Re: Comments by Donna Snyder-Smith

[CBell6006@aol.com]

The LD vs. Endurance rider debate has been discussed so many times and
continues to rear it's ugly head.  I have stayed out of this discussion over
the last two years because I have very strong opinions about where AERC and
the Limited Distance Program is taking this sport.
I'm not sure what it is that the LD riders are wanting now..........they
receive recognition from AERC......now even have a "National Limited Distance
Championship".  Am I the only one who noticed that in this months AERC News
there was a listing in the National Point Standings for the Limited Distance
Chamionsip and the National Hundred Mile Championship was left out.  I truly
hope that this was merely an oversight by AERC and not a sign of things to
come.........
In the Southeast the "winners" of the LD rides get the same awards as the 50's
and 100's, are done in less than 3 hours,  pay much less to enter and don't
even have to be a member of AERC or pay a non-member fee. 
IMHO AERC has bent over backwards to accomodate the LD riders.  What exactly
is it that they want now?.......As Joe Long so eloquently put it.....if you
want to be called "Endurance Riders" then ride an Endurance Ride.  If you want
acclimation for riding 25 miles then ride CTR and you could win a Grand
Championship without having to race your horse.  
I was under the impression that LD was designed to be a training ride and to
bring people into the sport. IMO (at least in the Southeast), it has become an
entity of it's own and has created "Professional LD" riders that have no
intention of moving up to 50's and they ARE a race.....first horse across the
finish line with a pulse of 60 wins.....that is usually accomplished in less
then 3 hours, sometimes MUCH less.......not exactly building a base of long,
slow distance miles to prepare a horse for becoming an "endurance horse".  I
see so many wonderful horses that have the potential to become great 100
milers,  being burned out and ruined by racing  for LD "wins". 
 I am not sure what the answer is, but I think comments like Donna-Snyder
Smith's do not help address the problem, only add fuel to the fire.
OK.....give me time to get my Flame Retardent suit on..........

Cindy Bell
Florida  
Wameco
(last month we were leading the nation in 100 mile points....this month, who
knows? )