Re: LD fee--Check the math!

["Mike Sofen" <miksof7@gte.net>]

Check this math - someone keeps their horse on property that they rent for
living quarters, saved for a year and bought a sweet horse for $800, has
purchased used tack at auctions, has a friend with a truck and trailer that
gives them rides, they split expenses, watch what they buy for food, and
only do rides within a certain radius of where they live.  They can spend
less than $40 each if they do it right, and that's putting a crimp in their
budget.  NOW does an extra $10 add up?

Just because I make a decent living, I don't assume that other people do, or
can afford to spend anything anytime they want to.  I don't want to see
endurance become another sport of haves and havenots.  There will always be
people with more stuff, and that's irrelevant - we want to encourage, not
discourage.

I got hooked on endurance because of ONE LD ride.  It allowed me to decide
if I liked it, could do it, etc.  I didn't race, didn't try to top ten.
Just went out and had a grand time with my horse.  And became an AERC member
because of it.


However, I'm about to become a non-member over this and the loss of
sanctioned rides in our state (WA).

Finally, I totally agree with Karen Chaton that times shouldn't be kept for
LD, as this
would discourage racing.

Mike Sofen
Seattle, WA

-----Original Message-----
From: Petdoc6@aol.com <Petdoc6@aol.com>
To: ridecamp@endurance.net <ridecamp@endurance.net>
Date: Tuesday, September 15, 1998 5:16 AM
Subject: LD fee--Check the math!


I have been listening to the debates about the LD fee increase.  No doubt it
will cause ride managers to do more paperwork.  I ride LD and have a current
AERC membership.  If I didn't, I would expect to pay a fee for having my
rides
sanctioned by the organization.  I don't expect services for free!

Look at the money side.  An average horse owner has these baseline expenses
before attending a ride:

Truck $25000
Trailer     $700-40000
Horse $1500-5000
Saddle $.200-2100
Gas ?
Work Time Lost variable but it adds up!
Horse maintenance per year--vets, shoeing, food,  supplements, magazine
subscriptions, riding clothes, and tack that we
"must have."
Farm Fees Cost of a 10 acre  place to keep a horse vs a house in town
with a small yard and no barn or fencing to keep up!

My point is that if  a rider has spent all this money to have a horse  and
move it along the road, then the additional fee of $10 per ride shouldn't
really make a difference.

Carol Wingate