Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

At 05:23 PM 9/21/2009, you wrote:
> >From my perspective. 
> Karen Chaton=2C Trilby and I galloped the last mile t=
> o camp and crossed the finish line with 5 minutes to spare a few years
> ago.=
>   As we hit the last 1/4 mile we had to go near where the banquet
> was.  Eve=
> ryone was already eating.  They cheered as we went
> by.

ROFL, I love it....they put me in

last place, even tho it was my horse who galloped off and left you
guys which forced you to get a move on so we'd make it in
time!   Well, anyway, at least we made it and wasn't
embarrassed by being OT in front of everyone.  I am used to the food
being gone or awards done if I finish later in the day but don't like if
they do the ride meeting for the next day before all the riders are in
(on a multiday).  

I don't like that people think that riders who are conservative are
riding unfit horses or horses not fit enough to go faster.  That is
NOT always the case, trust me.  It takes a lot more effort to ride a
fit horse conservatively than a mediocre conditioned horse faster. 
The best part of endurance is when the ride is the prize (Ruthie is
right), and you do it for the satisfaction and not the recognition or the
accolades.  It's all good (whatever your goals) but if you really
enjoy the time you spend riding your horse, everything else is just icing
on the cake.  In the end, all that really matters is what does your
horse think of you.  Next year or a couple of decades from now
nobody will remember if you were first, middle, or last on any individual
ride but they will remember if you took care of your horses on a
consistent basis.      

At the VC 100 I had a ghost there cheering for me who stayed up all night
long, so it wasn't lonely. <bg>  Check out

this video of the Virginia City cemetery.  If my crew doesn't
freak that I mentioned it, I'll see if I can post more about the ghost
that was at the finish of the VC 100 this year.  Good thing my horse
isn't too spooky, eh?  ;-)  

Karen