Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

This is a valid question and one I've pondered on for some time.  One of the 
reasons I say what I do is I would like the 25 mile distance ride to become 
more similar to the endurance rides.  Have the same rules, much like the 50 
and the 100 are exactly the same except for the mileage.

The fact is the 25 mile ride and the 50 milers have both turned out to be 
"races" for those who win, top ten, and place for points, although there are 
no points given to the 25 milers.  That doesn't change what they have 
become.  The 25 mile ride is a competitive sport.  I'm just saying we might 
as well acknowledge that fact because it's what the ride has become.

The reason I would like to see it change a little in this area is, if we're 
going to have a national LD BC program, we really should acknowledge that 
there's competition in that distance.  It's there, and with a LD BC program, 
unless we completely revamp how we're going to decide who gets the BC in 
that distance, placing (top ten) will have to occur.  If we acknowledge 
placing, then, we should acknowledge 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc, and acknowledge the 
weight classes of the riders.

I think all of this will put a value on the LD as a sport and, with that, 
rider education.  At the clinics the LD will be discussed, as a sport, 
separate from endurance, but, as a sport with some relevance.  This would 
maybe change things around.  Things like what to do to prepare your horse 
for this distance, things like how bringing a horse that is not prepared can 
get this horse into trouble,  etc.  The same rider education discussions 
that are going on with the higher distances but, revamped a little, to 
educate riders for the sport of Distance Riding.

It already is a sport, points or no points.  I don't see the 60 bpm as being 
the finish line really slowing down or reducing any of the ride times in the 
sport.  Make the rules the same for the LD, give them points, give them a 
finish line, and give them rider education focusing on the horse in this 
distance.

By saying this is a sport, since we offer it at our AERC rides, we are 
responsible for it.  There's competition and, even for this distance, one 
must be prepared.  By giving it the weight similar to the weight we give the 
50 miler and the 100, there will be a rider education program developed for 
this "sport."  The competition is already there.  I'm saying, "Let's 
legitimize it."

cya,
Howard


> >The beauty of the 25 miler is, when done properly, there is less risk to 
> the
> >horse's health.  ...
>
> One of the things we do that reduces risk on LD rides is the pulse-down at 
> the
> finish determining finishing time (and place) -- a significant difference 
> from
> the way endurance rides are run.  You have been one of the most vocal in
> expressing concern for safety of horses at AERC rides.  Why, then, would 
> you
> want to remove that differnce?
>
> --
>
> Joe Long
> jlong@xxxxxxxx
> http://www.rnbw.com
>
> ============================================================
> You don't have to be a 100-mile rider or a multi-day rider to be an
> endurance rider, but if you want to experience the finest challenges our
> sport has to offer, you need to do both of those.
> ~ Joe Long
>
> ridecamp.net information: http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/
>
> ============================================================

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At the end of the day maybe the definition of endurance isn't the length of
the ride but rather the spirit in which it is ridden. 
~  Maryanne Stroud Gabani

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