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Re: [RC] The ultimate Knowing - DVeritas

In a message dated 2/19/2003 8:42:54 AM Mountain Standard Time, steph@xxxxxxxxxxxxx writes:

So... is it ok to be fast if you do understand that there is something more important?


Steph,
    That's an interesting question. 
    I think the answer is "yes."
    I was talking to a very experienced, well-travelled and successful endurance rider a couple of days ago and I told him, "You know, I don't know if I'll ever be able to ride fast.  I've had the horse(s) to go faster, but I don't think I know how to ride fast." 
    He chuckled and made a very kind remark about my horses.
    What I meant by the statement was, I am a "worse case scenario" kind of guy...I was trained by our government to be that way.  It's something I can't seem to shake.
    So no matter how well-prepared my horse is, or I am, or how benign the day and trail might seem, I always find something to WORRY about INTENSELY.  Ugh.  It is torture.
    So, I find myself concentrating on the feel of the sun on my face during a cold morning start, or the sound of the hoof-falls around me in the dark, or just let the electricity of the exciting riders and horses tickle me all around as we move down the trail enmasse. ..
    ...and before you know it, I ain't top ten anymore, I'm just moving down the trail, usually gravitating to a rider/horse who travels with like mind.
    And that's okay.
    There are some unbelievably talented endurance horses/endurance riders in this country, in every region who understand the gravity of asking a horse to approach red-line and know just when to back away, or throttle down a bit. 
    They are awesome horsewomen/horsemen.
    There are some unbelievably talented endurance horses/endurance riders in this country, in every region who understand how to attend ride after ride, multi-day after multi-day and get the most from their horse, the trail and themselves to make the experience and accomplishment something marvelous (as in "TO MARVEL AT").
    KNOWING, REALLY KNOWING WHICH SORT, WE, AS RIDERS, ARE IS ANOTHER KEY.
    I think I know which sort I am...and, sometimes, when I venture outside that sort, I can terrify myself, or I can amaze myself...but it is something I truly am not comfortable doing.
    That's it, for me.
    ---Frank