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Re: [RC] different strokes for different folks - RDCARRIEI keep seeing posts about how the only people who do (or should) stick with LDs
and not move up to 50s are those who themselves have physical limitations, are
bringing back an injured horse, etc. But what about people who are perfectly
healthy, have a horse that could do 50s, but the person just plain doesn't want
to ride that far? It seems that the implied message is that all those who are
able, are supposed to want to move up, and those without that desire are
somehow "lacking."
I started distance riding in 1999 (yes, doing LD, and I learned a lot). I
moved up to 50s, now back down to LD after two shoulder surgeries this year.
But I'll be back up there. In the beginning, I tried to interest my husband in
going...he loves to ride, but declared he had no desire to ride a whole 25
miles and be on a horse for 4-6 hours...that he just likes to ride for fun. <G>
So, I went to rides alone. Eventually, he showed up at a few close ones to
crew. Then he thought it looked "kinda" like fun. A friend offered one of her
horses for him to do an LD on. He finally (after about 4 months) took her up
on it, and he and I did the ride together. He had a blast. About 6 months
later, he started talking about buying a horse for him to do LD on (his Arab
gelding was 27 at the time). But, he was intrigued by Paso Finos, and that's
what he wanted - he didn't care about top-tenning, etc. So, we found him a
nice sturdy Paso, and he's been coming with me to rides and doing LD and having
a blast. He's loving every minute of conditioning his horse and working with
him, and they've developed quite a bond. No, they don't race - I think his
fasted LD has been about 4 1/2 hours. He's very conservative and worries a lot
about his horse. I've mentioned several times that with a little more
conditioning, his horse could easily do a conservative 50. He's now saying,
"But I like doing LD...I have no desire to ride 50 miles and be out there all
day." But I'm waiting...this sounds like what he said several years ago about
doing LD. <G>
Anyhow, don't discount those riders who are perfectly capable of moving up, but
just don't want to. Not all of them are out there mowing people down. <G>
Some of them are just out there having a good time on the trail with their
horse, and making their spouse extremely happy because now they are sharing the
same sport (even if we are usually doing different distances).
Dawn in East Texas
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