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RE: [RC] novice class, LD taken seriously, stats for you - heidiI've been trying really hard to stay out of this discussion, but.... Please Reply to: Stacy Motschenbacher msmots13@xxxxxxx or ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ========================================== Ok, here are some statistics for those of you that think LD riders are novice riders riding unconditioned horses. I picked two rides, one in the east, the other in the west. Both rides had over 20 participants in them. This is what I found. The ride in the East had 23 riders start, of these 4 were first time riders. I averaged the amount of rides done by the other 19 riders and it totalled 46 rides! The ride in the west had 23 starters, of these 2 were first time riders. The remaining 21 riders averaged 30 rides. Most of these people are not novice riders. Stacy, I don't know of ANYONE who "thinks" that most LD riders are novice riders on unconditioned horses. We all KNOW that there are many people who do their homework, and also many who choose to do LD for reasons other than being novices. That said, what Jody said was all too true--one CAN take an unconditioned horse and go complete 25 miles. Did anyone say this was a good idea? No. Did anyone say that it is the norm? No. But has it been done? Yes, and more than once. There is a degree of difficulty that one has to surmount to do longer distances that simply is not there on LD rides. If there wasn't, we would all ride 100s. The very fact that many people DO ride LD instead of endurance because they don't have time to sufficiently condition, or because they have physical infirmities, or because of a whole host of other perfectly legitimate reasons, underscores the fact that it is less difficult. Heck, I sponsored a junior rider this year who was riding a 25-year-old mare--after two LDs, she did one 50 and decided that it was a stretch for the mare, given her age. Good choice! So she rode LD all the rest of the year, and my husband and I proudly sponsored her, happy to forego "endurance" to help this junior have a good season. (She is the top junior in the NW in the AERC LD regional milage awards, BTW--something we only recently found out. But what a thrill for her!) What she did this year certainly isn't just chopped liver. She worked hard and she achieved some very definite goals. But endurance is a stretch for her older mare--if it were not more difficult than riding LDs, this would not have been the case. Acknowledging that one thing is more challenging than another is not suggesting that the other is not an accomplishment. It is. And it is taken seriously. Not a single solitary soul put me down when I came back to the sport after a long hiatus and started in riding LDs. Not a single solitary soul dissed our junior rider this year, nor did anyone diss us for sponsoring her. LD IS taken seriously. It is a wonderful opportunity to take part in the sport when there are reasons why one can't or doesn't want to do longer distance. But there is a definite "hump" to cross between LD and rides 50 and up. If there weren't, there would be no reason to ride LD. However, you have to admit that it is usually much easier to top 10 in a 100 mile ride than it is in a 50 or 25. (Where both are offered). No, it isn't--because first you have to ride 100 miles to do it. Don't confuse numbers with degree of difficulty. There may be a lot more riders on the LD and on the 50, so that if you enter a shorter distance, you have to be further up in the pack to Top Ten. But it is still more difficult to ride a 100 at all, even if your odds of being in the Top Ten are higher if you finish. There are many people who enter 100s with only 10 entries or less who don't Top Ten because they don't complete. It is definitely "harder" to Top Ten a 100 than it is to Top Ten a 25. I've done both, and can vouch for it! I wouldn't care if the 100 milers received cooler awards, I just hate to see no placings and no BC given to LD. A great many of us agree about that, Stacy. It is really a shame when LD riders are NOT recognized for their accomplishments. Fortunately, in most of the regions, they are. I fully agree that discussion of how to have them recognized in those places where they are not recognized is important and valuable. (And before Maryben jumps on me for dissing Melissa, let me say that I have the utmost respect for Melissa and really appreciate her efforts as chair of the veterinary committee. She's very capable and she is doing a good job. I just happen to disagree with her about LD BC.) All accomplishment should be recognized. But the way to achieve this is not by trying to pretend like all accomplishments are the same. Heidi =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. 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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