Wow, Frank. Your eloquence says it exactly. I sure
hope that this makes it into the quotes. May I quote you in the GLDRA
newsletter, Hoofbeats? I LOVE this. THANK YOU!!
In a message dated 5/14/2004 9:20:00 AM Mountain Daylight Time, Bruce
Weary writes:
The ride lengths in endurance riding are titled so, not to be
exclusionary, but to clearly identify the differences in the preparation,
training, and "enduring" required at each level, and thus the recognition
commensurate with each level of achievement.
Long after the "recognition" is garnered and the buckles and the buckets
and the bucking buddies have started to fade into memory....THE MILES ridden
remain so very fresh on my memory and cause that inner feeling of
accomplishment to happen which turns into smiles at the oddest times of any
given day..
I am certain that THAT is very true for most
people who ride horses at endurance events, be they 25 milers or 100
milers.
That said, I will say this...there
are folks who ride 50's and 100's who are NOT "endurance" riders.
We have all seen them at rides. To define endurance riders simply
by the NUMBER of miles ridden would be akin to calling anyone who sits on a
horse a horseman. There are folks whom I know personally and have ridden
thousands of miles that I would never confuse with endurance riders.
They're just "riders" in my book.
Conversely, there are folks who ride 25 milers who
are true "endurance" riders and true horsemen and women. The care and
preparation of their horses and themselves is admirable and worthy of the
respect of the horsemen and women who do this sport.
Sometimes it is not the distance which
defines who we are, it is the "method" and what it takes to participate
at any level.
