Re: Re: Fw: RC: endurance prospect, etc.

["Whitney Bass" <bass@bigsky.net>]

I think it's difficult to compare "leaving out a stride" etc. to
competitive miles of endurance competition.  You even said that you don't
win because you don't care to ride your horse as fast as it would take --
that proves my point exactly.  That's exactly why I don't win, and probably
many others.  When did I say that anybody was wrong for their choices?   Or
that it was "OK" to do something, or not?  ALL I've ever been saying is
what you just said. 
----------
> From: Sweaney <sweaney@lightspeed.net>
> To: bass@bigsky.net; ridecamp <ridecamp@endurance.net>
> Subject: Re: Re: Fw: RC:  endurance prospect, etc.
> Date: Sunday, February 06, 2000 7:26 PM
> 
> In show jumping, for example, it applies very much.  Look at the jump
off.
> The winner is the rider who is willing to take the chance and cut the
> corner, leave out a stride, gallop to the fence, and do some "amazing
> maneuver"  to gain that extra .01 of a second.
> 
> My horse and I make an excellent team.  We can beat everyone out there at
a
> walk.  If you were all willing to walk, I would win hands down.  In a
> walking race, I would know that I have a "legitimate chance of winning"
that
> day.  This is not a walking event.  It is a sport where people ride their
> horses fast over a long distance.  I do not win (nor do I care to)
because I
> do not want to ride my horse as fast as it would take.  Clearly, you have
> chosen the speed at which you would like to ride and it isn't as fast as
it
> takes to win.  Should ride managers post a maximum speed so that everyone
> goes through the "same maneuvers" and therefore has the same chance at
> winning?
> 
> Since that isn't going to happen, is it okay to race at the beginning?
> 
> Karen
> Sweaney@lightspeed.net
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Whitney Bass <bass@bigsky.net>
> To: Alison Farrin <alison@innovativepension.com>;
<ridecamp@endurance.net>
> Sent: Sunday, February 06, 2000 5:15 PM
> Subject: RC: Re: Fw: RC: endurance prospect, etc.
> 
> 
> How is it true of these sports?  This is what I'm talking about -- if I
was
> running in the front of a ride with another rider, and because I can't
beat
> him out on the trail, am faced with whether or not I am going to race at
> the finish line, I'll probably lose that ride.  Most people that are
going
> for the win, are also willing to race at the end to get it.  And because
I
> am not willing to race to finish line, I lose the ride.  Does that mean
> that the winning team was better than me and my horse that day?  No.  It
> means that we'll never know -- because I didn't race to the finish.  The
> win went to the rider who was willing to race.  How does this apply to
> sports like dressage or jumping?  They are all performing the same test
> (someone isn't going to ask her horse to do some amazing maneuver at the
> end to score extra points, in dressage; or going to jump a few more jumps
> at the end of a course to show how good her horse is, in jumping).  And
be
> careful not to glorify BC too much.  While it is an excellent award and
> goal to achieve, it is based on the opinions of (educated) people who are
> seeing your horse for an incredibly short amount of time (in the scheme
of
> things).  I'd rather go into a competition knowing that I have a
legitimate
> chance of winning, not because I'm willing to "race at the end", but
> instead, because my horse and I are the best team there on that day.  Am
I
> putting down endurance riding?  I hope not -- I have a true passion and
> love for this sport.  These are just some things I've been thinking about
> lately.
> 
> ----------
> > From: Alison Farrin <alison@innovativepension.com>
> > To: 'Whitney Bass' <bass@bigsky.net>; ridecamp@endurance.net
> > Subject: RE: Fw: RC:  endurance prospect, etc.
> > Date: Sunday, February 06, 2000 5:22 PM
> >
> > But that is true of Three day eventing and dressage and steeplechasing
> and
> > (god knows) the show ring.  Just where are you planning to compete that
> this
> > isn't the case?  At least in endurance, you can compete for BC, where
> skill
> > of the team IS the most importanct part!
> >
> > Alison Farrin
> > Innovative Pension Strategy & Design
> > alison@innovativepension.com
> > 858-451-9594 x 107
> >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: Whitney Bass [mailto:bass@bigsky.net]
> > >
> > >
> > > ----------
> > > My only point in writing that post, Tom, was
> > > to say that
> > > > because the winner of most rides is determined ultimately by the
> > > > competitiveness of the rider, instead of the skill of the team, I
am
> > > > considering changing disciplines.  I've known all along
> > > that endurance
> > > > riding was to going to grow and head in the direction it is
> > > today -- just
> > > > because I don't want to see it, doesn't make me ignorant or
> > > superior.
> > >
> 
> 
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