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[RC] Hildalgo (dont read this if you havent seen it yet!) - Ridecamp GuestPlease Reply to: sButler srunningw@xxxxxxxxxxx or ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ========================================== Perhaps some folk will have seen "Hildalgo" and be inclined to try their luck at endurance.... In which case: "Hildalgo" might be an excellent Endurance Training Film. I might propose that in order to be qualified to ride, newbies (or all riders?) be required to "name 10 ways in which Hildalgo and Endurance riding are different"... see if I pass my own test: 1. In Hildalgo, the racing-contendors relationships involved "to the death" competition, including shooting at each other with guns, and boobytrapping the route with pits filled with deadly pointed shafts. In endurance to finish is to win and we share our last drop of water, last morsel of food, and newest unfoamy easyboot to our racing-contendors. (In endurance the relationships with fellow riders more resembles Hildalgo's relationships with his Wild West Show buddies.) 2. In Hildalgo, the rider races at a hard gallop, then falls asleep, slumping over for hours, and lets the horse find his way across 3000 miles of desert, guided by his ancient mustang wisdom.. In endurance, the rider sits up straight and posts from the knee, watches for flags and snags, and generally attempts to be, at all times, the brains, if not the brawn, of the horse/human team. 3. In Hildago, horses eat a few dates and some camel butter and is fit to continue after 3000 miles, following a quick swim in the ocean... also mirages suffice to hydrate horses in the desert. In endurance the horses needs are met WAAAAYYYY before the human's, poop,pee,drinking, eating are all measured to the miligram,... and reported to ridecamp via a special online form. 4.In Hildago, falling into a sand-covered pit with arrow-pointed shafts angled up can happen to anyone at anytime, and still helmets are not required.. In endurance.... helmets are strongly encouraged. 5. In Hildago horses are fit to continue after being stabbed by arrow pointed shafts, IF the rider heats his knife to a redglow and cauterizes the horses wound with it. (The horse will hold still while lying on the ground for the rider to do his hotknife cauterizing job.) In endurance... a mere droplet of blood is cause for elimination. (Ductape is your primary tool for major rips.) 6. In Hildalgo,running at a full gallop to deserted ruins from computerized sandstorms is the only way to excape sure death by computerized sandstorm. In endurance, the only computerized anything, would be the one computing the data post ride... (BC etc)... 7. In Hildalgo only men are allowed to ride. In endurance only men wear homies. 8. In Hildalgo, the horse-behavior of falling to the ground exhausted and bleeding from the nose... is considered cause to put your mount down with your gun, enroute, but then.... in a flash!!! the horse might miraculously get up and race the 1/2 mile to the finish.. and win!!!!.. in endurance... if your horses nose is bleeding, expect to be pulled, and if your horse dies enroute, or if you shoot it, you might even be suspended from riding in AERC sanctioned rides forever....? 9.In Hildalgo chapstick is not an option. In endurance chapstick, sunscreen, sunglasses, flyspray,ointments and unguents are carried in specially made pommel packs.. 10. In hildalgo, if your horse wins, every one will want to breed to him/her, and you get to marry the rich princess... in endurance you ride a gelding...and your prize could be a belt buckle. ===========================================================We are talking about all the tools we can use to keep our horses safe and alive at the rides. Training/conditioning is one of the best tools available. It makes us better horseman and women, it benefits our horses and could quite possibly be the key to preventing most crashes. ~ Lisa Salas - The Odd Farm ridecamp.net information: http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/ ===========================================================
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