Fw: [RC] Rocks, Hills, Weather, OH MY! - Lori Bertolucci
Though it has been a while since I have done a ride, I think that part of
the "endurance" thing is the rider making the decision to do the ride, no matter
what. It is easy to say the weather is too bad, or the terrain is too hard, but
to at least attempt it is part of the fun! When I left Bakersfield Friday
afternoon, it would have been easier to stay home, using the excuse that the
wind was blowing hard, and it was raining and I had been up all nite with sore
ribs and went to work at 5:30am that morning. etc, etc, ect. But the truth was,
I knew if I didn't go this time, then the next time finding an excuse would even
be easier. And even with all the rain, it was fun. I had forgotten how much fun
setting up camp could be and just the attitude of all the riders was fun to be
around. Talk about a party atmosphere! Plus the experience for a very green
horse, that couldn't be beat. Now when we go to a ride, it can only be easier
for him, as there at Lakeside he got to see what bad weather can be like.
Maybe we didn't get to ride, but there are other ones and you know what? we will
be there, rain or no rain. At least we tried!
Extremely well said and to the point, Tammy. All of the
points you made are the reasons that I love this sport. I love meeting, head on,
the challenges of the day. Never mind whether it is on a conditioining or
training ride, as well as the endurance rides. Without the rocks, hills,
weather, or any number of surprises, I might just as well join any number of
local trail rides and toodle along at a walk, chatting all the way to the hour
long lunch breaks after which, we all mount up and slowly toodle back to the
trailers. NOT!!!! So good on ya for speaking out, Tammy.
Pat ----- Original Message -----
From: Trailrite@xxxxxxx To: ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ; So_Cal_Endurance@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
; CLRidnhigh@xxxxxxx Sent: Sunday, May 04, 2003 2:53 PM
Subject: [RC] Rocks, Hills, Weather, OH
MY!
I
wanted to sort of speak my feelings on this subject and this is sort of
off-the-wall. I think that quite a few riders choose these days a ride to
go to that has minimum challenges time after time. It seems that riders are
selecting rides with none of the above mentioned tittles. Riders need to
view a few things a little different when entering this sport. First of
all, endurance is put on trails with hills, rocks, mud, sand, water crossings,
wind, rain, hail, snow, etc. Not to mention, grass, flowers, views, trees,
lakes, streams, waterfalls, etc. This is the wonder of trail riding isn't
it? If you as a
rider want to not do so, then this sport may not be for you. After all,
you might have to get hot, cold, tired, have to get off and climb uphill,
downhill, get your feet muddy, get wet, have a sun burn and chapped lips,
etc...you get the picture. But with all of that said, one thing you are is
ALIVE and out there with your horse as a partner and
companion. Each
ride has trails in that area for that ride with tuff spots no matter what ride
it is. A rider will actually complain about the rocks or the climbs, wind
or, etc.... And Yes, maybe you might want to start with an easier ride
then work your way into a harder ride later. That's understandable.
But we aren't seeing this much
anymore. Your
horse is capable of doing cross county because a horse is built for this sort of
ability with a good rider. Horses have carried us for as long as man first
climbed on his back. "The Ride" is the challenge for the day,
whatever that ride has to offer. Riders and horses need this experience to
develop into better endurance challenges &
goals. I hear
riders back away from tough rides BUT, with the intentions of someday doing the
Tevis or some other bigger ride goal in the same breath. Then the Tevis
day comes and the horse or the rider is not experienced to handle the
challenge. It's not the rides fault it would be your fault for not
preparing. Why
would a rider do simple rides only and have these goals ahead of them?
Knowing very well they are not training to get closer to their goal year after
year. We should
as riders seek these rides out more than once in a while for preparing both
themselves and their
horses. So seek
out a good tuff ride and have some fun and teach you and your horse to prepare
one step closer to that bigger goal you have.
Tammy
Robinson Trail-Rite Ranch &
Products 18171 Lost Creek Road Santa
Clarita, CA 91390 661/513-9269 or 661/713-3912;
cell www.Trail-Rite.com (new updates!)
