Re: RC: Why don't riders like to be judged?

[Nancy DuPont <Htrails@Earthlink.net>]

Thanks for the post Mickie, and I appreciate your frankness. I ride NATRC as
my sport of choice and the man who was one of the founders of the sport,
George Cardinet. He along with veterinary, brigadeer General Wayne O. Kester
and 3 other people at Concord Mt. Diablo Trail Ride Association decided to
put purpose and conformity in competitive trail riding. At the time the
horses used by trail riders were not remarkable. It was to create better
horsemanship, treatment of horses, promote better bred horses, promote and
educate horse owners to properly condition their horses to do distance.  To
train horses and promote a partnership between horse and rider.  This of
course would result in a distance horse and rider that could win as easily
in competitive as well as endurance. In fact, a competitive ride is 60-65
miles in two days. Not a whole lot different than 50 in one day overall for
conditioning purposes.  

About contrived obstacles, when I ride NATRC I enjoy the type of obstacles
presented to me. They are those that I would find on any distance trek.
Crossing a wooden bridge. Backing on a trail or sidepassing to a branch to
hang a ribbon, crossing a creek where the footing may be a challenge, going
off trail, down an arroyo and back up again to avoid a landslide, fallen
tree or whatever. Some things they look for is, when you take a creek
crossing that may be narrow, do you stop to water where it is safe, do you
crowd others (not good), when you have a challenge, do you consider your
horses safety first, before charging through without thinking.  Anyway, you
get the idea. These things are educational as well as fun to see the
progress and the teamwork between you and your horse.  

I hope you decide to try a ride, otherwise you can't make a judgement based
on accuracy. When you say contrived, you imagine something that is not
there. You might find your idea and NATRC is the same, "concentrating on the
horse and terrain," as you say. The obstacles are not to prove anything to
someone else, but rather to prove to you that you and your horse can do more
than you expected. If you don't make it the first time, it gives you
something to work on. All of us have the experience of convincing our
companion animal it is ok to cross a creek, go down a trail, pass a viscious
stump or attack log -- this just gives it more purpose. Like I said, try it
and then give me the comments!!
At 12:59 AM 6/24/99 -0700, you wrote:
>Nancy,
>I see your point, and I agree that good horsemanship is important.  I don't
mind
>obstacles on a course, but I don't want contrived obstacles.  I prefer to
do my ride
>concentrating on the horse and the terrain, not on proving to someone else
that I
>can do what they think I should be able to do.
>Mind you, I've never done a NATRC ride, so I can't say "been there, done
that, hated
>it".  But I don't like the premise.  However, as I just said in a post to
RC, to
>each his own.  As long as we're out there promoting the sport of distance
riding,
>that's the important part!
>Mickie
>
>Nancy DuPont wrote:
>
>> I am reading your post with interest but agree with Jim.  If you are riding
>> in consideration of your horse and have worked him through manners at home,
>> you get a good score. Not based on "someone else's opinion" but on a
>> standard the judge's abide by.  The ride was formed to use distance riding
>> as a format for promoting better horses and horsemanship.  If this was not
>> so, it would be like it was 20 years ago - when endurance meant only picking
>> up a broomtail and running like hell. No consideration, if the horse
>> dropped, so what, get another. I saw that. Endurance has changed
>> tremendously, for the better. I credit many of the organizers for this, like
>> Connie Berto, Dr. Cory Soltau and many more for caring.
>>
>> At 11:47 PM 6/21/99 -0700, you wrote:
>> >Jim,
>> >It's not that I mind being judged.  When our club was giving horsemanship
>> awards
>> >(and also "best trail horse" awards), they were interesting and I liked
seeing
>> >the judge's comments because it did help me learn.  I just feel, as do all
>> of the
>> >other riders in my club who I've talked to about it -- our club
sanctions both
>> >CTR and endurance-- that it should be separate from the horse's score!
I want
>> >my horse judged on his condition, not how well we can do what someone
thinks we
>> >should.
>> >Mickie
>> >
>> >Jim Ferris x223 wrote:
>> >
>> >> Why is "being judged" such a big problem? I fail to understand why most
>> >> endurance riders have a fetish against "being judged". CTR, particularly
>> >> NATRC, teaches you how to best care for your horse. Look at the results
>> >> at the Tevis over the past many years. NATRC riders completion rate is
>> >> over 90% whereas the average completion rate for the Tevis is around 50%
>> >> (all horses included). What does riding LD rides teach you? The
horsemanship
>> >> judging in NATRC is designed to teach you how to take your horse cross
>> >> country and really learn how to take care of the horse. As for the judging
>> >> of the rider, this is meaningles unless it is to the benefit of the horse.
>> >> I will admit that our rules do not permit riding bareback (how would you
>> >> judge bareback riders?). As to the backing between two trees, this is a
>> >> necessary capability that a horse must learn (at least you admit you can
>> >> do it!).
>> >>
>> >> Sorry for the soapbox, but it really irks me that most endurance riders
>> >> won't even try CTR (NATRC). It is still the best learning place for
>> >> young horses, even if you want to do endurance. You will learn how to
>> >> take care of your horse so that he/she will continue to be usable even
>> >> into late age (read high 20's).
>> >>
>> >> -Jim
>> >>
>> >> > Date: Wed, 16 Jun 1999 14:01:29 -0400
>> >> > From: "April" <adlee@bigfoot.com>
>> >> > To: <SANDYSROB@aol.com>
>> >> > Cc: "ridecamp" <ridecamp@endurance.net>
>> >> > Subject: RC:  Re: Re:Looking for a horse
>> >> > Message-ID: <007d01beb822$445c96b0$b3a58ed1@comsoft.org>
>> >> > Content-Type: text/plain;
>> >> >       charset="iso-8859-1"
>> >> > Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
>> >> >
>> >> > Hey, Sandy,
>> >> >
>> >> >   I'm new to endurance riding, but I'll say I will probably not do a CTR
>> >> > ride.  (Never say never).  For one thing, I ride bareback and many CTRs
>> >> > won't allow me to ride bareback.  Second, you get judged in CTRs.  I
don't
>> >> > like that.  I'd rather get from point A to point B with a healthy
horse and
>> >> > who cares if I can make him back up between two trees?  (We CAN, but
that's
>> >> > not that point here!  :)  ).
>> >> >
>> >> > Third, a good place to start is LD (limited distance) rides.  Defined by
>> >> > AERC as "at least 25 miles but must not exceed 35 miles" (so that 5
mile LD
>> >> > is out, right guys???  :)  LOL).  They're held on the same day and
from the
>> >> > same base camp as endurance rides (over 50 miles).
>> >> >
>> >> > Check out www.aerc.org if you haven't already.
>> >> >
>> >> > April & Apache (why can't she just shut up for once?)
>> >> > Chattanooga, TN
>> >>
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>> >
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>> >
>> >
>> Nancy DuPont, Executive Director
>> Heritage Trails
>> 1350 Castle Rock Road
>> Walnut Creek, CA 94598
>>
>> Our Mission: To preserve and protect trails and answer the question, "Where
>> are you going to ride your horses, and where are you going to keep them."
>> Telephone (925)937-7661 FAX (925) 943-7431
>
>
>
>
>
Nancy DuPont, Executive Director
Heritage Trails
1350 Castle Rock Road
Walnut Creek, CA 94598

Our Mission: To preserve and protect trails and answer the question, "Where
are you going to ride your horses, and where are you going to keep them."
Telephone (925)937-7661 FAX (925) 943-7431


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Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net.    
Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/RideCamp   
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