Re: LD fee--Check the math!

[Linda Parrish <lindap@mail.sat.net>]

> In a message dated 98-09-15 08:17:22 EDT, Petdoc6@aol.com writes:
> 
> <<
>  Look at the money side.  An average horse owner has these baseline expenses
>  before attending a ride:
> 
>         Truck                           $25000
>         Trailer                             $700-40000
>         Horse                           $1500-5000
>         Saddle                  $.200-2100
>         Gas                             ?
>         Work Time Lost          variable but it adds up! >>

> CMKSAGEHIL@aol.com wrote:
> there is something in there on Monday morning.  Enough already!  I gladly pay
> my AERC dues and support the organization, but I sure wish I got more for my
> money.


I did the math, too. I have the truck, the trailer (after years of
waiting, I have the trailer!!), the horses, the saddles, we purchase
lots of gas for the truck to pull the trailer to ride after ride, Bo
takes vacation whenever he can/wants to.....and we go work the rides. 
We manage two-three rides per year. 
We have both entered 50 mile rides, but never completed, due to Bo's
horse tying up back in '83 (he's still in the pasture and looking good
for a 23 y.o.) and my borrowed horse loosing a shoe (we didn't carry an
easyboot, but had a sense of humor!) on a ride with no farrier. 
I've completed limited distance rides on my rescued horses - figure this
is as much as I should expect from them. We enjoyed ourselves which was
the whole idea.
I finally can afford a horse that can complete a 50, get us both in some
semblance of shape and...yep, I'm the one that fractured my pelvis back
in June. So I'm still working rides. BUT, I enjoy this part of
endurance, too.

The point of this rambling? Bo & I have paid family AERC membership
since 1980. Didn't know if we would like the sport, so didn't try to
find the monies to pay the lifetime membership fee way back when it was
offered. We now consider endurance to be our "family" (wish we had paid
for that lifetime membership!<vbg>). 
I believe we have received an abundance of knowledge, experience and
friendships from this "family" at a really inexpensive price.

I think we have received more than our monies worth without having a
single endurance mileage credit to our names.

Linda Parrish
Kennard, TX