Why not ask
a horse how much fun he has had during the last 10 miles of a 50 or the
last 30 or so miles of a 100? Ask him where the fine line is- between
enjoying and enduring .Endurance to the extreme is only a worthy goal in
the minds of some humans.All animals avoid it unless it is a matter of
life and death.A spent animal is too vulnerable.Yet in some cases we are
asking ,even demanding,that our mounts commit to this 'goal'on a fairly
routine basis, for purposes that only we can attempt to comprehend.
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Your post was most insightful, Gord. I agree with many or your points.
However, let me assure you that many endurance riders condition their
horses and ride at a pace where the "last 10 miles of a 50 or the last 30
miles of a 100" are just as much "fun" for the horse as the first mile.
This, to me, is the whole point of endurance riding. This is why we don't
want big $ prizes in the sport.
Linda Van Ceylon