Re: banter

[Susan Evans Garlinghouse <suendavid@worldnet.att.net>]

Frank and Shannon Field wrote:
> 
> All this bantering about "newbies" and what classifies an endurance
> rider is making this "newbie" a little fearful of entering the sport.  
Don't be.


I
> realize it's very competitive as are all equine performance sports.  
It's only as competitive as you choose to make it.  Horse & rider vs.
the trail works fine, too.

But
> what originally turned me on to endurance was the perception that the
> competitors are basically "down-to-earth" people who don't necessarily
> have to be rich or belong to an elite group, unlike so many of the
> horsey set involved in showing. 

Me too.

 I just love my horse and want to
> accomplish something I can be proud of with him as my partner.  That's
> my first goal, regardless of the distance.  It will be a HUGE
> accomplishment for us.  Then, who knows, maybe more and longer races
> will be in our future (at least I hope).  Am I way off base in my
> thinking here?

Nope.  Sounds right on to me.

Just my opinion.

Susan Garlinghouse (admittedly only 505 miles but proud of them anyway,
and might even add to that this summer) and Cato ("'bout time, Mom!"