Re: RC: Different milage buckets

[David LeBlanc <dleblanc@mindspring.com>]

At 01:54 PM 11/5/99 EST, CMKSAGEHIL@aol.com wrote:
>In a message dated 11/5/99 10:38:27 AM Pacific Standard Time, 
>dleblanc@mindspring.com writes:

><< I don't think this is right.  It bugs me because I think that even people
> who go out and do 50's and 100's sometimes want to drop to a 25 now and
> then because they want to give their horse a rest.  Why should they not
> accumulate milage? >>

>Simple.  Because we are not meeting the definition of an "endurance ride", 
>which is defined as 50 miles or more.  Anything less we are doing for our
own 
>reasons, not for accumulating "endurance miles."  

This is a circular definition.  I'm not asking how the arbitrary
distinction between LD and Endurance works.  That's pretty simple, and
well-defined in the rules. I'm asking whether it is a reasonable arbitrary
distinction to make, and whether it is good for the sport.  I don't think
it is reasonable given the state of the sport, and I don't think it is good
for the sport.  I can see how it would have made perfect sense some time
ago, but things change.

>If my horse is able to campaign on 50's and up, if he needs a "rest" he will 
>stay home!!  Plain and simple.  

Great, that's _your_ decision, but I'm not going to insist that anyone else
behave like you do.  I know people who do compete their horse in every
distance available at different parts of the season.

>At that stage of his career, he does not need 
>education about the sport, he does not need a 25-mile conditioning ride, he 
>does not need an LD ride, period.  

I'm happy for you.  Again, that's _your_ decision, and you can only do 50's
(or more) if that's what makes you and your horse happy.  Should we apply
what you do with _your_ horse to everyone else?  Don't think so.

>If *I* want to go just to socialize with 
>my endurance friends, that is my perogative--but don't confuse that goal
with 
>the accumulation of endurance miles.  

No confusion here.  Socializing and accumulating miles (in whatever bucket)
aren't the same thing.

>Let me reiterate what I have said in MANY posts in the past--LD rides are 
>PRIMARILY for people.  

I disagree.

>BUT--none of them 
>justify getting career mileage in a sport that is DEFINED as rides 50 miles 
>and up!

It is the definition that I question.  Figured there would be a good number
of people who wouldn't agree with me.

>I have never been able to understand what is so difficult about this
concept. 

Not everyone sees things the way you do.  Pretty simple.  It isn't that the
concept is difficult, it is just that I don't agree with it.

> LD is a wonderful thing, for all of the above reasons.  It is intended to
be 
>a stepping stone into endurance, and in many cases is used exactly as that.

I think it has become more than that - I think it has become a very popular
part of the distance riding sport, and that the sport overall has grown, so
you're not dealing with quite the same group of people as you were before.
At this point, I think the distinction has become an arbitrary and
unneccesary divider between people, and may even lead some people new to
this to make mistakes.  

I don't think we're going to get anywhere on this, but I did want to give
you the courtesy of an answer.


David LeBlanc
dleblanc@mindspring.com


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