Ridecamp: Re: [RC] How Sad

Amen to that!

I am a "newbie."  Without newbies, a sport dies with the last of the current 
crop of riders and their horses.  Which brings me to another point (feel free 
to delete if you experienced pros don't care to hear the opinion of a newbie.)

I just completed my second 50. (have never done an LD)  I got into the sport 
primarily because of the motto - To Finish is to Win.  That sounded very cool 
to me because I love spending long hours out on trail with my Standardbred 
mare, TR Solitaire.  So we've done two rides and made completion on both of 
'em - but what is with the balls-out Ricky Racer types????  I've been 
appalled by the sight of seasoned riders having their pulled horses hooked up 
to IV's and hoping they live through the night.  Is there some million dollar 
purse out there for these rides that they don't tell us newbies about?  What 
in God's name is up with these people?  I finished dead last place my first 
ride - learned a LOT, and finished middle of the pack in the Malibu 50 
yesterday - middle of the pack because so many people ignored the heat and 
the difficulty of the ride.....and the motto!  To finish is to win.  IMHO, to 
sacrifice your mount in hopes of winning is truly pathetic.

How's that for a newbie's 2 cents?

Scott (loving to ride in solitude on Solitaire)
Solitaire (Hey!  Shorten these rides to a 1 or 2 mile trot and I'll kick all 
these Arab's butts!  :o)

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