probably how the pricing got started and no-one ever 
thought of changing it to a blanket fee....the costs involved ARE the
same, no matter what distance one is riding. The comments from other
ride mgrs. have been right on....managing a sanctioned ride of multiple
distances is a business arrangement...there is a budget to be reckoned
with...quite sizeable when one really tallies everything. Much of the
time, it is an individual or couple, not a club or organization, who
front their own $$ to run the thing...it usually is not profitable, or
even a break-even situation, as the business end gets lost with trying
to make everyone happy (entries all coming in at the last minute, etc.)
as "that's how everybody does it" thinking prevails...then you wonder
why you feel flattened in many respects afterwards, even though one 
might not have lost $$ if the awards weren't so many and so costly 
(thinking that more would have entered...playing the guessing game on
Tee shirts, etc.)....Soooo, as an active competitor, and wanting to give
something back to the sport etc., etc., my husband and I put on this
ride here in Fl....this year, we're doing it differently so as not to
go bannanas and broke. We're closing out the entries 2 wks. before the
ride, giving a full (minus $15 admin. fee) refund up to 2 days before
the ride..partial after that...partial to no vet-ins and then we'll
know what we're dealing with  in the way of #s for everything! Something
inside me feels real good about that...and I'm a competitor...I do as
I'm allowed...enter late, etc.; hate to part with that $ too much ahead
of time, and all the rest. Human nature follows the path of least re-
sistance, so why not? (My awareness of ride mgr. headaches is a LOT 
keener now..I try to communicate more, even if it's not insisted upon).
A flat entry fee, sort of like a flat tax? might not be a bad idea..then
all really would be equal in the dept. of expenses incurred in staging
an event...(for instance, my husband and I were trying to figure out 
how many riders we need pre-entered by the cut-off date to make the ride
a "go"...we just had to guess at a jumble of possible entries at various
distances ( 1-day 100, 50 and 25) and try to average the amount to come
up with a $ figure based on fixed expenses...if the entry fee was the
same: no problem! Coming up with an average would help the 100s as well
as the LDs......Ride managers out there, what do you think about this?

I enjoyed your post Dorothy...best of luck in this sport...it IS fun!

Deena Meyer, Florida
carlmey@citrus.infi.net  For entry/info on the FLORIDA ENDURANCE CLASSIC
                          1 day 100, 50 and LD 25
                    ENTRIES CLOSE 17 FEB. '98 - SORRY, NO POST ENTRIES 
                    Ride Secretary: Carolyn Tapperson   
                                    10416 S. Forestline Ave.
                                    Inverness, Fl. 34452
                                    email: pcttapp@citrus.infi.net 

P.S..THERE ARE NO DOGS ALLOWED IN THE WITHLACOOCHEE STATE FOREST (site
     of the ride) The ride info states that if you arrive with one, you
     may be asked to remove the dog or leave..Forestry is strict about
     this; I've listed 2 boarding kennels on my rider info sheets...I
     know how nice it is to travel with canine companion(s)..I always
     have, and it's a shame not to be able to bring it/them when travel-
     ing, let's say, from Ohio....I hope the boarding kennel info will
     help..NOW..I said I always have...DID is more like it...I'm a pure-
     bred fancier with a dog-show hobby on a WAY back burner..always had
     4-6 dogs of 2 or 3 different breeds maybe, with me on rides..always
     crated or in exercise pens like at shows, never loose...I walked
     them away from the center of activity (did not pick up the dropp-
     ings though) etc., etc...I don't think they barked or howled while
     my husband and I were on the ride....It was an ENOURMOUS amount of
     extra work, but I couldn't go without my dogs....I always resented
     the loose dogs coming around our campsite, as mine would go bannan-
     as, and yes, the wanderer would pee on stuff and poop away from
     his site, (of course)..I have never been able to understand loose
     dogs at rides...or anywhere else, for that matter...that's me.
     UPDATE: no dogs go with me/us now...the work is MUCH less, trying
     to excercise one or more, etc., etc., when there is so much to do
     with my equine athlete, and the State Forestry rules that we live
     with here in Fl. and many ride rules, we abide with...I fortunately
     do not have to board any dogs when going to a ride...that IS an
     extra expense and has it's own set of concerns; Not saying that I
     would never bring a dog (controlled) to some ride, some where, some
     time if it was allowed, but my vote would have to be for NO DOGS AT
     RIDES..unfortunately.
                            D~  
     

 

> 
> Okay, just kidding!!  I do think its a pretty fair system and a very
> reasonable cost for the benefits!!
> 
> dorothy & elly
> taylorsville
> 
> ----------
> > From: SandyDSA <SandyDSA@aol.com>
> > To: ridecamp@endurance.net
> > Subject: Re: is this fair?
> > Date: Friday, January 23, 1998 9:15 AM
> >
> > Okay - I know a way to have everyone fell really good about the fees at
> rides
> > AND the really tough job RMs have in planning these rides for us to enjoy
> - go
> > to a rated Arabian or Saddlebred show. Check out their costs and don't
> forget
> > to count trainers fees. monthly training fees, stall fees, office fee
> > (whatever the heck THAT is - new in 1989), tarnsport fees, 'handling fees
> (now
> > that you have paid for your horse to be traiend ALL MONTH, you ALSO get
> to pay
> > for the traienr to now HANDLE you horse), etc. You get my drift? Trust
> me, you
> > will come aaway thinking "Oh my goodness gracious sakes alive! How LUCKY
> I am!
> > ANd how much more FUN I have!" Just a thought. Let me know who goes.
> > san