Re: Lds and facts?

[Chris Paus <paus@micoks.net>]

I have never said I have done an endurance ride and have never boasted that
fact. I have never asked for my LD miles to be counted as endurance miles.
What is the big fuss??

chris paus and *

At 01:46 AM 3/14/98 EST, you wrote:
>In a message dated 98-03-14 01:31:05 EST, you write:
>
><< The cool thing about rules is that they can be changed!
> 
> chris paus and * >>
>
>
>Chris, we love you, we respect you, we applaud your LD accomplishments,
and it
>is obvious from most of your posts that you are a caring rider.  Let me
see if
>I can illustrate what I have been trying to say on ridecamp.
>
>Learning to read in the first grade does not give you a Ph.D.  It is still a
>major accomplishment (maybe even a bigger step than going from there TO the
>Ph.D.) and the first grader, his parents, his teachers, and everybody is
>rightfully proud. The first grader is successfully launched.  Changing the
>rules does not change the fact that the first grader has not yet accomplished
>a Ph.D., no matter how much effort and perseverence was required to learn to
>read.
>
>A wonderful round in training-level dressage is not Grand Prix.  The horse
and
>rider have worked hard.  The judge may admire them greatly.  They have every
>right to be proud, as does their instructor and anyone else involved.  No
>matter how many hours of training and how much effort it took, changing the
>rules will not make the great training-level performance into a Grand Prix
>performance.
>
>A successful completion with all A's on your vet card on a Limited Distance
>Ride is a wonderful thing.  It still is not an endurance ride.  You have
>worked hard to do it.  You have conditioned and trained and done right by
your
>horse.  It took a lot of effort.  You have every right to be proud.  If
you do
>it at a ride where I am the vet or the ride manager, I will more than likely
>tell you in person that I am proud of you.  You have accomplished a great
>deal, and you have my respect.  I hope you will continue to endurance rides
>when you are ready.  There is still a whole new horizon out there, beckoning.
>You have taken the biggest, hardest first step.  Changing the rules, however,
>will not change the facts--you still have not done an endurance ride.
>
>Heidi Smith, DVM--Sagehill Arabians (Oregon)   
>
>