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

[DVeritas@aol.com]

n a message dated 2/6/00 7:37:03 PM Mountain Standard Time, 
CMKSAGEHIL@aol.com writes:

> Those who can do so 
>  are the EXTRA special winners.  But if you stop to think about it, even 
the 
>  high mileage horses who DON'T win are household words in this sport, but 
the 
> 
>  ones who win a few races and disappear are not.  If you can combine 
winning 
>  and a long career, more power to you!  But most endurance riders still 
value 
> 
>  the long career over the short burst of glory.  There is nothing more 
>  gratifying to many of us than an old, high-mileage horse who is still 
sound 
>  and clean-legged.  That is a huge form of winning in its own right.
>  
> Yes, Heidi,
     There are winners, then there are WINNERS!  I agree that there are super 
riders and super horses out there "doing it" (accumulating QUALITY miles).  
And, no, I can't define "quality" miles...it varies, it seems, from horse to 
horse.
      Personally, however, I hate seeing SOME horses dragging down the trail, 
mile after mile, in pursuit of what the rider sees as some mileage plateau, 
when it should be obvious to the least astute of us, that the horse doesn't 
"just love to go down the trail", "he would hate it if I left him home this 
weekend" and a bunch of other rationalizations some of us seem to make in 
pursuit of a nebulous aggregate of miles which the horse has no means or 
desire to understand.
    I think that "extremes," at either end of the spectrum, end up making 
life a living hell for some horses just trying to meet the tenets of what 
they perceive their function is in exchange for some food, water and a quiet 
place out of the biting wind.
    All this talk about what is or isn't good for the endurance horse is 
relevant, however, what I'm really reading "between the lines" is THIS IS 
WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO ME AND I'M NOT CHANGING.
    That's okay.
    Maybe a little "food, water and a quiet place out of the biting wind" 
isn't such a bad reward....it is for "this" Beast of Burden. :^).
      
     Frank.