When I compete in endurance rides, I always try to pair up with another rider or riders. There are a number of reasons why I like to do this. First, my two guys bond with other horses and are more relaxed with friends around. It takes all of 30 seconds for one of my guys to bond with another horse. After that, he likes to lead -- but always watches for his buddy behind. The second reason is that two or more sets of eyes are much better at following trail than just oneÑI'm occasionally "directionally challenged."

The other reason, and an important one, is social in nature. I meet new people this way. I get a chance to talk with people from other AERC regions as well as ones from my own region who I only see at rides. I donÕt go to rides just for points and miles, although I have goals for my horses and myself. I go for social reasonsÑto interact with people, to learn from others about riding, to experience the countryside and local history, to enjoy sharing the countryside with others, and finally, as an AERC director, to gather information and to be available to the membership.

I've met people who were there when AERC was founded and learned a lot about how it was in the "good old days." I've met riders who were doing their first 50 who were worried about whether they were going to finish. IÕve ridden with riders from foreign countries who were qualifying for events here and who provided interesting insights into the differences between endurance here and in their home country. IÕve sponsored juniors and helped new horses settle into their first ride.

I've never met any front-runners during a ride but I sometimes talk with them afterwards.

On my last ride, the subjects we talked about while riding ranged from the politics of AERC, why we do this sport, information available online, a memberÕs family and friends, and many others. It makes the time go faster and itÕs fun.

I recognize that some horses do better by themselvesÑfinding that "pocket" where there's no one in sight in front and no one behind is nice. But if your horse likes company, the next time you ride make it a point to meet new people out on the trail. Look for someone whose pace is similar to yours and you might make a new friend.