Re: banter

[K S Swigart <katswig@deltanet.com>]

On Sun, 7 Jun 1998, Frank and Shannon Field wrote:

> accomplishment for us.  Then, who knows, maybe more and longer races
> will be in our future (at least I hope).  Am I way off base in my
> thinking here?

No.  Go do what you can.  You will get credit for trying if you try.  YOu
will get credit for finishing if you finish, you may get an award for best
condition, you may get an award for "tail end," you may get an award for
driving the longest distance to get to the ride, you may get an award or
recognition for pulling your horse to help another rider...

but you won't get any "mileage credit" toward the 1000 mile horse program
until you complete at least 50 miles in one day (or the endurance rider's
mileage program).

This doesn't mean that you can't have a good time, can't enjoy you horse,
the event, the trail, the competition (whether you complete a 50 miler or
not, you should find it easy to have a good time). 


You can do the training yourself, and much of what it requires is spending
long hours out on the trail with your horse, which helps not only with the
conditioning for the event, but also the all important aspect of "getting
to know your horse" which is REALLY what it takes to get you and your
horse through an endurance ride.

You will probably learn things about yourself and your horse that you
never knew before, and you will probably develop and understanding and
appreciation of your own and your horse's capabilities that you didn't
have before.

ANd when you complete the 50+ mile rides that you need to in order to get
credit for the rider mileage and 1000 mile horse program...you will be
ecstatic.

In all of the horse riding and competing that I have done, there is
nothing that compares with steeplechasing for pure thrill, and there is
nothing that compares finishing a 100 mile in one day ride for being
rewarding.

kat
Orange County, Calif.

p.s.  You can't judge what something like endurance riding is going to be
like, by reading about it on an internet mailing list.  Endurance riding
is many things to many people, the actual event is a very pleasant
experience.