Re: 1999 Rule Change Proposal

[LSimoni197@aol.com]

At what number of miles do we consider a ride becomes an "Endurance Test" for
a horse?  AERC is reexamining that question now.  Or are we?

I personally hope that the term "Endurance" is never applied to 10 or 20 mile
rides.  Fun, or pleasure ride is what I believe most AERC members would call
that distance.  

The 25 to 50 mile distance is a more challenging question.  Most out of shape
horses can be gotten through a 25 mile ride.  That does not mean it was a test
of anything.

Conceder the "Tevis".  Each year about 1/2 of the nice people who pay their
entry do not get a buckle.  Yet each year more and more people come to take
this challenge.  There is no mini buckle, or no Tevis button for the rider and
horse who get to Forest Hill. 

What do we conceder the LD rider?  The next generation to carry on our sport?
The cash crop to pay the many expenses incurred to stage a race?  
Add to this the question, What does the LD rider think his role should be on
race day?

Have we separated the word "Race" from our sport?  Are we now going to dilute
the meaning of the word "Endurance" from our sport?

As an organization our health requires new members and growth, but lets not
loose sight of our early goals of demonstrating the modern horses ability to
cover grate distances in a day.  It has never been in doubt that a horse can
do a pleasure ride.  I believe there are many clubs which put on pleasure
rides.  AERC by its very nature will never be the arena for many horse owners
to compete in.  

Lynge Simoni