Home Current News News Archive Shop/Advertise Ridecamp Classified Events Learn/AERC
Endurance.Net Home Ridecamp Archives
ridecamp@endurance.net
[Archives Index]   [Date Index]   [Thread Index]   [Author Index]   [Subject Index]

Re: [RC] Rios brother - Barbara McCrary

Personally, I felt Rio was just the right height.  I find it interesting how
many people will turn down a 14.2 or 14.3 horse because "he's too small".
My opinions:  Small is easier to mount, small is less distance to the ground
should you become unhorsed, small cools out quickly, small needs less feed.
My favorite height is 14.3.  I once owned a 14.2 gelding that I thought the
world of; my husband, a heavywt. rider, rode him in a 50 and came within a
whisker of winning.  He was beaten at the last moment by a lightweight woman
riding a taller horse.  I made my only win on this horse, he was a
consistent top 10, a wonderful multi-day horse, and loved a good race to the
finish line.  And I'm a good solid midwt. rider.  (Accent on solid).

Barbara

----- Original Message -----
From: "Heidi Smith" <heidi@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "Barbara McCrary" <bigcreekranch@xxxxxxxxxx>; <Merryben@xxxxxxx>;
<ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, April 25, 2003 9:21 AM
Subject: Re: [RC] Rios brother


I remember Courtney telling the story of buying Cameo and the sellers
telling him to just take Rio because they didn't want him or he was too
small or some such reason.  Courtney was always proud of the fact that
the
world's champion endurance horse had been a freebie.  I remember
thinking
that's all very well, but Rio's success was due in great measure to
Becky's
skill in riding him.

I always found it humorous that Rio was considered "worthless" because he
was too small or too this or not enough that, when in fact his nearly
ideal
three-circle balanced conformation was overlooked.   And while it is
absolutely true that Becky was a vital part of the combination, I have
also
yet to see a top horse with a poor body, and Rio's body conformation
should
be a learning model for everybody.  Too many folks will pass up a nearly
ideal athlete because he isn't x hands tall, or because he doesn't match
some other irrelevant criterion.

Heidi





=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net.
Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp
Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp

Ride Long and Ride Safe!!

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=


Replies
Re: [RC] Rios brother, Merryben
Re: [RC] Rios brother, Barbara McCrary
Re: [RC] Rios brother, Heidi Smith