Re: Endurance???

[Trishmare@aol.com]

Dear Rebecca,

<< To all of you that have tryed to flame me!!!  I know alot of people that
 are handicaped
 do YOU want to tell them that riding even 1 mile is not endurance.>>

     Yes, I would, if they asked me.  Life is not fair, and trying to
legislate fairness into it never works.  If there was a mentally handicapped
individual who just LOVED medicine, and dreamed of being a surgeon, but just
could not ever possibly get through the required schooling, or pass the
required exams, should we, in the name of preserving his "feelings" just say,
aw, shucks!  His heart's in the right place!  He can't help it he was born
handicapped . . . go ahead and give him a surgeon's license anyway.  Would you
want him to operate on you?  Live is wonderful, but it is not and never has
been fair.  

 >> I
 know several people that it is an endurance to just get up on the horses
 back!! <<

     I commend them in their efforts.  But until they have ridden a 50 mile
race, (actually, a 50 is half a race, but . . .) they are NOT endurance
riders.  This does not make them any LESS important as human beings, it does
mean they have not yet, and perhaps will never, EARN the distinction of
calling themselves an "endurance rider."  

>> Please don't be so strick with what you claim to be endurance.
 To some people it is a major feat. just to get up there.
 Try to think more about  peoples feelings befor you jump in with your
 fingers. <<

    If people are so insecure in themselves that they need a false title, and
a meaningless trophy, HANDED to them, in order that they may feel they have
accomplished something, then there is little my words could ever do to them.
They are already damaged beyond my ability to further harm . . .

>>Some Think that just getting up there is enought. <<

     "Some" is wrong.  Wishing a thing to be so, does not make it so.  I think
that Michigan State University should have awarded me a veterinarian's license
even though I only spent one year in it.  It really hurt my feelings to see
all those other students who stayed the required years get one, and know that
I wanted one too.  Michigan State did not agree, apparently.  Too bad, I love
horses. That enough should have made me a great horse vet, don't you think?

>> Do you want
 to go out there and tell the people that because they couldn't finish a
 1 or more mile ride that they couldn't finish!!!!  Give them a break!<<

     People, if you cannot finish a one mile ride, you are no endurance rider.
In fact, I'd go as far as saying you are no rider.  I don't care what the
reason is that you can't do more than that.  You might be the next Mother
Teresa, but you arn't an endurance rider.  

>> Not everybody has the musles to do what you do.<<

      And I don't have the muscles to compete in a triathalon. But gosh, I
sure would like to call myself a triathelete.  I think I should get an award
for being a triathalete!!!  It isn't MY fault I don't have the muscles, time,
and determination to go out and earn the title.  Why should I be punished for
that?  I mean, I know that if I'm GIVEN the title, it does belittle the pain,
will, achievement etc, of true triatheletes, but well, better a few elite
atheletes achievements get belittled, than the rest of us get our feelings
hurt, isn't it?

>> Some have to do what
 they can. I for one am not going to tell that person that they can't
 compete in ENDURANCE riding because they can't even saddle their horse
 (just because they don't have control of their musles)  If they have the
 courage to do it why should people like you think you are being put
 down.<<

      Rebecca dear, I do not feel put down!!!  You see . . . I am not an
endurance rider.  I badly WANT to be one!!!!  But thus far, I have not had the
time, money, and apparently enough desire (because if the desire was there,
I'd find the time, and the money, now wouldn't I?) to compete in a 50 mile or
above race.  Some day I will.  But I do not want to be handed a meaningless
title.  I will be called an endurance rider the old fashioned way . . . by
EARNING  the right, or I will not be called an endurance rider.  I am secure
enough in my person to not need to be handed an unearned title, just to feel
I've accomplished something.

 >> Maybe, because this other person is handicapped! Are you that
 insucure that you have to put down other people that are not in ""as
 good of condition as you are"" <<

     I put no one down.  If you took it that way, then you have the insecurity
problem, not me.  And maybe you should work on dealing with that.  I'm afraid
I can't much help you there.

>>Give everybody a break and not be so
 condiming because you have more money or musles! <<

      I condemed no one.  Please re-read my post.  I merely stated the
obvious.  

>> Because if that is
 what endurance riding or limited distance riding is all about then I'm
 not for it. <<

      You sound like you'd be happier in something less difficult.  I agree.

>>If you have the courage to go out and try it no matter what
 distance you can do WHAT does that hurt to say you are an endurance
 rider! <<

     It belittles the effort, pain, drive, courage or whatever it is that
drives the TRUE endurance rider to ready a ride a horse for a One Hundred mile
ride.  It belittles the entire idea of ACHIEVEMENT.  It belittles life itself
. . .

>>Endurance just means that you had what it takes to endure, what
 ever milage you do. <<

     You had what it takes to "endure" a one mile ride?  Or a quarter mile
ride?  Or saddling the horse?  Why not give an endurance title for just
getting out of bed in the morning?

>> And I dout that these people will conflict with
 what you are doing if anything but talking with your fingers.
 Most handicaped people can talk real good with their fingers too.<<

     Yes I know.  I've a few handicapped friends.  They are good people, and
some even ride horses.   None of them wish to be handed anything they didn't
earn, and all of them acknowledge that there are some things they just cannot
do, some prizes they will not earn.  All of them would be insulted in the
extreme if you offered to "give" them the prize, just because they are
handicapped.  Most of them would tell you, you insult them with the very idea
. . .


>> I have my flame retardent suit on too, But my heart is with the people
 that to ride a mile is to Finish!!  To Finish Is To Win!!!  No matter
 how far!!!!!!
 Rebecca >><

      Well, I guess you should contact AERC and see if we can start getting
listings and prizes and titles for these one mile long "endurance" rides . . .

Trish Marie,
Grand Blanc, Michigan