Re: [RC] protests, responsibility and character - Howard Bramhall
Do endurance long enough and you will discover things about yourself that
you previously did not know, no matter what your age. It will bring out
the best and the worst for yourself, and, sometimes, for others, to see.
It is a test of life, a test that some folks who seem to "win" in
everything else in their lives actually end up doing very poorly
in. Surprise, surprise!
The sport actually redefines words such as "winner," "loser,"
"competition," and "knowledge." Endurance is constantly evolving and it is
up to us to try and keep it going in the right direction. As in life,
there will be problems encountered along the way. It is how we handle
these problems and, then, move on, that will define what it is to be an
endurance rider.
When you become an adult it is up to you to continue furthering your
education. You, alone; Mom and Dad have done their part and now it's time
to do the rest of it by yourself. The best endurance riders are those
who never stop learning, who never think they know it all. I really do
believe some of our future Hall of Fame riders are right here on Ridecamp, just
beginning, Rookies, who continue to ask questions, to study, to want to
know. The quest for this knowledge is the journey they decide to take and
they do it all because they care and don't want anything to go wrong with their
partner during a ride. It's what the sport is all about. You only
stop learning when you stop asking or caring.
Subject: [RC] protests, responsibility
and character
You know, as I think about it...this sport seems to reveal the
"holes" in a person's character.
I've felt that feeling of
competitiveness...tempted to give my tiring pony a nudge. The people that
belong in this sport resists that temptation and put the pony
first.
What separates me from this woman who (IMO) murdered her horse
to satisfy her own ego? I'm a newbie in endurance with a whopping 6 LDs
under my belt. I am not an innocent though...I feel I overrode my pony at
Warner Springs because it took the full time for him to pulse down. He was
fine though...but would I have spent the night in a hotel because a vet
said it was OK? No...it was my RESPONSIBILITY to care for him.
I am
continuing to educate myself. I don't expect AERC, a vet, or a trainer
to do it for me. In fact, if I feel something is wrong with my horse I
will follow my gut first and other's advice second. IT IS MY JOB TO KNOW
MY HORSE BETTER THAN ANYONE ELSE.
One of the things that attracts
me to AERC is the freedom in the sport. Anyone can compete...and that has
given some backyard throwaway ponies and middle-aged riders a new lease on
life. How many other equestrian sports can we get by in without a fancy
pony and high dollar trainer?
The information to EDUCATE YOURSELF is
out there. There is tons of it....and guess what it is free. You can't
force feed it to those that don't want to hear it....they'd rather give in
to that competitive temptation...the age old lure that faster and first is
better.
