Being president sure cuts into my riding time. I am sitting in the barn aisle typing away (I am so grateful for laptops with wireless modems) while my wife rides and my kids play around the barn. So much for my riding today. I do, however, feel it is more important for me to help the sport of endurance through this period of its evolution than it is for me to ride very much this year.

I had already written a very serious intellectual discourse on the theory behind AERC having more rules now than when it began, but sitting here I realize that there is a much more important thought I would like to have every member consider.

I am writing this surrounded by endurance horses and endurance riders and their families. Some do limited distance rides, some do mainly 50s, some do 100s, and one here does multiday rides. Every one of them looks at endurance and AERC with a slightly different perspective. And their own perspective is the most important perspective to each of them.

The relationships between the numerous specialties within endurance are much like the relationships within a family. Limited distance, 50s, 100s, international, multidays, etc., are like siblings. Each sibling is very different, but more closely related than they like to admit. They might fight among themselves, but don't let an outsider dare say anything disparaging about any one of them or you will elicit the wrath of them all.

Much like a parent, the directors and staff try to always be fair and even-handed. Sometimes one sibling will feel that it is not treated equally, but hopefully that is not truly the case and ultimately every one will be treated as an equal. Everyone wants to be as supportive as possible to every endurance family member.

Friends of the family may know the entire family or just one member of the family. Everyone's view is different, but equally important. As the family matures, different family members will temporarily be in the spotlight. Every single family member is important. No one member could stand alone.

But as I look around, I am most cognizant that endurance starts with one horse and one rider. That horse and rider may some day be an Olympic endurance gold medal winner, but it all starts right here with friends saying, "Do you want to join us for a ride? We do endurance. What do you..."