Re: Malibu rudeness

["jsalas" <jsalas@tampabay.rr.com>]

First of all, lets not get confused as to what the problem was. It really has nothing to do with the ride being a LD. I can tell you right now (and I won't mention any names) that a fellow AERC rider who is very involved in AERC was racing a 50 and behaving just like the lady described in this incident. Only this person didn't have any Jr. riders in tow. As a matter of fact, since I have moved up to the 50's, I have seen quite a bit of that kind of racing, with and with out Jr. riders.

"It provides a
wonderful stepping stone into endurance and also fills in the shorter
distance rider needs."  I am not sure what fellow ridecamper wrote this but some of the shorter distance riders need to race, just like every one else. So let's not tell people how to ride with the exception of the rules already in place. Why is it ok for 50 milers to run like a bat out of hell but not LD? (And I am not really asking that question or looking to argue it, just trying to make a point). Geez! Some people are such control freaks!  THIS IS NOT BURGER KING. YOU DON'T GET IT YOUR WAY, YOU TAKE IT MY WAY OR YOU DON'T GET THE DAMN THING! That being said, the problem was the very, very poor sportsmanship and the way it reflects on our young riders. Nothing can be done unless it is reported at the time of the incident. Did anyone read the story in EN about the man who had a protest filed against him because his horse died days after a ride? Allegedly, he whipped the horse to make him finish, the horse fell off the trail, took the horse to the hospital , and then the horse died. The protest committee said there wasn't enough evidence to prove the owner did anything wrong but ended with this thought. Riders complained that this person whipped his horse at rides all the time and people saw it and never said a word as far as reporting it. If someone had spoke up sooner, would the horse still be alive? Speak up, before we end up with a whole generation of careless (or couldn't care less) riders and dead horses. And yes, someone should have notified the parents of the Jr. riders as well. Lisa Salas, The Odd FARM