ridecamp@endurance.net: Re: LD..long

Re: LD..long

Trinityrc@aol.com
Sat, 1 Feb 1997 10:13:54 -0500 (EST)

I found Marinera's reply on LD very insightfull!
The history of endurance is sometimes forgotten.
I have recently moved from California, the originator of endurance, to a
state where endurance is still in an embryonic stage.
The LD rides are the bread-and-butter of many rides in my area. We could not
have an endurance ride,(the 50 mile) without the support of the LD ride.
My concern ,with what I have witnessed ,and I have not seen anyone touch
on the subject on the internet, is educating the 25 mile riders that it is
a 25 mile beginner ride. They do not seem to understand that just because
they win or BC a 25, it necessarily makes their horses top endurance horses.
I have seen several riders in the past season win a 25 and then try to win
their first 50 and wonder why they get pulled!! I saw a vet ride a horse
into the ground ( and I mean this horse was on the ground for 5 hours on
IV's) and they were completely perplexed as to why the horse could win a 25
the weekend before and then at the 25 mile vet check, on a 50, the following
weekend the horse was on IV's.
I think there is a need for 25 mile rides ,we just have to make sure
that these riders understand that a 25 is not an endurance race. They need to
understand that BCing or top tening a 25 mile ride does not mean, they have a
top endurance horse! I have
pointed out to 25 mile riders that their horse won the 25 in 2hrs40mins but
they have to analyze the winner ,on the 50 mile race ,who won it in 5 hrs.
That 50 mile rider was going at a faster rate, for a longer period of time
than the 25 mile rider. I do not think that 25 mile,newby riders, understand
the differance when they bump up to a 50 miler.
I just believe that education is the most important part of initiating a
new rider into endurance.

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