Re: Need Help

[Rides 2 Far <rides2far@juno.com>]

So is there a way I can convince my
> husband that all the time I would spend training would benefit the >
wholefamily? He's not really a horse person.

Ahh, my specialty!  I have 1001 ways to justify this habit since I've
been having to justify it to MYSELF for years... by the way, I started
endurance at age 27. :-)

First, point out all his friends whose wives have gotten really fat. 
Check into what a membership in a gym costs, then point out that if you
hang out at a gym there will be lots of really buff good looking guys
there, whereas if you hang out with endurance riders you'll probably be
just hanging out with women.

Now, he thinks you should be involved in an area of horsedom that is
concerned with making a profit.  Big mistake but a common one from people
who haven't been in the business.  Most people who are trying to make
money with horses lose thousands, tens of thousands, and hundreds of
thousands of dollars.  Compared to the average person who is trying to
make a profit, you'll be thousands of dollars to the good.

The kids.  That's easy.  Endurance camps are the greatest place in the
world to take your kids camping.  You soon know everyone who shows up at
the rides and your kids have a ready made peer group waiting for them
when they get there.  There's usually little or no camping fee, as
compared to the average $25+ per night at a KOA and they have lots more
fun diving in watertroughs than at the average overcrowded KOA pool. 
Endurance kids learn to be creative, and it does them wonders to spend 3
days at a time with no access to TV or nintendo (SHAME on you people who
let you kids bring a Gameboy!)  My kids never sent in $19.95 for a
"Ribbon Dancer" they just tied long strips of surveyer flagging to sticks
and ran off playing with them.  

Endurance kids are some of the few who realize what luxuries simple
necessities are. I actually heard a 12 year old practically swooning over
the luxury of a flush toilet at the last ride I went to...but it's also
nice to know that in today's world there is still another generation
being brought up who knows how to pee in the woods!

My husband used to sort of think endurance was expensive, until he
started listening to the other men he worked with.  One brought in a list
of the appraisals of his wife's (who was divorcing him) jewelry.  It
added up to over $90,000.  He said shopping was the only hobby she had.
Another man told him that he liked to work on his antique cars when he
had off time, but his wife wanted his full attention at all times...she
had "no life".  He offered to pay for her to take classes, get a
hobby...ANYTHING.  He envied Bill for having a wife with a life.  My mom
asked Bill how he felt about me leaving every Saturday to do training
rides.  Bill said, "Every time I see that truck & trailer go down the
driveway I tell myself "Off day" :-) (Maybe you should start making your
husband "to do" lists so he'll want you to go away a little)

When my children were small I tried to do most of my training incredibly
early in the morning so nobody missed me.   For some reason you can sleep
till noon without people thinking you neglect your family, but if you get
out at 5 and ride till noon they'll count every hour against you...so
keep the husband & kids up till midnight, get out at 5, they'll sleep
till 11 and you tell them you just ran out for a one hour ride.  Nobody
seems to notice when you crash for a nap in the afternoon.  And of
course, as Sylvia pointed out *always* pretend good training ride days
make you feel like cooking a big home cooked supper and ...whatever else
will impress him. ;-)

Finally...he wants money...why?  What do you do when you get money?  You
try to spend it on something that will make you happy, right?  Well...if
doing endurance makes you happy already you don't need the money for
other things...like those expensive mood elevator drugs right?

P.S.  If none of this works just say, "Listen loser, you're lucky I'm
willing to hold a job at all. Shape up or I'll just lose the job, stay
home watch soaps and try to get my picture on the cover of the Globe as
the World's Largest formerly attractive housewife. :-)

Angie


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