Educating the newbie

[Lynette Helgeson <helgeson@lansford.ndak.net>]

Maggie Mieske wrote:
> 
> I was not the one who suggested a 20 minute presentation (whew, I'm still
> smoking here) 

No reason to smoke, Maggie, I didn't say that was your
suggestion, although
I think that it is a good suggestion. What I am objecting to is
the constant
comments that education is something the RM should do. My post
was to RC, I was not paying attention to who I was sending it
to. Sorry. :-)


> answered or be helped out at a ride.  Heck, we need newbies... especially
> small rides who have a tough time breaking even.  We not only want them to
> learn about our sport, we want them to like it enough to keep coming back!
> The "let 'em learn on their own first" attitude is detrimental to the
> spirit of our sport.

Maggie,
Lets be reasonable here. How much information do you believe
that the human
mind can take in all at once and remember. :-) I remember the
first ride
that I did. I had researched, read, listened on ridecamp for a
year, and
read again, everything that I could get my hands on. Come the
day for my
first ride and I was sitting on my horse, listening to the RM,
who had
hand outs before the ride, that I also read, and guess what? I
got out
on the trail and forgot EVERYTHING! There is some things I
remembered, but
there was no way that I could remember it all. I felt lost and
confused. I
just found someone who had done it before and followed them. And
learned 
more asking questions and DOING the ride then I did the year
before, with
all of my reading. Two years later, I am still doing rides and
STILL learning.
And I am still confused! The day that I quite learning is the
day that I die. 
Or maybe not even then? 

I have no problem with educating any one who ask for info. I
have printed out
info and handed to interested people many times. I will help out
any one who
is interested in learning, and I will ask anyone who knows more
so I can learn.
No where in my post did I say "let 'em learn on their own
first"  I 
said that it is not just the RM's responsiblity, it is
everyone's responsibility 
including the newbie, experienced riders and also other newbies. 

Lynette


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