spookypony
Well-Known Member
Perhaps a comparison, from essentially the same debate in another discipline: in Endurance, we sometimes get people who feel that below 80km (that's FEI* distance), there is no real point (beyond getting up the levels), and that running so many Pleasure rides and short competitive distances is "dumbing down the sport". Some believe that riders should be limited as to how many of the shorter distances they can do with any one horse, to encourage them to go up the levels. Here, I can speak from experience both as a rider and as an administrator:
As a rider, I've now done 3 competitive seasons with my pony, and 80km is now hopefully within reach. I needed the competition experience at the lower distances, because I am learning on the job, so to speak, not having the benefit of professional Endurance trainers. There aren't many rides available at 80km+ (or even 60km+), and shorter competitive distances are a great way to build up more fitness. I don't plan to go beyond 80km classes at this point, for various reasons. It should also be said that in EGB levels, for example, 80km is Advanced.
As an admin, I see that the riders that prefer shorter distances have many different reasons for this: some are keeping older horses fit. Some enjoy the opportunity to ride in places where they normally wouldn't be able to go, just to enjoy the scenery. Some are doing cross-training for other disciplines such as dressage or eventing, where a fast 2-hour ride over hilly terrain is quite sufficient for their goals. Some are pursuing trophies specifically aimed at shorter distances (such as awards for riding in every branch in the country, or for achieving the highest number of Gold Award finishes).
Also, I am aware that rides of 80km are difficult to organise and expensive to run. For us, literally, the Pleasure riders and Taster riders (our equivalent to Intro; you don't even collect mileage) finance the upper levels. If we are running a ride with classes of 80, 60, 50, 30, Pleasure, and Taster, then with 40 entries, I might expect a breakdown approximately like this: 2, 3, 3, 12, 17, 3. Without the Pleasures and 30s, the ride wouldn't run. The Tasters function like the Intros in that lots of people do just a few, and then get into longer classes, or that people take a baby horse so that it learns about the procedures without getting overfaced, or getting high heart-rates due to nerves on its card. At least one 80km-qualified rider only rides Tasters now, just to enjoy the day out and support the club. If we changed the rules to force people up the levels, most of our ridership would just quit.
As a rider, I've now done 3 competitive seasons with my pony, and 80km is now hopefully within reach. I needed the competition experience at the lower distances, because I am learning on the job, so to speak, not having the benefit of professional Endurance trainers. There aren't many rides available at 80km+ (or even 60km+), and shorter competitive distances are a great way to build up more fitness. I don't plan to go beyond 80km classes at this point, for various reasons. It should also be said that in EGB levels, for example, 80km is Advanced.
As an admin, I see that the riders that prefer shorter distances have many different reasons for this: some are keeping older horses fit. Some enjoy the opportunity to ride in places where they normally wouldn't be able to go, just to enjoy the scenery. Some are doing cross-training for other disciplines such as dressage or eventing, where a fast 2-hour ride over hilly terrain is quite sufficient for their goals. Some are pursuing trophies specifically aimed at shorter distances (such as awards for riding in every branch in the country, or for achieving the highest number of Gold Award finishes).
Also, I am aware that rides of 80km are difficult to organise and expensive to run. For us, literally, the Pleasure riders and Taster riders (our equivalent to Intro; you don't even collect mileage) finance the upper levels. If we are running a ride with classes of 80, 60, 50, 30, Pleasure, and Taster, then with 40 entries, I might expect a breakdown approximately like this: 2, 3, 3, 12, 17, 3. Without the Pleasures and 30s, the ride wouldn't run. The Tasters function like the Intros in that lots of people do just a few, and then get into longer classes, or that people take a baby horse so that it learns about the procedures without getting overfaced, or getting high heart-rates due to nerves on its card. At least one 80km-qualified rider only rides Tasters now, just to enjoy the day out and support the club. If we changed the rules to force people up the levels, most of our ridership would just quit.