Wow Truman, I didn't realize Florida endurance was
so new in 1990. I didn't start until late '93 or early '94 and I heard about it
from Terry Stone. He was shoeing my horse and telling me about a ride in south
Florida he had just gone to. I had horses as a kid but had never heard of
endurance riding. You know him, he made it sound like a wild and crazy ride. I
had to try it! I did my first ride in the Osceola, the Panther Run. I tried to
stay with Terry and John, but they were to wild and crazy for me!
Still, at the end of the ride, I was addicted.
It's expensive, and time consuming. It's
challenging, and can end either victoriously or disastrously. It's addictive
with no cure. Like addicts, we will find the money to support this habit and to
hell with rehab!
It doesn't matter how long you have been riding or
what distances you ride. Have you ever noticed a beer and steak never tasted so
good as it does after a ride? A shower never felt so good as it does after a
ride? Coffee never goes down so smooth as it does the morning after a ride? And
your horse never looked so damn good as he or she does after a successful ride?
And you have never loved your family and crew so much as you do after a ride?
How can you NOT be addicted to this sport?
I am beginning to feel I need something more, like
trying a 100. I didn't get to finish the multi-day last year, (no heat or hot
water in trailer and I am spoiled now so I don't HAVE to freeze!) but I will
attempt two this season and maybe, just maybe.....However, I might have to pay
my family and crew to hang out while I do a 100. I don't think "love" will be
enough!
The first ride I did had 11 in the 25 and 4 in the 50 and it
was in 1990! Endurance got started late in FL. It was an easy jump from 25 to
50 because you all hung around together and there was encouragement - "hey
you've done a couple 25's the last one in 2:30, it's time to move up to a slow
50". Same was true for 100's. Most everyone wanted to "give it a shot." Now in
FL a small ride is 60 people and we have gone from three rides in 1990 to 9 or
10 next year. Most are running close to 75 and 100. When they were small
we had more people doing 100's than we do today! We have lost that community
we had just 10 short years ago.
Like anything there are many causes
and it's more complex than just one thing. However, the close knit family
aspect of endurance riding is clearly not what it used to be and I think it
shows in a lot of ways - the decline of 100's being one.
Frank and
Terre we must be getting old, we sound like old farts sitting around the
campfire reminiscing for days gone by - and sigh, maybe never to
return.
In a message dated 7/21/2003 2:29:09 PM
Mountain Daylight Time, tobytrot@xxxxxxxxx writes:
Back in "the good old days" riders were smaller, in general,
and 'everybody knew everybody'. Riders all gathered around a
campfire at night and socialized.
I remember at rides I'd be talking
in a basecamp with other 100 mile riders, someone would walk up to the
group, and before you knew it, we had talked them into entering the 100 in
the morning. That used to happen alot. A
rider, saying, "What the heck, I'll do the 100, too."
More times than not, they'd enter, ride it, complete it and we'd all have a
late dinner together. The bigger we grow, the more we
seem to limit ourselves to the little areas we find comfortable,
understandable and more easily managed. Venture.
-----Frank
