Re: The Great Debate

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

Cyberpony wrote:
> 
> In a message dated 98-03-14 00:41:51 EST, you write:
> 
> > If I saw an endurance rider with a jacket that
> >  proclaimed, "1,000 career miles," would it matter to me if the rider was
> >  solely a 25-miler or solely a 100-miler?  Would this "cheapen" the
> >  efforts of the 100-miler?
> 
> I graduated from college when I was 31 years old.  Does that make my college
> degree worth less because I didn't whiz through it in four years.  Sometimes
> life and circumstances dictate our pace.  I feel that my journey to a degree
> in psychology was an exercise in endurance.  I didn't give up.  I worked hard.
> I played by the rules.  I endured.  That lesson in life taught me that I could
> still "have a piece of it", even if things around me weren't perfect.  Do you
> think I was proud when I accepted my diploma and could hear my two kids yell
> out, "Yea Mom!"?  You betcha!  Will I be proud when my horse and I accept some
> sort of trinket for completing 1000 career miles?  You betcha!
> 
> AERC sanctions the LD rides that my horse and I do.  The "E" in AERC stands
> for "Endurance".  What's the big deal?!   If AERC invites us to compete and is
> willing to take our money we should be able to use the word "endurance" in
> connection with what we do.
> 
> 
HI NORA,
Since we know each other, maybe I can help make this a little clearer to
you. I know that you have spent most of your long distance efforts in
competitive trail competions...that's good! And I believe that you've
dipped into endurance within the last couple of years doing limited
distance rides...that's good too! HOWEVER, they ARE two different dis-
ciplines, even though BOTH take endurance (the noun) to do.

When I first came into the discipline of Long Distance Riding, I thought
I would DIE after riding about 12 miles of training miles.I was trained
to go 10 miles max, as I had competed in Combined Training (scaled-down
version of 3-Day Eventing), the most challenging thing I have ever done
on horse-back.......I couldn't figure out the difference between Compet-
itive Trail AND this Endurance thing I kept hearing a few talking about.
(remember, 14 yrs. ago, endurance was a new fledgling in Florida); Com-
petitive Trail was well established here, thanks to the Florida Horse-
man's Association.

I KNEW it took endurance (noun)to do those rides I was going on.. 25,
30 or 35 mile Competitive Trail competions. So what's the big deal?
I always figured the two (CTR & End.) were about the same. BUT THEY
REALLY AREN'T. THEY ARE TWO DIFFENENT DISCIPLINES..totally. One can 
cross-enter and do both if you want to and have a reason to..points,
new/young horse, etc...more games, more fun.Nice options. BUT THEY ARE
DIFFERENT. There are diffent REASONS for their origin. I hate to admit
this, but I still don't know the reason for the origin of the CTR for-
mat...some say military..that sounds about right. I can't figure out
all the WHYS for all of the rules,etc., but there is a standard and a
reason, and there are rules of of game. I DO know the founding history
of the AERC, and it's rules, and know unequivicably (sp) that they are
two different ball games..AND THAT'S GOOD!! So MUCH more fun is had when
one knows the rules and the reason. LD rides can be ridden at a CTR pace
and so can all the other distances if one so chooses...racing is NOT
mandatory in an AERC endurance ride/race...this is a rider option and
game plan. That's why I prefer to call an AERC ride a Ride rather than
a Race (noun) 'cause one doesn't HAVE to race (verb) if one chooses not
to! But I'll tell you Hon, you will NEVER  be the same once you reach
a bit and move up to the challenge, when ready, to race  in an en-
durance competition. HERE LIES THE DIFFERENCE...You, the rider, make
the decision as to the pace you and your horse keep in order to complete
within the given time for any distance ridden. I feel sure that you know
this, but I could tell from your post that you didn't take kindly to
the fact that a LD ride IS NOT, and it is not, an endurance ride...not
the way the founders of  AERC intended an " endurance" ride to be;
even though it takes endurance to do ANY LONG DISTANCE RIDE. And, I
admire your enduring self for all of your accomplishments. Way to go!
You're a fit person, riding a fit (and lovely) horse...Move up, girl!
You'll love it, and then you'll understand.
BTW, AERC does not collect the entry fees for ANY endurance ride...it
is a sanctioning body, much like our SEDRA...also a points keeping org.
Also a policy making/keeping/standardization body....a LOT of work and
responsibility in one of the fastest most popular equine disciplines on
the planet today. All RMs of sanctioned AERC rides, pay back to AERC a
per rider fee of $3 plus a $1 Drug Testing fee to help fund the above
functions. Entry fees go to the person(s), org. putting on the ride to
fund IT...the tab runs into the thousands of $$$;LD riders don't have to
be members of AERC either..it's set up to be an entry-level category.

So, when you go to your next endurance ride, say "I'm going to do so &
so's end. ride next weekend..gonna do the LD" or whatever...and if you
see someone with a jacket on that says" 1000 miles blah, blah, blah" and
you don't see an identifying patch to see WHAT org., then if you cared
at all, you'd probably ask or you'd wonder, but you wouldn't put your
money on it unless you knew the category, would you? If you were buy-
ing a horse and it was touted to be a fine endurance prospect and had
never done anything but slow LD's for hundreds of miles, you might think
twice as to whether it would suit your needs...if one looks at a puppy
and calls it "dog"..that's confusing; same when someone looks or refers
to a foal as a "horse"....people do this and it drives me crazy. It 
really doesn't identify the thing correctly.

That's my view point..hope it helps.

Deena~

BTW..thank you for sponsoring the only Jr.Rider in our Fl End. Classic
last weekend...your willingness to do this made one young rider very
happy. (other Jr.s were entered but through attrition were not able to
attend). D~