Personally, I'm very tired of being looked down on by many "true endurance
riders" because so far I find LD the length that I personally can
comfortably do (try hearing "50 coming" being yelled behind you by riders
who want to pass on a narrow trail, that'll give you the feeling your LD
horse doesn't count! While they are not the norm there are some vets that
feel LD horses are due less attention than longer distance horses -- ok, at
the finish of a LD ride I will bow out to the riders still continuing on
because time is important to them, but when I'm at a vet check with miles
still to go, I expect to get equal attention as I care about my horse just
as much as, and much more than some, longer distance riders I've observed.
We attended one ride where LD riders were told that the hay at the vet
checks was not for them, they were just training so didn't need it. Whoa,
just a minute! If they are in training isn't eating at the vet checks part
of what the beginning horse is to learn??? Plus we generally pay near the
same entry fee as the longer distance riders and it costs LD riders just as
much to get to a ride as any other...so why should we receive less? I also
don't understand ride managers that don't sanction their LD rides and I
appreciate very much that AERC is beginning to give more recognition to LD
rides/riders as they are becomming more important than "just" training rides
for many riders (for above stated reasons).
I would really like to see (lets say) 5 BC awards at all LD rides. Let LD
riders vie for BC placements instead of time placements -- this way they
will be encouraged to condition more and learn to take better care of their
horses before they get to longer distances and have a crash through
ignorance. Personally, I'd rather have a BC award than a Top Ten any day.
Talk to just regular horse people -- they think doing 25/30 miles is incredible.
Karen Clanin
in Central CA where we saw the sun today and it didn't rain a drop!