Ridecamp: RE: [RC] LD again

Let's look at LD from a different perspective and see what
we find.

To start with the speed that is used for the ride duration
time limit was based originally on the distance of 100 miles
in 24 hours, A very admirable accomplishment but by no means
impossible for the horse to do. This minimum rate of travel
for 100 miles, 4.17 miles per hour, is also the rate of
travel stipulated for 25 miles. Rather ludicrous is it not?
By all reality the shorter distance should be based on a
faster rate of travel.

But we started out calling these LD rides
"Training/introductory Rides" They were not competition so
we just kept the slow rate of 4.17 mph as a basic. We did
not, originally, have a winner. The only thing the rider
could "race" against was that minimum speed of 4.17 mph.
Many fought against naming a winner as this made it a RACE!
But the preponderance of opinion won, as it should. A winner
position was established but not necessarily the first
across the finish line, pulse had to meet a criteria before
completion was awarded.

Now, the smart rider (of which there are very few) only has
to beet the competition by one second. But most riders want
to WIN and that means beating the competition by much more
than that. Look at how many 50 mile or 100 mile rides are
won by a large interval. Sometimes an hour or more. The
smart winner rides only as fast as is necessary to beat the
second place horse and saves the excess for another day.

When the membership wants a ride format, and over whelmingly
votes for it, then it behooves the Organization to provide
it to them.

You stated <<< Most mistakes at the LD level happen because
riders really don't know any better.>>> I say that those
mistakes are not really mistakes but are acts of ignorance
because the perpetrator did not make any effort to learn
before doing. The education is available, the mentors are
available, the willingness of people to put on seminars is
there. The effort must be made by those needing the
education to avail themselves of the opportunities. We
cannot force feed.

Bob

Bob Morris
Morris Endurance Enterprises
Boise, ID

-----Original Message-----
From: ridecamp-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:ridecamp-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of Steph
Teeter
Sent: Thursday, June 20, 2002 10:58 AM
To: ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [RC] LD again


>>How many others on the BOD agree with this?  Is it time to
really look at
the purposes of LD and ensure that that's how LDs are
managed and that's
how LDs are ridden?
Lif Strand
Quemado NM  USA
>>

Here's my opinion on LD as a BOD member - (but, however)
it's not a simple
issue.

I very much agree with Tamara's recent post:
>>From Tamara: "Tamara Woodcock plasmatica@xxxxxxxxxxx
Back to the same LD arguement again.
There is a whole section of rules pertaining to LD only.
And there is a
section/rule which states that there is a minimum completion
time.  This
means the stopwatch matters and that Limited Distance, same
as for
Endurance, is therefore a race.  The only thing differing
the two is the
"finish line", which is actually a finish line for
endurance, and is meeting
the pulse criteria of 60 for Limited Distance. Many times
the rules use the
words "competitor" and "compete" in reference to both
Endurance and Limited
Distance.  No where is mentioned "this isn't a *real*
competition, so don't
try to win"  And there are guidelines in place for handling
rides that do
give placements.">>

(Steph speaking now:) But: I don't think that the current LD
format is the
best training tool - if AERC's intention was to provide
education and
training of new riders, then they should not have defined LD
as a timed
event - i.e. race. If a proposal came before the BOD to
redefine LD, I would
have to consider it very carefully.

However: As it currently stands, LD is by definition a race,
just as 50's
and 100's are by definition races. Therefore, I would prefer
to see AERC
focus on methods of training new, LD riders , such as
seminars, one-on-one
discussion, articles in EN, etc., to EDUCATE new riders.
Most mistakes at
the LD level happen because riders really don't know any
better. There may
be some career foolish LD yahoos, but not very many in my
experience
(actually none in my experience). There are also many career
top finishers,
who condition their horses and ride good smart rides. For
those who are, and
always will be, inclined to race, the current LD format is a
reasonable
starting point - they learn how to pace for a top finish,
they learn the
importance of training, electrolyting, paying attention to
their horses -
but since it's only half the distance, the risks of getting
the horse into
serious trouble are less.

I don't like the mixed message that AERC currently sends -
"LD is a race by
definition, but we really think you shouldn't race". There
have been hard
feelings on both sides (LD and non-LD) since I've been in
the sport. We
(AERC) need to either change the format, or support the one
we have.

Steph


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