 |
[RC] LD's - Ridecamp GuestPlease Reply to: Howard Bramhall howard9732@xxxxxxx or ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ========================================== One of the things that has always bothered me when it comes to LD's, true endurance and their inevitable comparison to human marathons is that some folks seem to forget who is doing all of the work here. In a human marathon, it's the human running those miles; this is the sport where we can give ourselves all the credit for the distance we traveled. In the LD or in endurance, it's the horse who deserves this acknowledgement. THE HORSE! The problem lies with the notion that the horse could really care less what label (endurance, LD, 12 miler, pasture potato)is put on them. They just don't give a crap. To the horse it matters not. But, for some quirky, egotistical reason, it matters a great deal to us. To the point where we, the human, need to get the credit for what our horse has done. When we say "my horse is a true endurance horse" are we saying that for the horse's benefit or for ours? This credit that we're really giving ourselves is more than we deserve, for, is it not the horse that carries us to complete (or not) the distance we choose to make them do? The only credit we deserve is to say "I made my horse go 25/50/100 miles today." That's what really happened. The human didn't walk/trot/canter all those miles so why does the human care this much about how far their horse went? It's all about the horse. The horse is all that matters. And, since, the horse doesn't care at all what label we put on them (endurance/LD), why on earth do we care as much as we do? If anyone can ever logically answer that question then, maybe, the LD/endurance debate might finally come to some sort of closure. Looking at it from the horse's point of view, none of this nonsense matters whatsoever. In fact, I'd go so far to say, that if the horse ever did have a choice in the first place, they'd choose the shortest distance possible, the longest hold times, and the best alfalfa money could buy. Throw in some peanut oil with their sweet feed and they might even be able to answer the fat debate. cya, Howard ----Original Message Follows---- From: Ridecamp Guest <guest-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> To: <ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Subject: [RC] LDs Date: Wed, 30 Nov 2005 23:06:33 GMT Please Reply to: cmkdreams cmkdreams@xxxxxxxxxxxx or ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ========================================== Lately I've been thinking I'll start entering the local "fun" runs/walks. This whole LD discussion has me wondering if I'll see my name on the same list as the marathon runners. You don't think so? Is it because 6K ISN'T a marathon? The same as LD ISN'T endurance? A 6K is a 6K, nothing more or less. LD is LD, nothing more or less. I'll be proud when I cross the 6K finish line but I will still know that I'm not a marathoner. When I start my very green horse on her first LD next spring, I'll still know that she did not finish an endurance ride. Will I be any less proud of her? No. I'll just know that there is a difference & comparing LD to endurance is the same as comparing a 6K to a marathon. THEY ARE NOT THE SAME. Whatever I do, I will enjoy, have fun, & know that I did what I set out to do. But I will also be realistic about what I've done. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- 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!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
|