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http://www.talkaboutpets.com/group/rec.equestrian/messages/577164.html

The above link is to a very informative description of what sounds like
a very high-quality and informative Shagya get-together.  Dennis
Farnham is mentioned in the opening paragraph, and is apparently a very
accomplished dressage trainer/rider.  I certainly have a world of
respect for that.

But, if Angie and I were to go onto a dressage list, and we were to
suggest that we want to show the world how great our horses are at
dressage, and we want to hold a "dressage championship" but state that
it will only include training-level tests, even if there are other
levels at the same show where others of our breeding might even be
competing, I would certainly expect folks like Dennis who are
knowledgeable about dressage to gently suggest that if our horses are
any good as sport horses, telling the world about their "training level
championships" is not going to impress much of anybody, but that if we
give our riders "attaboys" for doing training level and suggest that
our "champions" should perhaps perform at a higher level, we would
hopefully be gracious about it and try to learn something about
dressage.

It is all too common for folks expert at one thing to assume (there's
that word again) that they are expert at a bunch of distantly related
other stuff.  Sadly, it isn't true.

I also suspect that in my above hypothetical scenario, Angie and I
probably would not put our horses at much risk by blundering into
training level dressage thinking we were going to be champions.  We
might be deluding ourselves, but the horses would probably be ok
tomorrow.  On the other hand, too many of us have seen what happens
when folks bill 25-milers as "races" and those unexperienced at such
things get sucked in.  Yep, even folks who are expert horsemen from
other disciplines, and who would never in a million years hurt their
horses.  And that's why Angie spoke up.

This parallel has some deficiencies, certainly, but the point is that
when folks try to help you when you venture outside your field of
expertise, you ought to be gracious.  Heck, there might even be good
reasons for what they are telling you!

Dennis, I can't speak for Angie, but I'd be happy to hear what you have
to say about dressage.  But only if you are willing to try to figure
out what those who have at least some clue about endurance are trying
to say about endurance.  Calling them rude simply isn't productive when
it comes to the exchange of ideas and information.

Ed has the best idea of all--if you want to have some kind of a distance
championship over a shorter distance than endurance (for which the
minimum distance is 50 miles), make it a CTR.  I see by the above link
that you have some folks in your group with considerable expertise at
that, who would probably be more than happy to advise you.

Heidi

PS:  Do novices in dressage respond to top-level dressage riders on
dressage lists the way you responded to Angie?  

PPS:  Donna, don't think that we associate Dennis's reactionary posts
with Shagyas--we do appreciate your informative posts, and those of us
who are familiar with Shagyas do have considerable respect for the
horses, despite the internet conduct of a rider here and there.


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