Home Current News News Archive Shop/Advertise Ridecamp Classified Events Learn/AERC
Endurance.Net Home Ridecamp Archives
ridecamp@endurance.net
[Archives Index]   [Date Index]   [Thread Index]   [Author Index]   [Subject Index]

[RC] Fuel and getting to rides - Lynn White

Title: Fuel and getting to rides

I know with my old gas guzzler  truck I'm not going to any ride that is more than 150 miles from my home.  Can't afford it.  I suppose I could tag long with someone, but if that person gets pulled on day one of a three-day I am going home too.  The best way to lower fuel costs for rides is to have MORE small local rides!  Rides that are no frills simple small  rides…perhaps two-day and three-day rides.

The only big "challenge" is getting vets to work the small local rides.   We should be doing everything possible to entice local equine vets to work these rides and get experience as ride treatment vets.  We need to make it easy for these new vets and NOT do things like make them take qualification tests before they vet a ride.  Many will opt for a fishing trip instead!

Riders that attend these rides should ride ACCORDINGLY.  We should not be making things difficult for new ride managers like racing our horses in hot weather with inexperienced treatment vets!  Wanna scare away a potential endurance vet?  Inundate him/her with treatments their first ride. 

Save the racing for the big rides that have many vets, use the smaller rides to get mileage and experience with your horse. Accidents happen, but over riding one's horse is intentional and should be avoided at new rides.  This is just my two cents from putting on my first ride.  Would I do this ride again?  Probably, but with some big changes.  At least I have a precedent!

The other consideration in starting up new and smaller rides on Public Lands is to establish a precedent.  When agencies start closing off areas and restricting activities to areas, they are much more apt to allow an event that has a precedent.  If you want to start up a ride in a restricted area, GOOD LUCK!!!  Do you think that if someone wanted to start the Tevis now  instead of 50 years ago the FS would allow it?  The population of the US is growing, and with that more impacts and restrictions to our Public Lands.  If we don't make an effort to put on more small local rides, the only options will be the old big rides that one has to travel long distances to, or going around and around on the same loop.