The problem with setting a minimum time limit is then it becomes like a
competitive trail ride. What happens is people go like mad, then stop 1/2
mile or so from the finish line and hang out until they can come it. Their
horse has a chance to recover, but that doesn't necessarily mean that it wasn't
ridden too hard and fast out on the trail. Always a way around a
rule.
In a message dated
5/29/2003 2:03:18 PM Mountain Daylight Time, Merryben@xxxxxxx writes:
LD is and will remain a
race. You can't put the Genie back in the
bottle
...then, let's keep the
four year-olds at home. Make the minimum age 60 months and let the
horses deal with the trials on the trails, not the hubris in the
saddle. ---Frank
Or what about setting both a
minimum and maximum time for LD only? All horses must come in within a
certain window (like say, from 3 hours minimum to 6 hours max for a 25
miler). Come in too fast, you're DQ'd, and same for too slow. Set
the pace that would accommodate "middle of the pack-ers" to protect all the
horses from the hell-bent for leather "racer type" riders - since LDs really
are intended to be training rides anyway.
Then, out of those that finish within the window, pick the first 10 in and
judge for BC.
Hehe...I'm still trying to do my first ride (got rained out on my first
attempt), so don't mind me if I don't know what I'm talking about! :)
