Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

On Fri, 14 May 2004 13:53:04 -0400, Truman Prevatt <tprevatt@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:

> Frank,
> That pretty much says it all.
With all due respect to Frank, it doesn't say it all, it doesn't say it AT all.

He's confusing horsemanship with the definitions of the various subdivisions
within the sports of distance riding -- such as CTR, endurance, LD, and Ride &
Tie.

An endurance ride is not defined by how difficult it proved to be for a given
horse and rider, nor is it defined by the degree of skill, horsemanship, or
empathy demonstrated by the rider..  An endurance ride is defined by its length,
and that definition is 50 miles or more in one day.  

So, no, no one who has not ridden an endurance ride ... a ride of 50 miles or
more in one day .. is a true "endurance" rider.  They may be very fine folks,
they may have faced challenges few of us ever face, they may have accomplished
something very worthy of admiration and respect.  But they are not an endurance
rider until they successfully complete an endurance ride.  That's the way it is.

No amount of trying to make becoming an endurance rider easier by lowering the
definition to a shorter distance will change that.  Making a worthwhile
challenge easier so that more people can or will "achieve" it doesn't actually
allow more people to achieve anything, it just cheapens the meaning for those
who actually prepare and do it.

I know there is a trend today to no longer reward excellence, or have challenges
with high standards, because it hurts the "self-esteem" of those who can't or
won't do what is necessary to achieve them.  I hope we can keep that from
happening to endurance rides.

> DVeritas@xxxxxxx wrote:
>
> >     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.
> >      ~Frank Solano
> >        #8422
-- 

Joe Long
jlong@xxxxxxxx
http://www.rnbw.com

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Personally, I shouldn't give a s--- where the other people on the course
are, and if I find myself starting to concern myself over this, I remind
myself that this is the first step on the road to overriding my horse and
tell myself to "knock it off!"  :)
~  Kat Swigart

ridecamp.net information: http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/

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