Percentage of riders not owners

["Laura Hayes" <mark@madbbs.com>]

I was in Vermont for the PAC and was speaking to a longtime endurance rider that I competed with in 'big' races 15 or more years ago.  We were talking about the changes in the sport, but specifically that there were many riders not on their own horses.

 

In the '80s, Brian Weaver and I and a few others rode for Wayne McMinn (and Brian for others), who owned quite a few horses.  There were very few of us that did that at that time.  The gentleman I was talking to said that at least 50% of the riders in 'big' rides were not the regular riders, or at  least not the owners of the horses they were competing on.  Other than the first place horse, I didn't see alot of that.  Does anyone else know if that is more the norm than it used to be?

 

Laura Hayes