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Re: [RC] [RC] changing membership - shifting attitudes? - Kelly Lane

Thank you Truman-nicely put. I'm a new member who seems to fit the new membership profile you've described. I will do my first 25 this fall on my young arab mare. I live in the east in a fairly urban area and my horse is boarded. I love to ride and condition-it is my stress release!! I joined AERC this year because I was getting back into riding from a ten year layoff raising a family and couldn't stand the ring work and the show scene my friends were doing. I wanted to RIDE, preferably far and  at a decent pace, jump a few logs and ditches cross some water ect. Organized, competitive distance riding sounded FUN! The participants didn't seem like the mainstream show people-they sounded like it was ride hard and party hard afterwards-my kind of people! No stuffiness here.

I respect and stand in awe of those that ride the 100 milers-both people and horses. I doubt I will ever have it in me to do one.  However, it is a bit of a bummer with all this LD debate since I thought that when I got into this that everyone was respected for simply being out there sharing common goals. 25's and 50's are my goal (no prizes necessary) and above all oneness with my horse and the nature surrounding us. A little competition and comraderie with like minded people is just spice for the mix. (Sounds of Kumbaya rising in the background!)

Kelly

>From: Truman Prevatt
>To: ridecamp
>Subject: [RC] changing membership - shifting attitudes?
>Date: Thu, 24 Jul 2003 19:05:31 -0400
>
>We are now into our semiannual LD bashing on ridecamp which includes
>all the ingredients necessary for a soap opera. I won't review the
>topics but there may be something deeper going on here.
>
>The AERC membership has changed a significant amount just in the
>past four years not to mention the last 10 or 15. Since about 4 or 5
>years ago we have (Mike I think you may have these numbers) a
>significant number of new members. While I don't know for sure I
>suspect there is a shift toward more members that live in populated
>areas and maybe even a slight shift eastward. Given the growth we
>have seen in the SE over the past 5 years or so I don't see how it
>is otherwise.
>
>Our new members today may not want the same things the members 15
>years or even 10 years ago wanted. Given the changing social climate
>and the "world has just gotten faster" we may be seeing endurance
>riding as becoming a means to escape the day to day grind, rather
>than a means to "go out and show I am a real rider." Could not what
>we are seeing be people not wanting a sport to add additional
>stresses - by for example obsessing over training for 100's (yes
>I've been there and it is a bit obsessive) or worrying if they are
>"a true endurance rider?" They may just like to go out, spend as
>much time as they can with their horse and ride 25 miles if that is
>all they can do or 50 if they can to relieve some of the daily
>stress.
>
>Of course like any changes - the "old timers" don't tend to like it
>or trust it. The new boys (and girls) on the block resent this
>reaction - all the ingredients of a good old fashion fist fight; one
>we seem to have every six months.
>
>The solution is respect. It's works quite well in the SE region. We
>have a good mix of riders at all levels and all distances and they (
>with a few exceptions ) respect one another's choice. It is
>something we should all try, it really does work and it keeps the
>ulcers (human version ) down from minding the other guys businees
>instead of our own. Of course my sister makes her living as a
>clinical psychologist and she will surly not like me trying to
>impact her business:-).
>
>As Joe South put it, "...walk a mile in their shoes...."
>
>Truman
>
>
>
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