Ridecamp: Re: Re: [RC] Ride shortages: maybe it's time... V. LONG!

  In my immediate area, the Doncaster and the rides in
Fort Valley (No Frills/Old Dominion) are pretty much it.
Unfortunately my schedule has never permitted me to make the 
O.Ds. rides.
I was toying with the idea of trying to organize a ride at the
Manassas Battlefield Park (conveniently located almost in my 
back yard).  It is a large park with horse-friendly management 
(has a Volunteers in Parks(VIP) program where volunteers help 
patrol the park on USPS police horses,
host the battlefield equestrienne society which does 
reenactments and goves mounted historical tours (etc). Great 
Falls National Park and the C&0 canal parks are also nearby.
I do not know, however, if there is enough mileage of trails
to do anything more then an LD, (repeated circuits over one set 
of trails could trash them pretty badly, not to mention the 
boredom factor).  Here on the densely populated East Coast,
there simply not as many wide-open-space areas available for 
events.
  My immediate neighborhood is 1. very 'horsey', 2. has an 
extensive and gorgeous system of trails, and a very active and 
effective trails committee 
(http://www.geocities.com/greatfallstrails/) 3. a very wealthy 
populace (we are proud to be the blight on the neighborhgood).
If ever there was a community primed for endurance, it is here
(check out the new county equestrienne park, the second of it's 
kind in Fairfax County: 
http://www.co.fairfax.va.us/parks/cdpturnerframe.htm)
A REALLY tragic thing is that there are kids in the area who 
own show-ponies who have never ridden outside a ring.  In many 
cases Mom and Dad have entrusted their kids equine education to 
the nearest 'authority': ritzy riding stable, pony club, hot-
shot trainer.  These kids have never had the opportunity to 
just bomb around on horse-back unless it's under some sort 
of 'authoritative' auspice,  Sad, but true.  So unless some 
sort of 'official', supervised, stamped-of-approvaled 
AND conveniently located venue is provided, these kids (and 
adults as well) are unlikely to 'discover' endurance.
Another sad fact is the importance of competition for so many
young riders: if there is no competetive objective, 
forgaddaboutit.  Then there are folks like me who can hack to 
several possible LD/clinic sites in the area but can't hack to 
Fort Valley or Doncaster.
  It seems to me AERC needs to put some effort into making it 
easier for 'wanna-bes' to get intot he sport by providing MORE 
clinics and entry-level events.  If allowing separate LD events 
makes this easier, I can't see any harm in it.
  
 



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---- On Thu, 12 Dec 2002, RDCARRIE@xxxxxxx (RDCARRIE@xxxxxxx) 
wrote:

> Am I missing something here, or just having a blonde day and 
not understanding (wouldn't be the first
> time <G>).  Are there a lot of rides out there in other 
regions that don't have LDs along with the
> longer distances?  I know there are some out west, but 
thought that most in the eastern part of the
> country had LDs as well as 50s.  Here in Central Region, 
pretty much every ride has LD and 50, and a
> few have 100s.  Several even have 12-15 mile introductory 
rides.  The only regular CT ride I can
> think of offhand that doesn't have an LD is Movin' On Up, 
which is a ride to encourage LDers to move
> up to 50s.  And this year there's a special FEI 100 mile-only 
ride in March.  All the rest have LDs. 
> Works great for my husband and me...I just moved up to 50s 
this year, and he just started doing
> rides...I ride the 50 and he rides the LD.  It lets us both 
have fun.
> 
> Dawn in East Texas
> (already filling my calendar with next year's rides and 
wondering how I'll be able to afford to go to
> them all...)
> 
> 


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