I have just returned home from my third AERC ride this year. I rode two of them and worked one. As I watched the rides progress I suddenly realized that, to me, endurance rides are like my favorite restaurants--buffets.

You have the choice of many distances, the choice of what speed, whether you will try to top 10, turtle or somewhere in between or--most fun of all--just ride to enjoy horse, trail, and all your endurance friends. You can also choose to go to flat rides, mountain rides, big rides, small rides or a combination of all.

It is my feeling that whatever choices you make, you should feel no more or no less a valued participant in our sport. This is where the "big tent" in the title comes from. I think there is room for all of us, from the beginner to the international competitor.

I believe I have done it all: I started with an LD ride as I thought 50 was an impossibly long way; decided it wasn't so far after all, the same year; after a few years, got brave enough (or crazy enough) to try 100s and have done about 30 of them, just not any in recent years for health reasons. A few more years and I tried a multiday and now travel out West to do at least one every year since I get "more bang for my buck" there.

I don't worry about what distance all the other riders have chosen at a ride I attend because they don't take away from my enjoyment, in fact they add to it. I love sitting at the finish line, clean and hydrated, watching the longer distance riders staggering in.

If you don't think limited distance is endurance, so what? The folks that are doing it are having fun and haven't asked you to call it endurance anyhow. What I am trying to say is, "Lighten up, everyone!" Go to rides, have fun, and join your horse in the buffet.