There are actually quite a few people on both
lists - the RC and CTR lists. The natrc rides I've been to have not been
"horse shows in the woods." I have only been to one AERC ride, so
far, but I was impressed at the similarities, overall, not the
differences.
Sometimes I kinda get tired of the negativity, on
either list, when there is so much positive in the *real world* of distance
riding, which includes both endurance and competitive trail riding. The
real world is horses, camp, beautiful trails, and horse-loving
people. Friendly, knowledgeable people, in both "camps" ready to accept us
all. There is so much to do, so much to learn, so many miles to
ride. And so little time.
Please, folks, DO NOT let Jeanne's inaccurate
description of CTR fool you. She could not be farther from the truth by
calling it a "horse show in the woods" or that the distances are only 25 - 30
miles. I compete in 2 day NATRC rides and we do 60 miles over the 2
days. Generally 35-38 on the first day and the balance on the
2nd. In NATRC, there is an element called "trail manners" that has a
small percentage of weight in the overall evaluation of each horse but
conditioning, metabolics, soundness, etc are more heavily weighted. We are
very interested in sane and sound horses and one way to assess saneness is to
ask that a horse complete certain trail related tasks. The
judges are educated to offer "natural to the trail" obstacles or
observations such as safely negotiating a deep water crossing without
refusing, rushing, bucking, rearing or dumping its
rider.
Jonni could jump in here as she does both NATRC and AERC
rides. I think one thing which significantly validates the education and
conditioning from participating in CTR is the high completion rate of NATRC
riders who attempt Tevis even if they have limited or no endurance
experience.
. A CTR is a "horse show in the woods" -- a
great training ground to learn things like pacing, trotting out your horse
for the vet, being organized and arriving with a well turned out horse and
rider, all things that winning CTR riders learn to do, and a lot of
endurance riders have forgotten. Just remember that, as in horse showing,
much of the judging in CTR is subjective,
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