limited distance

[eglaser@bigbasin.com (becky glaser)]

After reading yet another post whining about the poor treatment of LD
riders, I am appalled at the (still) total lack of understanding of
endurance riding  portrayed in these postings.  The first thing that struck
me was the complaining
that the vets saw the 50's who had an hour hold before they saw the LD's
who were waiting for completion.  Folks, it is unwritten endurance
etiquette that one yeilds their place in line to riders who are on a hold
when one is only waiting for a completion check. The vets shouldn't have to
tell you to behave properly, and they understand that if there's a long vet
line, you may not make your time limits.  During that hour hold the rider
needs to eat, rest, feed their horse, and make sure the horse gets some
rest.  I also always like to have 20 minutes to ice my horse's legs.

LIMITED DISTANCE RIDING IS NOT ENDURANCE RIDING.  I did not feel like a
real endurance rider until I had done my first hundred and my first
multi-day.  I personally feel that there is a good argument to be made that
even 50's are not truly endurance events.

I support maintaining LD for its stated purpose:  to train young horses and
to rehab horses returning to competition after an injury.  When I start
young  horses, they start with slow 50's.  I can't see paying anyone money
to ride 25 miles.  I do that during training.

As has been stated in this forum before--it takes as much money for a ride
manager to support LD as it does for 50's.  If you're paying as much to do
a LD, why not at least try the 50?  I assure you LD'ers that the primary
barriers many
experience are primarily mental.  Instead of whining about not getting
respect and placings, why not try real endurance riding?  You get a lot
more bang for the buck.