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[RC] New Riders/ CTR/LA Times/CD - beth glover


Hi riders; I have been reading your posts with interest, Howard. I do not mean to grump at anyone while I sit here on a rainy day with a fever and the flu, but thought I would jump into the discourse.  The Australian Guidelines that people have been discussing sound extremely like a NATRC ride. If the AERC seriously wanted to adapt that kind of requirement (LD, timed pace, mentors, Novices and Experienced riders,) as well as having the riders recieve feedback not only by the vets, but by a judge who can mentor from the ground, maybe they would save a bunch of money and hassle to stressed ride managers like our friend Lynn, by encouraging new riders with young horses to go to a few NATRC/CTR rides.   And, dear Howard, although I have not become an AERC member yet ( but will next year, promise)  I kinda sorta feel unhappy about the idea that I would be stuck into a 25 miler against my will because I am a "newbie" even though I have ridden in NATRC since 1991 or so, and have been mentored by champion riders of NATRC. Why, at Sylvia's ride alone, one day I counted people with a combined total of at least thirty Tevis buckles. My next door neighbors and vet have 6 Tevis buckles and they coach me. These people are not inconsequential riders. Howard, I know you would be happy to be a pacer for "newbies" like me, but unfortunately I am a terribly, horribly, big chicken, slow rider and I don't think I could really keep up with some of the paces you have described in your past stories.  You know one of the reasons I have not joined AERC, actually the only reason, is the finances of belonging to several riding organization's which all have dues to be paid during the Christmas Season. That can add up to a few hundred dollars, and though I love ya all , I have to balance which is financially better at the moment, paying a $10 non-member fee a few times a year, or the bigger member fee.  I guess what I am trying to convey, Howard, is that there are other people out there rid ing with a lot of knowledge who may not need to be lumped into a category of novice. Likewise, in my years of NATRC, I have spoken with judges about treating "Newbie" riders with a modecum of respect, for they may be successful three-day eventers, or trainers, or ranchers and really need to just learn what the rules  of CTR are.

I read the LA Times article and I was kind of dissapointed. One of the doctors I work with read it, and he is not a horse person, but was very excited about the article. So the general public may have taken it well. But some of the references and statistics about horse deaths made me flinch. I know the reporter was at Manzanita, and that ride, I did not see one single horse with an IV, everyone was very "professional" and careful, and it was a marvelously managed ride. But she hardly talked about that, so that was a disappointment. And it made me grumpy to read about  many races are "25 mile canters favored by yuppies out for a weekend thrill", and it made me real grumpy to read "The best endurance horses are often runty Arabians that flunked out at the racetrack, too excitable to run just two minutes."  Gaack!!!  Fie!!!

I had to think about the Arabian breeders who are carrying the breed forward with honor and tradition, to continue creating to premier athletes that we enjoy; Mrs. T at Al Marah, Belesmo Arabians, Rushcreek, Rick Synowski, Marci de la Torre, Paragon, Sandy Warren, Heidi Smith, the Bowlings, Sandy with her stallion with the 24 pulse. I salute these breeders and others who I may have forgotten and who did not recieve any kudos for their accomplishments.

And now, I am very grumpy because I have discovered that my Arabian Data source (stud books) CD has "cracked itself" on the desk when "nobody touched it", and now it is broken and I can't study and talk about Oran Krabbet and I am very very sad. Wahhh.  Does anyone know where to get another CD(years 2000 and up)?

Beth


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