Ridecamp: Re: [RC] Refusing entry to rides [was How Sad]

>The one argument is that "we have other animals at home to see to" and my
answer would be "get a sitter" and "another 150 other households have the
same problem, get over it"

No, not all people have the same situations about getting home.  I don't
like to see horses loaded up and hauled immediately after, nor do I like to
do it, but for a great many, the only other choice would have been not to
come at all.  I used to live somewhere that sitters were at least reasonably
easy to come by.  Now that I've moved, that isn't the case.  It is a real
imposition for the one neighbor who WILL feed for us to do so.  It isn't a
matter of just tossing hay to a few horses--it is a matter of caring for 10
stallions, several broodmares, etc., and a couple of the older stallions
with dental issues have pretty picky dietary requirements (beet pulp that
must be soaked, etc.).  In the summer, our watering alone (between 50 and 60
horses here) is an extensive and time-consuming job, even though we leave
enough with several of the horses that one day (Saturday) can be skipped.
In addition, we have our irrigation and haying to deal with, and that is how
we pay for it all--the mortgage, the groceries on the table, and the trip to
the ride in the first place--and that CANNOT be left to a sitter, any more
than one can leave any other career to a sitter.  I know of many other
people in various different careers who also face work schedules that
require them to be back at certain times, and they cannot alter that without
losing their jobs.  The only option (besides not going at all) is to ride a
ride that is less than the maximal effort for the horses, so that we know
they can safely be loaded up and hauled within several hours of the event.
We also opt to take the brunt of the problem on ourselves, in our case,
where we wait for at least several hours and then drive through the night,
getting no sleep ourselves between the ride and a busy day (unless we can
cadge a quick nap right after).  It is also coolest then, so we are not
adding heat to the problem.  Yes, it would be nice to be independently
wealthy, and to live a life of leisure where we can completely dictate our
own schedules.  Meanwhile, we enjoy the sport to the level that we can
without putting an undue burden on our horses.  That's one nice thing about
this sport--there's a level for everyone to participate, even if their
circumstances are less than ideal for maximal competition.

So my suggestion to you critics is that you try to walk a mile in the other
guy's shoes sometimes, and "get over it" yourselves.  While you are correct
that it is not an ideal situation, you need to weigh all the factors before
you condemn people.

Heidi (who'd like to stay and visit or rest as well, but wouldn't be able to
do that, either, if I'd just simply made the choice not to come in the first
place)



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