Having only one 25 mile under my belt
(where it was a race and I made too many serious mistakes that are
now burned in my brain such that I will never forget), I was
extremely thankful that the OD gave the limited distance riders a
separate and much more detailed briefing aside from the 50 and 100 milers.
The ride managers were very patient, continually looked for questions from their
audience, and were extremely knowledgeable in explaining exactly what to
expect. I was still learning the sport and trying to keep everything
straight in my head, yet at no point did they ever "talk down" or make
anyone feel stupid for asking questions -- no matter how many times the
same question was re-phrased differently. They made sure to stress
that this ride was NOT a race, but rather a learning experience -- for
both horse and rider -- to be enjoyed.
And what a joy it was! We got
to climb the Blue Ridge Mountains, and fording the wide, sparkling Shenandoah
River for the first time was a thrill I'll never forget. The
vets at the hold were wonderfully patient and considerate (we were at the
very, very back of the LD pack because my junior's old campaigner had a history
of tying up, necessitating our going slowly). We finished with
about 6 minutes to spare -- our horses vetting through in perfect
condition.
I remember the comradery and
excitement among the riders as we sat in nervous anticipation at the
awards, and the thrill of hearing your name and number called out in front of
all those people for a completion award. It was a
wonderful experience all around, and never once did I feel slighted,
left out, or denigrated (nor did I notice that at this year's award
ceremony, either). Instead, I felt pampered, special, and
encouraged -- as if the welcome mat had been rolled out just for us limited
distance riders to help us learn all about the sport. To make sure we felt
comfortable, they had dedicated a day totally to us
-- eliminating the pressure of us having to compete amid a pack of
intimidating 50 or 100 milers No other endurance ride that I know of
offers the Limited Distance riders their own day all to
themselves!
It was such a tremendous experience
that I stepped up to the 50 mile division this year(www.aurigafarm.8m.com/stories/July2002.html),
and next year hope to do the 75 mile division. I intend to also partake in
the 25 LD the following day to escort a friend on her first endurance ride
ever (she has helped as an OD volunteer for a number of years, but never
ridden the trail). If she has the same wonderful experience I
had at my OD limited distance ride, she'll be hooked -- and there will be one
more rider out there eager to enjoy the delights of endurance riding
-- be it "Limited Distance" or "Long
Distance"!
Flora Hillman
AERC #30079
