Guest Posting

["guest@endurance.net" <guest@endurance.net>]

Marci Cunningham mcunningham@calcot.com
I'm sorry if some ridecampers take offence at guests posting
to ridecamp.  You might be interested to know that some of us
are subscribed and have paid our $10 but have decided to 
unsubscribe to not be inundated with e-mails either at work or
home.  Some guests, such as Kat Swigart, have written thought
provoking posts as opposed to some ridecamp subscribers who take
every opportunity to criticize.  Bob Morris has time and time
again written that it is each rider's responsibility to take 
care of his horse while on an endurance ride.  It is easy to
be an arm chair quarterback and judge how a rider sits on a
horse or better yet, the look in the horses eye.  Until you
have been there and done that, I think judgement should be 
reserved.  My best endurance horses don't dance around on the
end of a lead rope chomping at the bit to hit the trail.  Both
Fire Mt Torch and FM Moonshyne+/ are very laid back and
business-like in their approach to endurance riding.  They stand
relaxed at the start of a ride and look the same way at the end
of a ride.  Very seldom do they score A's on attitude at a vet
check.  Endurance riding is a sport of individuals meeting their
own goals.  It doesn't need more regulating in the form of 
qualifying rides, or vets making the decision to prevent sound
horses from starting a ride based on their opinion of the
condition of the horse.  

I finished Tevis in 1993 on Moonshyne and she looked great.  We
only had 30 minutes to spare and it was her first 100 mile ride
completion.  It also brought her AERC mileage to 1000 miles as a
7 year old.  Now, 2,000 miles later she is a fat and happy 
broodmare.  

Let's not be so critical and mean spirited to those who don't sit
a horse exactly like the picture books say one should or who's
horse doesn't fit the picture we hold in our own mind's eye.

Happy Trails,
Marci Cunningham
AERC #1455
7,015 AERC miles