Hi there, just wanted to say that was a really nice post. I have
ridden on LD so far since 1995 (not counted in my record for some reason) and
had been on older horses belonging to someone else and was just learning what
the sport was...I also would have never done anything more at that time. I
also rode my favorite horse in one ride just to see if she liked it, but also
knowing that that was the only distance I would ever do with her. I rode
her conservatively and she enjoyed the ride and the atmosphere as much if not
more then I...Then I rode some more LD, one with an older horse we owned and one
who we just introduced to the sport.
I have now decided to move up and have some pretty good goals but have had
to deal with many obstacles to try and achieve these goals...One of them
finances...I have the horses to do 50's but didn't have the $$ to really try
them at the longer distances, and was pretty tied to the home front for other
reasons of which has finally eased up...thank goodness!
Anyway, I was getting tired of all the posts. We should be free to
chose what we want to do and just have a good time...the one thing we need to
remember is to have fun with our horses regardless of distance and take good
care of them in the process. That is the common bond we should all have no
matter what distances we chose to do....
Thanks for your post, was nice, thoughtful and I think your BC idea is a
good one that warrants AERC looking into it.
That's what I would ride for...the BC and to have fun fun fun..
Also, helping out at rides is great too. You get to know people, and
learn. I feel like a human sponge when I'm helping as far as
learning..
I have been reading the posts about LD here, and had given the
whole issue a lot of thought before now. I have done mostly LD and
have had a great time and enjoyed a lot of support form almost everyone I
have met along the way. If I thought that the only way I could ride
was to do 50 or more miles I would have never started.
My first
ride was the first time I had gone 25 miles on a horse. We were
overtime and I did not care.. I knew how far 25 miles was and learned a
lot.
One of the things that is hardest to learn about endurance
doing LD is how to pace for the longer distance. Your horse has know
idea how far you are going when you start the day... it could be 10, 25,
50, maybe 100.
One idea that I had for LD, that I believe is in the
spirit of LD's being a good training experience, was to set a time window
for BC. Anyone could go as fast as they wanted to, but for BC you
would have to complete within a window that the ride manager and head vet
decide would be a good pace if you were going to be going a longer
distance. This does not diminish the stature of LD at all. It
just helps to put an incentive for people to learn how to ride the longer
distance.
Don't get me wrong, I think anyone who comes and rides any
distance and has a good time, helps others, and takes care of there horse
deserves to be commended.
When I started I thought that I would never
do anything over a LD. I just want to spend more time on the trail
with my horse now.
I look forward to other points of
view.
Jannelle Wilde & Adam Falk Menagerie Farm 584 Romie
Howard Rd Yoncalla OR 97499 541-849-2460 (phone &
fax) 866-241-1531 Toll-free ASK ABOUT OUR DAVENPORT FOALS! www.cmc.net/~mfarm
