When this sport started in the early 70s, folks were just
plain interested in getting the horse down trail and finishing. We knew
nothing about electrolytes, beet pulp, selenium, vitamin E, etc etc. I use
to give Charlie an electrolyte pill in a carrot that I cut a hole in to fool
him!Rides were far apart and few. As the years progressed -
whooooosh!! Now we talk about world races, Olympics, etc etc. But
the focus of this sport is the local ride. Most cannot afford to do much
other than support their local rides. This does not mean that we can't
have world rides, National rides, Olympics. Go for it! Practically
all of us will cheer on those who endeavor to do this. But most of us will
still ride locally. That is the heart of this sport as far as I am
concerned. Sport wouldn't exist if it weren't for the local rides and the
local riders. And that is the beauty of riding in the USA. Anyone
can attempt this sport. Anyone can do it. One can wear anything
, use any equipment, and use any horse. Anything goes
as long as we put the horse first and do our best by that horse. Crap
happens and one has to learn to deal with it. Laura, do you remember the
Frantic 50 when Dave ?? died on trail from a heart attack? Now there
was an experience that I don't ever want to repeat.. I don't ever want to
swim a flooded rolling boiling creek either. Good old Murphy's law as Jean sees
it is, anything can happen no matter how prepared we are, and if it hasn't
happened, it probably will. Actually, I am surprised that Laura didn't
give birth on an endurance ride!! And as far as my neighbors were
concerned, I should have had my last child on horseback! I was still
riding 10 days from delivery. I hadn't discovered endurance yet or else I
would have presented Shane to the world at a race. I will say that he
still at age 32 has great natural balance on a horse, must be that before
birth experience! It is nice to win, but it is nicer to finish on a sound
horse that can go again. It is VERY special to finish a ride season
whether 6 months or more for you luckier ones on a sound horse whose ears are
still forward and is still eager to go. Now that I am on the young side of
being a senior, I am just plain thrilled that I can still get on a horse and
still go down trail! Maybe I can't go as far, but I can still ride and
HAVE FUN! Jim will probably hear me in GA when I sing. But that is
how I feel, still on a horse, have no intention of quitting, still enjoy that
flying extended trot between the trees (just pray that I can still move well
enough to duck the limbs), enjoy giving my juniors a hard time, like getting
into trotting races, like yeeee-haaaaawing, and if I am ever so lucky, I just
might get to sponsor a grandkid. If not mind, someone else's!! I
live to ride and I ride to live. Jeanie
