tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post7783750738804435831..comments2024-03-26T05:15:39.663-07:00Comments on Equestrian Ink: My Life With Horses--Part SixJami Davenporthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05259390150273030284noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-54095470259004456782013-06-14T15:03:50.397-07:002013-06-14T15:03:50.397-07:00Alison and redhorse--Glad you liked the post. I ap...Alison and redhorse--Glad you liked the post. I appreciate your comments. Its always good to hear that someone could relate to what I wrote about (!)<br /><br />Aarene--Much though I enjoy you and Funder and many other endurance people and even though, based on the little I know, endurance is more geared to protecting the horse than most competitive events, I gotta tell you, large group activities involving horses in which competition is involved (this includes endurance) are not my thing any more. I would far rather camp with a couple of friends at a remote lake than in any kind of a large group (no matter how nice the people), I have no wish to ride one mile further (let alone many miles further) on any given day than I happen to feel like riding, and I am completely uninterested in proving I can complete any particular event. This combination of traits doesn't render endurance very appealing to me. I would absolutely support my son if he chose to take it up, but (so far) competitive events don't appeal to him either. In my view endurance is competitive. If nothing else, folks really want to "complete," the ride rather than fail to complete the ride...and that is a form of competitive pressure. But I will say that if I were back in the stage of life when I had an interest in competitive horse events and the camaraderie of large groups, I think I would have really liked endurance. You guys seem like great people overall, and I like your attitude toward your horses. <br /><br />Laura Crumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15200878892304748308noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-39967324206718555692013-06-14T08:25:54.848-07:002013-06-14T08:25:54.848-07:00You do realize that you are gradually meandering a...You do realize that you are gradually meandering away from "arena" competitions and increasingly close to the True Faith (endurance). <br /><br />You do realize that, right?<br /><br />I'm not saying that training abuse and drugging doesn't happen in endurance. If you've got people, you'll find cheaters. <br /><br />However, I dare most arena events and competitors to invite a vet to participate and check every single horse at the event for mechanical and metabolic soundness before-during-after, and willingly submit to random drug tests. Tennessee Walker shows, I'm lookin' at you. Flat-track racing, lookin' at you as well. Western pleasure, ahem. <br /><br />I am *determined* to get you and your kid to an endurance ride in the "novice" distance just for fun. C'mon. Whaddya say?AareneXhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18072169739345465380noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-58962947841793483342013-06-14T06:14:42.821-07:002013-06-14T06:14:42.821-07:00I've never known a sane person to go through a...I've never known a sane person to go through a life shattering event and not get depressed. That's the problem with the meds, and our "give me a pill and make me feel better," society. I'm glad you're where you are now. Thanks for writing about it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-5402380747777653562013-06-13T18:04:33.383-07:002013-06-13T18:04:33.383-07:00Such an interesting post, Laura. Thank you for sha...Such an interesting post, Laura. Thank you for sharing about your depression and how it forced you (or caused you to change.) I think many of us go through it and the ones who are lucky do see a 'light' at the end of tunnel which results in a life change.Alisonhttp://www.alisonhartbooks.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-29434866758442469202013-06-13T07:21:27.184-07:002013-06-13T07:21:27.184-07:00Thanks, Kate and 14.1. Sharing what insights I'...Thanks, Kate and 14.1. Sharing what insights I've gained through my various life experiences is part of what I enjoy about writing. I do realize its possible to compete and treat your horses well--but unfortunately there is always a segment that will abuse a horse in order to "win" and I just couldn't stand to be around these people any more and condone (even by my presence) what they were doing to good horses.Laura Crumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15200878892304748308noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-39749206175867085892013-06-12T18:42:11.295-07:002013-06-12T18:42:11.295-07:00Just want to say thanks for being so open with you...Just want to say thanks for being so open with your life. I too feel like I know you already through reading your books. I also think horses can be sometimes all consuming and in my experience it seems to happen more with women than men. Don't know why.14.1handshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14752955261925361507noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-52736864515461982522013-06-12T18:05:59.936-07:002013-06-12T18:05:59.936-07:00A very brave post - thank you for sharing your str...A very brave post - thank you for sharing your struggles and how they resolved, and for putting these events into your novels.<br /><br />I am glad your hard times led to better things, for you and your horses. I know what you mean about competitve horse events being hard on the horses - many people only care about winning - the hunter/jumper world was the same - that's why I stopped showing.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-47424124713822291412013-06-12T09:58:54.410-07:002013-06-12T09:58:54.410-07:00Thanks, Aarene. I value those gold stars from you....Thanks, Aarene. I value those gold stars from you.Laura Crumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15200878892304748308noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-45275791559158560632013-06-12T09:47:48.834-07:002013-06-12T09:47:48.834-07:00I've never seen depression compared to the flu...I've never seen depression compared to the flu...and yet, the comparison is perfect. I suffered a brief bout of depression 20 years ago (B vitamin deficiency, of all things!) and it really did "feel" like the flu. Gold star to you.<br /><br />And another gold star for surviving.<br /><br />And another gold star for finding the silver lining.<br /><br />And another gold star for sharing the experience.<br /><br />And another gold star, because it's that kind of a day!AareneXhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18072169739345465380noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-31728031043255133362013-06-12T09:19:24.626-07:002013-06-12T09:19:24.626-07:00Dom--It was a hard period of my life for sure. In ...Dom--It was a hard period of my life for sure. In a way, I've already shared a lot of these experiences in my novels. I sometimes think that sharing things I've been through may help others who are going through something similar.Laura Crumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15200878892304748308noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-86092611111687905462013-06-12T09:11:44.050-07:002013-06-12T09:11:44.050-07:00I learn so much about you in each of these entries...I learn so much about you in each of these entries. This was a hard read, but it was made easier by knowing it turned out ok in the end. Thank you for sharing all this with us.Domhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00139769676714813261noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-67830956474760963202013-06-12T08:37:03.287-07:002013-06-12T08:37:03.287-07:00Thanks, Mindy. Its very true that much of my life ...Thanks, Mindy. Its very true that much of my life is woven into my novels. Gail started out with a very different personality from mine, but over the course of the series we became more alike. Funny how that happened (!)Laura Crumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15200878892304748308noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-62026046397608502392013-06-12T08:27:26.944-07:002013-06-12T08:27:26.944-07:00I so enjoy reading your blogs - it's awesome t...I so enjoy reading your blogs - it's awesome that you share your life experiences, family and animals with us. I often wondered when reading your books how much of your own life was woven into the Gail McCarthy character. When I started looking at the pictures of your family, the places you ride and your animals, I felt like I already knew you! =)Mindynoreply@blogger.com