Okay, so I haven't had a really good rant for a spell now. But I read a comment this morning alluding to the old fable "you can take a horse out of pasture and finish an LD." This has got to be one of my all time favorite pieces of utter bull-crap in distance riding. I'll bet the very person who last said it, would be the very FIRST to point and whisper at the newbie who's horse is looking forlorn with the IV drip running after their first LD because "you can take a horse out of pasture and finish an LD." That is the very epitome of what we do not want new riders in the sport attempting. By God if you care two cents about your equine, prepare for the pace, prepare for the distance, treat your horse as a partner not as a freaking tool.
The culture of distance riding really needs to change in some circles. You don't want blown out, distressed equines in the sport (I don't) then don't pass on these false old sayings. It's bull crap. Total, freaking BULL-CRAP.
If you are new, and your horse doesn't have a good base of 8-12 weeks of real work on them, then hang out and volunteer until you do. You will learn a lot, and your horse may just not only finish, but survive the first LD ride and not sour on the sport from the get-go.
Off my box...
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