ridecamp@endurance.net: Re: race etiquette
Re: race etiquette
rsantana@rsantana.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu
Fri, 11 Aug 95 13:42:55 pST
Mike,
I see that your are a vet. I have to disagree with you and find it
disturbing that you say riders are in a race when they are in 17th
place! Endurance horse sport was never meant to be a race! It originated
as a challenge to horse and rider. It is the riders who have turned it
into a race. And there is still only one first place (winner) position!
What good could possibly be served by racing in from 14th or 17th place?
You're not going to make it to first place with only 5-6 miles to go.
Why stress the horse that much? Save him for anther day when first may
be in the sight.
The AERC went through this whole "to finish is to win"
versus "the race" thing only a few years ago. The points made at that
time was that we ride for our own reasons, be it challenge of the trail
or to seek personal glory (the horse doesn't have an opinion here). One
group should not diminish the other's reasons for participating in
endurance. The racers felt the finishers were challenging their right to
race and win. The finishers felt the sport was becoming too race
oriented and the rides were putting emphasis on the win. I personally
find endurance riding fun, a great way to ride trails I never would
ride, and challenging for me and my horses.
Ray Santana
University of California at Davis
Medical Center
----------------------------- Note follows -----------------------------
From: CMikeT@aol.com
Date: Fri, 11 Aug 1995 12:40:19 -0400
Message-Id: <950811124016_52646024@aol.com>
To: PRoach@ix.netcom.com, endurance@moscow.com
Subject: Re: race etiquette
Sender: owner-endurance@moscow.com
Precedence: list
Paul,
Regarding gates on the trail, common sense must reign supreme.
Either group A would need to slam the gate shut in Group B's face or else
leave it open and let Group B shut it.
They could do the chivalrous thing by waiting and shutting the gate behind
Group B, but it is a race, not dinner on the town.
Mike
C. Mike Tomlinson, DVM
Tomlinson Consortium
501-D West Redlands Blvd.
Redlands, CA 92373-4642
(909)307-2369
Fax(909)307-2366
CMikeT@AOL.com
Mike@Tomlinson.com