Re: RC: reply to Tom Ivers re: re FEI

[Tivers@aol.com]

In a message dated 8/30/00 6:48:14 AM Pacific Daylight Time, 
tvanhove@uswest.net writes:

<< Well Tom,  I've got 1000 miles on my horse.  I don't consider myself a
 bad horseman just because I'm not choosing to go for victory with him. I
 just cant get too worked up that someone who has never actually ridden
 an endurance race thinks I'm horrible because I'm not training and
 riding at winning speed. >

I've put 1000 miles on at least 300 horses--and most of them kicked ass--more 
than $25 million in purse winnings. Those that I controlled ran absolutely 
drug free. In other cases, where my contribution was only guiding the 
exercise side, quick fixes of any kind were always trouble, even in the short 
term. But the whole point was to win, and to do that, you have to pay the 
price of hard work coupled with even harder thought. 


> If you had ever done a ride you might
 understand that just completing is a rewarding experience.>

Give me a break. If you had ever conditioned, built from the ground up, a 
champion equine athlete, you'd belly laugh at your own statement. Show me a 
good loser and I'll show you a loser--to quote Woddy Hayes.

> Grey is a
 completer and a learning horse for me; and I hope to get more serious
 with my next horse, but don't tell me I'm doing badly by Grey - He's a
 very happy, healthy horse and he has looked and been absolutely great at
 the finish line.  An endurance race is not like a track race - it really
 is not at all difficult to choose your own pace. 
 
 Teresa Van Hove
  >>

I have nothing against your personal approach, and I'm certain your horse is 
happy. But if you push your particular religion on others by sanctimoniously 
attacking those who choose to actually compete, you're trying to sell tap 
water as Holy Water. That is a lowly occupation in the larger scheme of 
things. Any drooler with an Elvis haircut can do that. 

ti