What is the definition of endurance? Webster's Dictionary defines it as:

1. The ability to withstand adversity without giving in;

2. To continue in the same state, the ability to sustain a prolonged stressful effort or activity.

Reading this definition makes me realize that endurance is something different for every individual rider. What comes easy for one horse and rider may be really tough for the next guy, or a totally impossible feat for another person.

AERC members are a diverse group of riders who seem to have one thing for sure in common -- riding horses! We all love to ride, love the feel of a horse, love going down the trail seeing the country.

Even though we certainly all have this in common, we sure have different ideas when it comes to how we compete, what type of trails we like, the type of horses we want to ride, the speed we want to go and the goals we hope to accomplish.

We all want to finish with a healthy, sound horse. The majority of our members just want to go out and have fun on their horses but even these riders have goals of their own. Some riders may not even be aware of their goals -- they may be as simple as finishing a ride or two in the season, or as complicated as completing a five-day Pioneer ride, a one-day 100-mile ride, or a thousand miles in one season. The list could go on forever.

All our goals are special for each of us with some being unique. For instance, Monica Chapman (see EN, March 2007) wants to ride an endurance ride successfully in every state. Some of us want to go ride the Tevis, or Old Dominion, or Big Horn, or Swanton Pacific, or Pine Tree, or Fort Stanton, or the AERC National Championship, or every one of them sometime in our lives. But we all have some kind of goal for ourselves each year we ride.

It is great to see the enthusiastic first-time rider at the finish of his first 25-mile ride as well as a rider who has just finished his 20th one-day 100-mile ride. They both have endured by completing the ride of their choice but quite possibly the first time LD rider had to dig deeper to find the strength, endurance and fortitude to continue -- more so than the experienced endurance rider.

International riding is just another goal some riders strive to achieve. These riders are AERC members the same as each of us. They have achieved their goals by attending AERC rides and supporting our sport and organization. Most of the time, they are riding in our regular endurance rides that we attend. They also attend AERC rides that are sanctioned with FEI, which help them gain international experience. This experience will help them should they be selected to go and ride in an international event.

Achieving these diverse goals takes teamwork between you and your horse but it can be a lot of fun.

We all need to encourage and support each other in each of our goals. Whether they seem small or lofty, it is endurance and takes teamwork from each individual horse and rider. Success comes when you strive for a goal and achieve it!