In most of the other horse-related disciplines, endurance riding is considered an extreme sport. While we don't think so, perceptions of endurance riding are very different than the ones we hold. My column this month talks about some of the things we can do to change these perceptions.

When I go to rides I have trouble getting to sleep early -- I'm used to going to sleep more on the order of 1:00 a.m. So in the late evening before a ride, I wander around camp looking for groups that are still up and talking. I learn things this way as well as get a chance to answer questions that members might have about AERC and the board of directors.

At the Texas Bluebonnet Classic held in the LBJ Grasslands near Dallas/Ft. Worth in early May, I had talked with several groups and decided to try one last group before getting some sleep. This group was about 15 people -- from fairly young to middle age -- and they were finishing up dinner. I joined their group and noticed that I didn't know anyone. This isn't unusual at a large ride like this where there can be 70 entries in the LD portion of the ride from the nearby large cities of Dallas and Ft. Worth.

I listened to the discussion for a while before deciding that I was with a group of trail riders who were there for the weekend just to have fun. I asked them about how they were doing and then mentioned that most of the people parked around them were all endurance riders. This got the discussion over to endurance. I stayed there for almost an hour talking about endurance, our horses, the differences between endurance and trail riding, "to finish is to win" and what it meant, conditioning, how we pace our horses in rides, and other topics.

While many of the questions came from the under-20 members of the group, there was general interest on all their parts about endurance. I left the group with the feeling that when we met them on the trail the next day, they would look at the endurance riders and their tights, saddle covers, helmets and water bottles in a different light.

Being courteous on the trail to other riders in a place like the LJB Grasslands is particularly important for us because it's a very equestrian-oriented facility with endurance riders being only a small portion of the use. Making our sport more familiar to riders and non-riders can also garner more support for our trail use and trail conservation.

At other times on the trail -- conditioning as well as competing -- I've had the opportunity to stop and talk with hikers, bikers, joggers, sunbathers, and others. The little girls with families always want to pet your horse and think about how some day they will have a horse of their own.

I've also given presentations at local equestrian clubs, ranging from trail riding groups to dressage clubs. There's always a lot of interest and I've always come away with the feeling that perceptions have been changed. I've talked about endurance to the people near me on plane trips, while waiting in a dentist's office, and even at office parties.

In the cases above, you are an ambassador of endurance and shape the perceptions of other riders and the general public about us as riders and our sport. Think about it every time you ride because without our trails and access to them, our sport cannot continue.