Re: FEI

["Maryanne Stroud Gabbani" <maryanne@ratbusters.net>]

Sticking my oar in again as one involved in the evolution of a new sport in Egypt, one of the attractive things about AERC...and other national organisations....has been the concern with mileage. How many miles or kilometres a horse, a rider, or a combination rack up over time is a real statement of stamina if not speed. I think that if FEI were to concern itself with this as a measure of horsemanship instead of, or even along with, just who has won this ride or that one, we (as riders in Egypt who only have maybe one endurance horse) would feel more comfortable. It's hard to throw yourself into the straight "win at all cost" mentality of flatracing when you only have one horse. Sometimes you know you have to slow down to be able to compete again another day and hopefully do better....but it is good to have it recognised that at least you tried and finished. I daresay that many of us would like to be Trilby as much as Val or Stephane or Leo.  There is room for both mindsets and I'm not sure that I see one as necessarily better than another.

 

Maryanne Stroud Gabbani
Cairo, Egypt
maryanne@ratbusters.net
www.ratbusters.net

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