My past few articles' topics have been a bit heavy. This time of year the lighter issues seem to be more appropriate. My goal is to make every endurance ride safe, fair, and fun, but in the midst of winter I often need to remind myself that I am answering e-mails for hours each day and on conference calls every other night so that I can participate at endurance rides once the weather improves.

One of my favorite lighter topics is the AERC convention which is coming up later this month. For me, it signals that spring is soon to come and a whole new riding year is about to start. With the cold weather, all the holidays, and all the mud, I am quite ready for a little warm weather time that I can go out and ride.

The trade show at the convention is the largest gathering of tack, equipment, clothing, and supplies specifically for endurance anywhere in the world. I would enjoy just spending a day looking at all the newest ideas, latest products, and talking with the vendors about where to use the old tried-and-true and where to use the latest innovations.

Looking back, it is amazing how much has changed in everything we use over the past couple of decades. It used to be if you saw someone with a camper on their pickup you were envious that they didn't have to sleep in the horse trailer; that when you saw someone riding in Levi's you knew either they were one of the old-timers or they just started because either the seam no longer rubbed a hole in the side of their knees or it was about to; and that if someone pulled their saddle out of the trailer and it had a fuzzy seat, it was because the dog slept on it.

Enough history. This year there are again some really great speakers at the convention but moreover the topics covered will be much more diverse than ever before. There is so much information of such great quality being presented that veterinarians can even get continuing education credit for attending certain seminars. I am certain that every endurance enthusiast can learn something from the speakers this year.

I believe that the best aspect of the convention, however, is that you can talk to so many endurance riders, and not one of them has to say, "My out time is in three minutes, let's talk later." It is a lot more fun to talk while on the trail, but at convention everyone you are speaking to can actually hear what you are saying, and can respond without having to catch up first.

If you can, please come to Reno this month and talk horses and endurance. Those few who really want to talk rules and governance of the sport may do so, but I promise they will not prevent you from talking and learning about the fun aspects of our sport.

I hope to see you in Reno. Mike