LD / BC

[Mickie Newnam <akelakhan@earthlink.net>]

In my area (Ohio), our LD rides aren't placed by BC, though I think
that's a good idea.  However, I think we do the next-best thing.  Our
club places Top 5, but it's the Top 5 that pulse down to 60.  So you can
come in 1st, but if you've overridden the horse so the pulse hangs
high,  you learn (hopefully) that pacing is more important than racing.
We are fortunate to not have much problem with that type of thing, at
least at the rides I've been to.  I can see how it could cause problems,
though, as more people would be likely to do a 25 than a 50 who maybe
don't have a clue. There are 2 types of newbies (and various sub-groups
of each), I think.  We have the newbies who are interested in the sport
for its own sake, and are eager to learn, have done their homework if
they knew what to do or at least are looking for guidance. They want to
take proper care of their horses.  Then there are the ones who figure
it's a 25-mile race and they're there for the hell of it and "I ride all
day long so my horse can handle this!".  The horse is more like a
machine or toy to them.  Unfortunately it's the latter we have to be
careful of -- and create rules for, to prevent them from hurting their
horses, whether out of simple ignorance or lack of concern.

Mickie ( who has worked a lot of endurance rides but rides CTR ) and
Akela (who does mostly CTR but did 2 LD one weekend on a very tough
trail with a different rider and placed Top 5 the second day)




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