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Re: [RC] LD What's the real issue? - Barbara McCrary

A very articulate and well thought-out response.  Should AERC wish to
promote Dr. Weary's idea, that is change the name of our sport to distance
riding, rather than endurance riding and include our current LD rides in the
term "distance riding", it wouldn't be a huge leap from AERC to ADRC.  I
also agree that the previous poster, Jason, does sound like he is railing
against either the sport or the organization for his lack of ego
satisfaction.  It is just human nature, and I'm a long-time "people
watcher", as Dr.Weary also appears to be.  We might be able to assuage the
anger or dissatisfaction of some by adopting the  "distance ride" term, and
then again, should we do that, there may come up some other issue that a few
would be angry about.

Barbara

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ridecamp Guest" <guest-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sunday, December 12, 2004 7:05 AM
Subject: Re: [RC] LD What's the real issue?


Please Reply to: Bruce Weary D.C. bweary@xxxxxxxxxxxx or
ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
==========================================

Regarding the issues brought up by "Jason" and his unhappiness over
how LD participation is recognized, I thought I would try to reply
constructively. In over 20 years and 6000 miles in this sport, these
 are some things I have come to know: 1) Every ride manager I know
welcomes as many LD riders as they can get, not only because they contribute
significantly to the financial success of a ride, but that they largely
represent the future of the sport. Among LD riders, we find juniors, adult
newbies, and those who are bringing along a new horse, rehabilitating an
injured horse back into the sport, or spending time on a favorite old mount
who can't or shouldn't do the long miles anymore. 2) I honestly cannot
remember
ever hearing a disparaging word spoken about a rider simply because they
were riding the LD ride, either on that day, or habitually. Critical
comments are usually reserved for those who,through ignorance or hubris,
injure a horse or cause illness
from going too fast or making other unwitting errors regarding the welfare
of the horse. This is not to say that the LD ranks are the only place where
these things happen. But we have the documented history to prove that it is
at least the most fertile environment for it. But that is another issue. 3)
I have yet to hear or read an argument regarding the LD "issue" that didn't,
after some examination, prove to have as a main motivating factor, the
recognition (or perceived lack thereof) brought to the rider. I would
suggest that the enthusiasm of "Jason's" comments imply that his ego is
bruised and throbbing due to the fact that the present system doesn't seem
to be providing recognition in a manner and
measure that would satisfy him. Ironic, as it is the very ego of
those who ride greater distances that he sees as the blockade to him
garnering the recognition he so very badly needs to feel an integral part of
this sport. 4) I still feel that  the sport of running and endurance riding
are very similar, and that a lot of the disgruntlement over this issue
begins quite innocently in the terms used in the sport, which have evolved
into labels, which in turn have produced dissatisfaction among those who use
or are assigned those labels. Allow me to explain. In the sport of running,
all runners are called runners. Some sprint, some jog, some lope for
marathon distances. And everything in between. While there may be some
elitism among runners (or in any human endeavor for that matter), no runner
ever says that another runner isn't a runner. In endurance riding, and for
the sake of this discussion a better term would be distance riding, everyone
involved rides a distance. ("Distance" here meaning farther than your
average pleasure trail rider) Some ride 25 miles, some 50, some even more.
No distance rider tells another rider that they aren't a rider. Clearly we
all are. The rub here seems to be the delineation between what we call the
LD ride, and the minimum requirement for a ride to be 50 miles or longer to
be called an "endurance ride." Here's where the label thing comes in again.
If, as a rider, I don't ride 50 miles, then I am not riding an endurance
ride, as it is currently defined. Therefore, I feel that I can't
legitimately lay claim to the title "endurance rider," a title I very much
covet as a member of this sport. Since I have no plans or desire to ride 50
miles or more (for whatever legitimate reason I might have) and since I
still want that title, my only option is to express anger at those who have
set the rules and campaign for a change in how I am recognized as a distance
rider. In rebuttal, some would argue that the sport, while it has some very
fine and well deserved awards programs, isn't really designed with personal
recognition as it's main agenda. To rail against this seems a sad waste of
energy that could be used looking for those sunsets, starlit nights, moonlit
trails, and yes, rattlesnakes.
  In closing, I have to say that my horses often have the last say.
Yesterday, I was having a brief discussion with my gelding, who may have
carried me to an regional award of some sort this year, and I asked him how
he felt about that. He cocked his head sideways and curled his upper
lip--his way of asking for a treat. It clearly didn't matter to him at all.
Bruce Weary, D.C., often wrong, but never in doubt.



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Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp
Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp

Ride Long and Ride Safe!!

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Replies
Re: [RC] LD What's the real issue?, Ridecamp Guest