RideCamp@endurance.net
RE: Riding to Finish
I had to chuckle
to myself as I read this... I am slowly conditioning my Peruvian Paso gelding
for next season's endurance rides (barefoot, even!), as this is something I had
to consider as I pondered the pros and cons of getting into endurance
riding. Being on a Peruvian means that I more than likely won't ever win,
or even place in the top 10, but what became more important to me was just
finishing with a sound horse and having fun in the process. It's a
terrific experience for both horse and rider. There are too many people in
the Peruvian Paso show world who honestly don't think these guys were "cut out"
for endurance riding, yet they were bred to carry their owners over their vast
plantations in comfort... some "endurance" needed for that. Anyhow,
there's an element of personal pride in demonstrating their versatility, and I
look forward to being a part of a small group of us who are dedicated to
increasing their visibility at these rides. But actually winning?
Depends on your definition of what winning is... to me, it's conditioning
slowly, riding well, putting my horse's health first, and finishing if it makes
sense. It's too easy to lose sight of these little things when the thought
of placing enters your mind. And did I mention "Have Fun"?! New
friends, new experiences, new things you've learned...that's the best
part!
Kindest
Regards,
Tracey
Ritter
Porltand,
OR
<snip>
> Roger, if we're ever vying for 20th
place you can have it. I just don't see the point in racing. What
I do is endurance > riding.
I'll never top ten unless all of the front runners make a humongous
wrong turn and by fabulous good luck I > end up in the front. Even then
I probably wouldn't know what to do with it. This doesn't mean that I
don't respect > people who DO
race, there are just lots more of us who go to finish and have fun with our
horses. NOT racing.
Sylvia
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