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RE: [RC] Attention Newbies, slowbies, etc. - Jerry & Susan MilamAngie, I have been riding horses since 1994 and did my first LD in 1997. I've really enjoyed the endurance scene from the beginning. My horse and I have learned something valuable from each LD and 50 we've done so far. The rides I am able to get to each year are very precious to me and we aren't able to do a bunch either due to job and family. I'm not going to check my record on the LD side but they outweigh the 50 side at least 2-1. I was able to enter & finish 1-50 this year along with 3 LDs on different horses. My next 50 will be for my 250 mile patch and I've decided pretty much I shouldn't have to do another LD ever with either of my horses. I like to ride a long time and the LD's are too short. My horse is very competitive (and I used to be) and could easily top 10 each ride we do, but honestly that scares the H_ _ _ out of me now with so many senceless deaths this year. I totally enjoy the race scene and the adrenalin rush it gives me and my horse, but at what a price! The last LD we did this year was very fast and he had trouble with gut sounds mostly all year which is scary. The last ride we did was a very slow 50- probably 9 hrs or so and he stll had gut sound problems. I've had a long talk with myself and our goals for this sport and decided that my horse is too valuable to put at risk in the front of the pack anymore and I really, really enjoyed the S L O W 50 we did. I couldn't believe I didn't have a sore muscle in my body anywhere! The milestone awards is a good idea and AERC already has it's patch program. I am not a member of UMECRA and don't know what their regional awards are based on but will join this year. It does seem the regional leaders are the same as the national leaders and are based on mileage and placement. The most 50's I did in one year was the first year I moved up to 50's. Maybe a good goal and award for a year would be 3 completed 50's in a row. and you could choose between a few different awards somethings like a scrim fly sheet, poultices, or a rump rug, small hanging lantern, etc. JMHO. I like Lucy Trumbull's (I think it was Lucy) suggestion to base awards on vet cards, but that is sorta like competitive trail and I don't like all that stuff they have to go through at VC's. Personal Goals: 1-Choose scenic rides that are < 10hrs from home by trailer and allow for a day of rest prior the event at the ridecamp. For a good while, ride with another horse/rider who wants to do a SLOW 50, so my horse and I stop looking for that "race rush" at rides and starts eating and drinking on trail to improve his gut sounds, so we get A's and B's instead of C's and D's on our vet card. My horse's well being is paramount. I am the brains of my team and have cut off magnetic pull of top tenning for the long term safety of my horse. It would be nice to see awards given for safe riding, but the simple pleasure of enjoying the scenery of our trails and the company of like minded people is enough for me to continue in this sport even with all it's controversy. In His Hands, Susan, Fly Bye & Dandy "All you have to decide is what to do with the time you are given." Gandalf the Grey of Lord of the Rings -----Original Message----- From: ridecamp-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:ridecamp-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of rides2far@xxxxxxxx Sent: Monday, November 10, 2003 4:28 PM To: ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [RC] Attention Newbies, slowbies, etc. Feedback please. Let's say you are a new rider, or an old rider with a new horse, or someone who wants to move up to 50's from LD. You need a first year goal. What's a good one? It mustn't be an automatic success for you or it will be meaningless. It must reward all the things we claim we want to encourage the first year. Let's say you join your regional club and you know you shouldn't go for top 10 yet (if ever). What should you shoot for? I'm thinking something like 5 50 mile completions in a row...or...what? This would *not* be a "do it in one year" award...it would be a "do it eventually" award. Let's say the award is an embroidered haybag for your trailer. After that...what's step 2? One horse, one rider, 750 miles maybe? "One hundred mile horse" when they do their first 100. What? If it's easier to mentor and influence behavior at the local level, what should a regional club reward rather than simply give out the same awards to the same top 10 contenders that National Awards reward. I'm thinking of what a rider who moved up from 25's but wasn't ready to go fast could shoot for...building block type goals...the kind that if you took them step by step you would move up in ability and accomplishment the right way building a strong foundation for a long term partnership. What I'm asking is, what should the *steps* be? Angie ________________________________________________________________ The best thing to hit the internet in years - Juno SpeedBand! Surf the web up to FIVE TIMES FASTER! Only $14.95/ month - visit www.juno.com to sign up today! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. 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