my last comment on this

["Beth Glace" <lb@nismat.org>]

this whole discussion has truly kept me from sleeping at night and 
done more to turn me off  the endurance scene than anything that 
has come before so I'll post this last response.  No one has 
suggested taking unfit horses and allowing or pushing them at a pace 
they can't handle.  That's an obscene oversimplification of the 
discussion.   As Terry Woolley Howe explained 25 milers have criteria 
designed to protect the horse from such abuse, but hey you will 
always find ignorant, or irresponsible people out there.   The point 
is that if someone is having a good time at the shorter events [25s 
or 50s], and is behaving well  to their animal and to others, 
why insist they should move up in distance? Most likely they "can" do 
a 50 - but it is their choice.   Why do the majority of ridecampers 
seem to assume moving up to a longer race does anyone a "favor"?   
Why look down on someone if they decide not to move up? Many will use 
the 25s only as training and that is perfectly legitimate.  But don't 
scold others who see no reason to do longer distances. I think a 
horse that is brought through in a fast time, seems to be enjoying 
it,  and has good recoveries in a 25 miler,  should be respected as 
much as a horse with a poor performance, but who "finished" a 50 
miler.  If that rider says "hey I like this, I know how to do this 
fairly well, and I don't want to do the longer races" it's their 
business.  We should respect responsible, good 
performances at all distances. Many people on this site have 
expressed the feeling that if your ultimate goal is not 100s you just 
are just not welcome on the endurance scene, but oh, please pay the 
fee anyway. I hate to see such narrow mindedness expressed. 
     Beth


 " Horses depend on their human 
riders to look after them..... I have seen 25-milers
blow out their horses on the first loop, only to have them peeing
coffee.  And what's worse is that once when this happened, the owner
acted as if he could care less.  He wants to ride fast, he will ride
fast, and he has metabolic trouble consistently. .... that if you're 
consistently winning 25s, do yourself and your horse a favor.  Try a 
50.  You CAN do it."