Re: NATRC

[K S Swigart <katswig@deltanet.com>]

On Sun, 2 Aug 1998, Lori Chandler wrote:

> In NATRC your challenge is not in how
> fast you can cover the course, but rather how well you can cover
> sometimes very difficult terrain.

Sometimes the best way to cover difficult terrain is....unmounted.  And to
remain mounted in these types of situations is grossly irresponsible.

And sometimes it is actually impossible to negotiate the terrain in any
way BUT unmounted.

It may be that NATRC rides never include such terrain; however, I think
that a VERY valuable lesson that all responsible horsemen should learn is,
"Never be too proud to get off an walk."  I would think that an
organization with the goals that NATRC is supposed to have would actually
encourage riders to do what is most safe rather than what is most uniform.

kat
Orange County, Calif.

p.s. What and how difficult terrain are defined is a function of both the
rider and the horse.  A true horseman understands when it is the best time
to be off of the horse that he is riding--which may be different from the
horse that the other guy is riding, or that he rode last week :).