Re: Comments by Donna Snyder-Smith

[Connie DeJong <cdejong@cisco.com>]

Yeah Donna!

I haven't been paying attention to the thread here, but thought I'd pass
along my view on limited distance.

I have participated in limited distance for the past 3 years.  I have two
children, 10 and 11 that I have brought along to share my trail experience.
 We as a family have completed at least a dozen rides, and this year are
equipped to do a fifty weather permitting!  But without the opportunity to
do 25 miles, I would have been either forced to choose between riding or
spending weekends with my family. It has been much more fulfilling to see
my daughter take BC on her pony and my son complete a 30 mile ride on his
26 year old, than any top ten award.  And, I'll challenge any seasoned
rider to do 25 miles with two juniors and see if they feel like the ride
was not challenging enough.  That's three horses to prepare, and three
saddles off at lunch vet.  You do the math.

One of the most attractive and rewarding aspects of Endurance is 
the motto "To Finish to Win".  I can race against myself, and not be
embarrassed to come in last, (did that on 1996 Castle Rock, but I finished
and my horse had no metabolic problems from the heat). There is no pressure
for me to top 10 and the fitness of me and my mount can be the priority.
One does not need to be a professional rider to enjoy and be a part of
endurance.  I think our society has encouraged this type of behaviour, you
don't see entries being denied to the Bay To Breakers if one has not
qualified as a long distance runner.  The physical fitness revolution has
brought us the opportunity to be a part of sports and activities that we
wouldn't have thought of 30 years ago.  In the end mankind benefits, with a
stronger healthier race. Although I can see this may be threatening to the
elitest, you know the middle of the road back yard bred rider giving them a
run for their money...

Thanks for Limited Distance, and the opportunity to be part of this sport.

Connie DeJong
Greyridge Lodge, Barn and Breakfast
Santa Cruz Mountanis

At 12:17 AM 6/6/98 -0700, Robin Everett wrote:
>
>I am posting the following comments verbatum from Donna Snyder-Smith:
>
>I am so tired of riders whose attitudes toward the limited distance
>is, "I walked in snow up to my a__ for my
>mileage/buckle/shirt/mug/cap/sponge awards and if you haven't done the
>same, you're not *really* an endurance rider.  So stop trying to grow
>our exclusive club.  If you succeed in 'diluting' our sport we real
>endurance riders might not appear so special."
>
>Thank God not all of the "old timers" feel that way.  Thank God, many
>of them are more than willing to support friends and family,
>encouraging them to enjoy the beauty of the trail, the great feelings
>a good horse and rider partnership have to offer and the wonderful
>friendships which can develop when such things are shared (whether
>they are shared for 25, 50, or 100 miles).  Unfortunately for AERC,
>some of these "exclusive club" minded folks talk loud and long.  While
>these birds may wear a variety of feathers, their shrill cries are
>easily recognized because they all have a common note in their songs,
>it is a "fear" cry of "change."  Of course, while they say "change"
>their tone clearly implies they really mean "ruin," so those of you
>who feel differently are going to have to take time to make your
>voices heard STRONGLY AND IN NUMBERS.
>
>In the end a more positive stream of consciousness and the evolution
>which is bound to happen in any successful
>organization/discipline/sport will prevail, but probably not before
>these "dooms day" voices manage to turn off any number of interested,
>open hearted, just want to play at the level my job, time, health,
>family, financial limitations allows, riders.  But what the heck, who
>wants more members in an exclusive club anyway, right?
>
>I wonder what it would be like to eavesdrop on a conversation between
>George Morris and Michael Matz, two of today's biggest names in Grand
>Prix Jumping.  Does anyone believe it would sound like this?
>
>"You know, if we let the backyard riders call their horses 'jumpers,'
>we're liable to lose our identity."
>
>"I know just what you mean, after all, how could anyone think their
>horse was a jumper if all they do is jump two foot fences?  Everyone
>knows a horse right out of pasture can jump three feet!"
>
>No?  then how about medal winning dressage riders Robert Dover and
>Reiner Klimke.
>
>"Isn't it ridiculous that the dressage organization recognizes
>training level?  It's so demeaning for the public to associate us big
>Grand Prix stars with any old rider just because they can enter their
>horse in a training level test where all they have to do is walk, trot
>and canter."
>
>"Yes, and it's ridiculous that they expect to get ribbons for such
>undemanding riding too."
>
>Maybe not?  Well, surely in the barns at the Rolex 3 Day Event in
>Kentucky, you would hear USCTA President Denny Emerson and USET rider
>David O'Commor complaining.
>
>"We can't continue to let these pretend eventing riders get
>acknowledged for their pitiful accomplishments at pre-training!  They
>shouldn't get any recognition until they prove how tough they are by
>riding at the Intermediate level!"
>
>"You're right, next thing you know, people will be galloping twenty
>feet, jumping one fence and calling themselves event riders!"
>
>With humble apologies to the great riders whose names I have borrowed
>in the above fiction, really folks, try widening your perspective,
>we're only one discipline in a vast array of competitive venues. 
>Consider that endurance riding might just be big enough, grand enough,
>and challenging enough to allow lots of people to participate at a
>variety of levels, while remaining true to its underlying concepts. 
>In short, get off it and get on with it, you can't run the playground
>forever.
>
>Donna Snyder-Smith - competition experienced, Tevis buckle holder,
>multi-discipline award winning rider, instructor, author, coach,
>trainer and AERC Director (the above comments express a personal
>opinion.
>
>OK, folks - this is Robin.  If anyone wants to direct any comments to
>Donna, please feel free to address them to me, and I will get them to
>her by hand, fax, or snail mail!
>
>
>
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