Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

Addressing the comments so far (thanks everyone):

1)  How to tell a new rider - at present, I think the rider would  
have to identify themselves as such on the ride entry form.  I don't  
want to impose a lot of extra infrastructure, so I'm not proposing  
that RMs be required to look up every rider, etc.

2)  I would think that coming in overtime would not count.  Riders  
would need a "completion" status to count.

3)  Lower HR criteria -- I understand the objection.  The two pulls  
I've had on my horse is simply because he was too excited to come  
down, so I'm actually taking the chance of shooting myself in the  
foot here.  I'd be happy to hear from some vets.   I'm perfectly  
willing to drop this one if the concern is that it would penalize  
horses that are new, but are not being overtaxed.

4)  Minimum time:  what if we dropped it to 3 hours for a 25, etc.?   
(I personally think that is too fast for what the intention of this  
change would be, but I would like to discuss it.)

    -- Re Jessica:  you obviously have an exceptional horse, if you  
can do 3 hours and "not hurry".  My guy has shorter legs...  Still -  
why would having a rule that is for the protection of new riders (and  
is just for 3 rides) turn you off the sport?

    -- Re Truman:  The difference is again:  this is a temporary  
restriction, not for everybody.  We don't have a rule that says "you  
must have X number of miles in CTR before you can join us and  
play".   I'm not trying to turn endurance into CTR, but a CTR pace  
for new riders makes sense to me to protect the horse.  I think a 3  
hour 25 is fast enough to get a horse into trouble, which is why I  
proposed a 4 hour limit.    We could do something that allows RMs to  
adjust the limit, based on their course.  The rule would state that  
there *is* a cap for new riders, but that it is the RMs and ride vets  
responsibility to set that cap.  What about that?

5)  Just designating new riders:  No other rules.  My concern with  
this is that it really doesn't give new riders any help.  If they had  
a minimum time cap, it would send a stronger message that they should  
go slow their first few rides, and give themselves and their horse  
time to learn the ropes.

6)  Adding #4:  Mandatory attendance at ride meetings.  I like it.   
Thanks.  I think there would have to be some leeway if a new rider  
missed the ride meeting due to late arrival, but in that case they  
would have to have vet / RM approval to start the ride (and a private  
meeting).

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

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!!

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=