"ENDURANCE" & something to think about

["Anne Kusmich" <akusmich@hotmail.com>]

Hi Everyone ...

I am sort of a lurker here on this forum.  Been around horses my whole 
life and love learning from the horse forums that I have subscribed to.  
I have been reading the "great endurance debate" with interest and I 
thought I would share some things with everyone.

Recently we heard that the State of NJ is thinking of lowering the 
standards for the President's Physical Fitness Award being given out in 
our schools.  The reasons:  well, not enough children these days seem to 
be able to "achieve" the set levels.  Society now believes that we need 
to "lower" our standards so "more children" feel good about themselves.  
We no longer feel children should work harder towards the wonderful goal 
of "achieving" that "reward".

Example #2 is our schools in NJ have lowered the grade point passing 
average to 62.  Why:  because not enough children seem to be able to 
achieve a "70" anymore, so why not lower the passing grade so more of 
our children make it through school.

There are many other points of reference here, but my point is:  when we 
set a goal in our lives, it gives us something to strive and reach for.  
If we start with five miles, and work to ten miles, and work to twenty 
miles, and so on ... we are reaching for our goals.  What we are doing, 
even with one mile is working towards a goal and a reward, and just 
'trying' makes you a winner.  I don't think anyone feels that each and 
every one of us are not working towards a wonderful experience with our 
horses and in our lives, whether we ride one mile or l00!  However, 
endurance riders have my utmost respect, since they have worked 
themselves and their horses towards that goal, and have paved the way 
for the rest of us wanting to 'endure' longer hours in the saddle. 

Heck, I feel like an endurance rider when I go more than 3 miles with my 
TB in the saddle, no less l00!!  Does that make me an endurance rider 
... not really.  My TB jumped over a downed tree the other day and I 
almost fell off; does that make me a jumper because I stayed on ... not 
really.  

Give credit where credit is due.  To those of you who have reached the 
top, you deserve our respect and admiration.  To those of us who have 
just started, you deserve our respect and admiration.  To those of you 
in the middle, you deserve our respect and admiration.  

There is always a beginning, a middle and an ending!  The best part of 
riding is the story can get played over and over again, with the same 
happy ending! Finishing our day with healthy horses and healthy selves. 

And hey, it could be worse, we could all be couch potatos on the 
internet fighting over the last episode of Seinfeld (Seinfeld, who??... 
never did see an episode of his ....!!!)  

Hope this made some sense.
Happy Trails Everyone!!!
With Blessings,

Annie K 



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