Re: Different milage buckets

["superpat" <superpat@gateway.net>]

Hey there, Heidi,
You can be on MY debating team any day of the week. You get right to the
meat of the matter. And in a respectful, non personalizing way. Thanks for
your contributions.
Pat in Ashland, Or.
----- Original Message -----
From: <CMKSAGEHIL@aol.com>
To: <mmieske@netonecom.net>; <superpat@gateway.net>;
<michrowe@frontier.net>; <ridecamp@endurance.net>; <dleblanc@mindspring.com>
Sent: Sunday, November 07, 1999 8:15 AM
Subject: Re: Different milage buckets


> In a message dated 11/7/99 5:40:35 AM Pacific Standard Time,
> mmieske@netonecom.net writes:
>
> << But if that's the case (it's the riding not the records) then why even
be a
>  member of AERC?>>
>
> AERC and ride managers provide you a format (LD) in which to learn HOW to
> endurance ride before you actually take on the challenge of 50 miles.  The
> whole point of endurance is to be able to keep your horse fit and sound
over
> the ENTIRE course of an endurance ride.  That is a significant challenge,
and
> just isn't as tough if you don't go the miles.  Plain and simple.  But
unless
> you have significant confidence and equine experience, you may not be able
to
> do that the "first time out of the box" so to speak.  So--LD is there as a
> stepping stone to get into the sport.  What I can't figure out is why
ANYONE
> would want credit for something they haven't done yet--that's like wanting
a
> college diploma for completing junior high, or a commercial driver's
license
> for having figured out how to get a compact car around the block.  But
then I
> guess I shouldn't be surprised, as our whole society seems to be in a
hurry
> to get everywhere--gimme, gimme, gimme.  The concept of EARNING something
> seems to be getting pretty old fashioned.  People say that "miles are
miles"
> but it is NOT the same to not have to do them all at the same time!  I can
go
> out and ride 5 miles a day for 10 days, but that is NOT the same as
getting
> through 50 miles in 12 hours or less, and passing all the vet checks.  Nor
is
> it the same to do 25 miles today and another 25 next week.  When you see a
> horse that has 2000 or 5000 or however many miles, that REPRESENTS
> something--ie a horse that has the ability to GET THROUGH 50 miles or more
at
> a time, and to continue to do so over and over again.  To include shorter
> distances alters that meaning significantly.  And as much as I support LD,
> and respect LD riders, I'm not willing to alter the meaning of what
endurance
> is or lower the bar for accomplishment.  We might as well go ride trail
> classes at the horse show--that's challenging, too, but it's not endurance
> riding.
>
> <<.the other day I was
>  actually trying to budget our rides for next year....the minimum # of
rides
>  we wanted to attend, what we hoped to ride and on which horses, etc.  It
is
>  important to me to get miles on these horses and do well.  Well, when I
>  tallied up the MINIMUM, not including any rides that we might just decide
>  to go to on the spur of the moment (if we have any money to do so!), I
was
>  shocked.  I didn't figure in any other expenses except ride fees.  It was
>  several thousand dollars.>>
>
> You can spend a lot of money to do organized pleasure rides that don't
earn
> AERC miles, either.  This isn't about dollars spent--it's about being able
to
> get a horse over a LONG course in good shape.
>
> <<  Our ride fees in Michigan are VERY reasonable
>  but I also know AERC gets their fair share of it (in addition to my
dues).
> >>
>
> AERC gets $3 per rider, not counting the drug test fee.  That's only about
5%
> of the entry fee, give or take a little bit, and isn't exactly a big bite.
>
> Heidi
>


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