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Re: Difference between LD and other distances



>I don't see why the LDers can't have their milage counted also.  It will
take 
>them twice as long to chalk up miles compared to 50 + milers but they still 
>work hard for it.  Don't give them points, save that for the 50+ rides but
at 
>least let them feel they are on the same level as "endurance" riders as they 
>should be.  They do everything that the long distance riders do, pay entry 
>fees, condition their horses, travel to rides, ride the same trails, follow 
>the same rules, have the same vet criteria!  Isn't it about time that AERC 
>gave them the same recognition as the 50+ riders?  YES.

I agree with most of the rules regarding LD that have been decided on in
the past (and understand the reasoning behind these decisions) -- except
for not counting the miles for the lifetime tally of the horse or rider.
In the light of some of the horses and riders who have thousands (or tens
of thousands) of miles on the books, what difference would it make for the
LD horse to show it's measly (but honestly earned) 250 (plus or minus)
miles in the organization that they have chosen to support (whether they
did it in 50s or more...or 25s.)  With 250 miles earned solely in LD,
that's 9-10 rides where the person has paid AERC the privilege to attend.  

When I see the listings in the way they are separated now, what I see is
**ENDURANCE** (The Only True Distance Riding) and "limited distance" (the
mousey s*** that isn't even worth counting as "miles actually ridden" in an
AERC ride...hell, "any horse can do it"...we just want your money and we'll
give you some stuff, so be quiet and talk to us again when you can really
ride long stuff like the rest of us ENDURANCE riders...and, in the
meantime, thank us for giving you the privilege to ride on the trails with
us. <g>)

If 25 miles isn't worth counting, in a lifetime total, with the
organization that wants to encourage distance (excuse me, ENDURANCE <g>)
riding in a sensible, educated, well-thought-out fashion...WHY?  There is
sooooo much more to endurance riding than *just* the actual miles pounded
out by the horse -- so much more to learn.  I think a big mistake is made
by people starting with their horse in 50s just because they don't want to
go thru all of the preparation and expense to not have this effort counted
in their total tally.......and I know this happens.  I will be starting 50s
next season and will have 4-5 horses in the barn ready for 50s.  Billy will
be the only one starting at 50s and not LD...and only because we have spent
the last season doing LDs with the others for *us* (and them) to learn as
much as possible in that time about this great sport.  We know better now
to be able to assess their readiness and OUR readiness to add the next bump
in miles...and we had to resist frequent outside "encouragement" to take on
more than we felt we were ready to handle.  

There was no way I wanted to take a chance with my horses (who also have to
work for a living -- part of *my* living ;-)) nor did I want to go in and
make a serious mistake in feeding, electrolytes, containment, procedures,
training, hoofcare, rules, proper tack, achieving good vet scores, and so
on.  (I was the teacher trying to stay one step ahead of the
students...with a reputation to uphold! <bg>)  Yes, most horses can go out
and make it thru a 25 unscathed, but there's more to it than that.  Not
that many novice horses, especially when accompanied by a newbie rider
without an old sage leading the way, should be doing 50s to start.  I
would, in fact, *encourage* them to do a season of 25s while they get
themselves and their horses educated and organized.  I feel my course of
action has been a good one and that we (the horses and my
compatriots/students) will be able to do the next level of distance and be
(hopefully) fairly well informed and prepared.  

But I'm sad that, with all of our preparation, education, and support of
the sponsoring organization, our measly miles we accumulated this year
won't count in a lifetime total.  We rode the miles (and paid the Piper
;-))...why can't they count?

If the answer is because "any horse can do it" or "it isn't really
ENDURANCE", or "it's just a "warm-up" mileage"...then why do they count the
first 25 miles of any other distance in the lifetime tally???  Under the
current policy and frame of mind, those first 25 miles (which can't be
counted as "endurance" miles by anybody's definition) shouldn't be counted
when tallying the lifetime totals for ENDURANCE -- they should only be
counting what has ridden BEYOND those first 25 miles.  For the lifetime
tally recorded, it should be *that* distance *minus* 25.  Let's get rid of
the double standard and just tally up "Lifetime Miles Ridden" in a distance
completed in an AERC sanctioned ride for AERC supporting members.  If you
require that they be members of the organization to get any lifetime
points, then all members should have that privilege.  Total Lifetime Miles
in AERC should be just that!  If you want to go one layer deeper in an
investigation of where those points were earned, you can differentiate at
that point.

Sue

Sue
-------
Sue Brown
Tyee Farm
ARICP Certified Riding Instructor
Recreational Riding and Dressage
Marysville, Wa. 
sbrown@wamedes.com



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