# We need your help!



## jillybean19 (Dec 23, 2011)

If you are interested in the benefits of joining AERC, visit this link:

Benefits of Joining AERC

I am a Gold member because, for an extra $20/year, the included liability insurance is great peace of mind knowing that any damage or injury caused by my horses, either at home or away, will be covered. Just like liability insurance for your car, it doesn't cover any damage or injury to yourself, but protects you in case something happens to something or someone else and you're held liable. I believe it covers any and all of the horses you own, whether they are registered with AERC or not.


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## Faustinblack (Aug 16, 2011)

I want to join, but I was reading all the rules and info and stuff and it was kinda intimidating. Plus, my 4 year old isn't ready yet
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## jillybean19 (Dec 23, 2011)

Faustinblack said:


> I want to join, but I was reading all the rules and info and stuff and it was kinda intimidating. Plus, my 4 year old isn't ready yet
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


The rules are the same for all riders and rides since they're all Generally AERC sanctioned rides. What was intimidating? And, I'd really only recommend joining if you're planning on competing, though the Endurance News magazine is good to have/read and I like the insurance with the Gold membership.


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## Joe4d (Sep 1, 2011)

unless AERC is willing to pay more than lip service to gaining membership. This decline will continue. They do a horrendous to nonexistent job of marketing. Also focusing on juniors isnt gonna grow the sport. 
AERC wont even require ride locations on the online ride posting calander. Then they wonder why they are not attracting new riders ? Cant come to a ride if the location is kept secret. Richmond VA Horse expo, ZERO endurance exposure, even though its right down the road from the OD 100, I even volunteered to run the booth, AERC wouldnt come up with the booth fee. 
Seems the old guard is happy with the status quo and very resistant to addressing any of the issues that are hurting recruiting.


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## jillybean19 (Dec 23, 2011)

Joe4d said:


> unless AERC is willing to pay more than lip service to gaining membership. This decline will continue. They do a horrendous to nonexistent job of marketing. Also focusing on juniors isnt gonna grow the sport.... Richmond VA Horse expo, ZERO endurance exposure, even though its right down the road from the OD 100, I even volunteered to run the booth, AERC wouldnt come up with the booth fee.


They are making a grassroots effort, which, especially in these circumstances, is great. If they paid more for advertising, that would be reflected in our fees for membership and most likely at rides. Frankly, this is more indicative of a much bigger problem: the participation in the sport of endurance is shaky. We have our core dedicated people, a few testing the water, and a few that come and go. However, because of whatever reasons (the economy being a big one), attendance at rides is often barely enough to cover costs, which leads to fewer rides being put on, and then we all loose.

On the other hand, nearly all endurance riders are aware of AERC, so they've done an excellent job advertising amongst the people they need to. As for individual rides and the sport as a whole - that's up to local organizations and ride managers to advertise. It sounds like you tried to volunteer for the wrong people. In our area, the ride managers take care of their own advertisement. My club hosts a booth at our expo and does raffles. The Pacific Northwest Endurance Riders organization also does a great job of distributing our area's ride information throughout the region as well as does awards and lots of other cool things. AERC cannot dedicate its resources to every ride and every endurance organization - nor should it. It is there to help keep our sport organized, and we as participants should be involved in keeping participation healthy. It does, however, do an excellent job of educating both prospective and new riders - if you don't believe me, just take a look at how many people have suggested that the OP's on these forums check out the AERC website and articles.

I see the focus on juniors as making more of an effort to support this special and almost nonexistent segment of our endurance community. They do need our help to get involved and stay active, from sponsors to a little extra encouragement and a helping hand for the parents. Many of us participate despite barriers in our time and finances - juniors often don't have ways to get around those barriers on their own and it is difficult for them to build up a support network without current riders and organizations stepping forward.



Joe4d said:


> AERC wont even require ride locations on the online ride posting calander. Then they wonder why they are not attracting new riders ? Cant come to a ride if the location is kept secret.
> Seems the old guard is happy with the status quo and very resistant to addressing any of the issues that are hurting recruiting.


Again, this is not an AERC issue, but a ride manager issue. Oftentimes, the reason a location isn't listed is because there isn't one yet. The most important thing to get when sanctioning the ride is a date and region. Usually, the ride managers will know where the ride is because they've put one on before. However, you don't have to nail down the location of the ride in order to get it sanctioned and on the calendar so you don't run into a conflict with another ride in the area. However, it is the manager's responsibility to update that information when possible and generate advertising for their rides.

I'm glad you sought out an opportunity to volunteer - that's what this sport needs. However, make sure you're talking to the right people to do so. You can also volunteer in other ways like the ones I listed above in the original post.


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## jillybean19 (Dec 23, 2011)

By the way, I forgot to mention - if you're going to be doing around 4+ ride days per year, then your membership actually pays for itself since you avoid the $15 day-membership fee each time you enter a ride


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## Joe4d (Sep 1, 2011)

I am well aware there is no shortage of excuses. I hear them alot, however I have long lists of new and potential new riders that agree with me. Excuse me but not publicizing a rides location is very much a AERC issue. They run the ride calander. There is absolutely NO ,ZERO ,NIX NINE FRANKENSTIEN excuse whatsoever for AERC to allow a ride to be posted to the ride calander without a phsical location, address, gps coordinate, direction from a known point or some other info that would allow someone to find the ride. NO excuse. It is the second most critical piece of information you can have, after "WHAT". The RM's then have the nerve to boo hoo about low turn out ? Seriously give me a break. NO EXCUSE ! and frankly I am getting tired of hearing them. There are rides on that calendar that arnt even clear what state they are in.
Ive been involved with lengthy email chains just to get to ride camp. Local slang, missing info, and litteraly I got an email that said ride camp is where the winery Used to be, ? seriously how am I supposed to know that ? Also was a ride that was on a national forest, BIg forest. and of course no other location info,,,, 
Where's base camp?
_at the usual place,
_and where might that be I have never been to your state can I have the address?
_oh its at the Arena,
_so I go to the forest websight, google maps, satellite pictures, and nope no arena, so another email,
There is no arena in that national forest that I can find, can you please give me the address or directions from HWY xyz?
_Oh the arena isnt actually on the forest its at a nearby park. 


_Umm guess what rides I dont attend. seriously if I gotta pull teeth to find the ride I'm not coming.

when a person in my demographic, IE, loves long distance trails, camping, owns my own trailer/ truck, lots of free time and money, highly competitive, and lives a couple hours from probably the second most prestigious endurance ride in the country, and I have never heard of it ? You got a marketing problem. AND yes as long as AERC is collecting the money and all money is being held at the board of directors level it is very much a HQ problem. especially as how it would cost ZERO to require that information. The software and websight already exists. 

I have been involved with national level shooting sports, bike sports, fun rides, camping trips, boy scout events, and I have never ever had to contact an organizer to ask "Where's the event?" Its in the initial flyer.

I do have to say after a season of excuses and me pointing out the lacking info on specific rides I have seen HUGE improvements in the Southeast. Pretty much all rides have good info now. Incidentally the SE is growing membership. Go figure.


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## jillybean19 (Dec 23, 2011)

Joe4d, it still sounds like a ride manager problem to me. AERC does not police the information and is not responsible for managing rides and any subsequent information. They simply post the information they receive. If a a local charity is putting on an event and tells the city council the day and time, but leaves out good information about the location, is it your city council's fault? You cannot expect AERC to try and keep track of the hundreds of rides happening throughout the country and playing mommy to the ride managers who are there to make sure all the ducks are in a row for THEIR ride. This is not the purpose of AERC and it does not have the funds to check up on trivial matters regarding individual rides. If poor ride information is provided, contact the manager. Having been on the side of putting on a ride, I can tell you that that's part of their responsibilities: advertisement. We never have any issue in my area finding out about ride locations and have excellent managers. If you have a problem with rides in your area, you need to talk to your managers.

AERC simply organizes, sanctons, keeps records, and educates riders nationwide. Your dues enable them to continue doing so.


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## Joe4d (Sep 1, 2011)

I dont find location a trivial matter, nor I think would any other person in the world trying to attend an event. Nothing about playing mommy. I am talking about that blank spot on the ride calendar. You know the one that says "ride location" ? Yeh that blank spot should be filled out with intelligent information. 
Sorry but I just dont understand the thought process that continues to make these excuses. For many potential riders the online ride calendar is the first exposure they have to AERC. No excuse for the page manager not to require that info from a RM who wants the ride posted to the calendar . Seriously it would take a message on the form, and a couple rejected postings to fix the problem over night. 
People in the Southeast said the same kinda stuff, that they dont have any problem. They think its all peachy king. Oh yeh then tell me how to get to X ride based on the info in the calender , ride flyer, ride websight or anything else. They got real quiet, except now I see most of those rides now have a decent ride flyer. 
But this is a HUGE nationwide problem that needs to be addressed by AERC, thats why we have a national body. Quite a few newer riders run into the same thing in multiple regions. So I know it just isnt me. 
AERC , older riders and ride managers can continue with the head in sand syndrome and pretend it isnt an issue, while seeing rides stop and membership dwindle, or they can take steps to address these issues. Looks like we have a couple of new to AERC directors that can bring new ideas to the BOD, and dispense with the "thats the way we always do it" mentality.


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## nicolerm (Dec 19, 2011)

It's definitely not just you Joe. I've thought the same thing when looking at the ride calendar in the past. Honestly, the whole AERC website could use a makeover to make it more user-friendly. Web presence is a big deal these days and good organizations should take advantage of that!


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## Eolith (Sep 30, 2007)

I agree that the AERC website could do with a huge overhaul. An attractive, neat design with easily accessible info is a HUGE asset to any company/organization.

ACTHA really has the website thing figured out: https://www.actha.us/

They're pretty good about locations and such from what I've been able to tell too.


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## jillybean19 (Dec 23, 2011)

I agree with the website overhaul - I mentioned it multiple times in the survey AERC asked its members to fill out this year.

However, the blame for not posting ride locations is misplaced. Again, this is a manager responsibility. When I say "trivial", I meant that there are so many different things AERC is responsible for that it cannot police every individual ride. How is AERC supposed to know that the "Old Mill Road" is actually a road name or if it's just a locally recognized location description? You also mentioned the fliers having good information in other organizations - fliers do NOT fall under the responsibility of the AERC either and are created and distributed by ride managers. Again, that's who you need to be contacting about location issues.

I already explained why the "location" area is often blank, especially for rides scheduled way in advance. The AERC posts the information as soon as it receives it, and location is not required when sanctioning for a ride because the date needs to be determined well before the actual location. If location was required, managers would have to wait longer to sanction their ride, risk losing their date, and ultimately no be able to put the ride on at all. If you want better descriptions about locations, contact the ride manager - that information IS required so that you can ask them any questions you need to, including location details and directions. I don't know how many times I can say that the AERC is not responsible for the ride details, but rather posting the information they are provided by the ride managers.

Anyway, this isn't even the point of this thread. Bottom line is that endurance riders need to step up and do their best to support one another in this sport and let others know about it so that we can keep our sport healthy. Most veteran riders already do that, and I personally feel the need to pass that charity on. Part of being an endurance rider is joining AERC and letting their fellow riders know about joining it as well. Without the AERC, even with any flaws, this sport would not be possible.


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## Joe4d (Sep 1, 2011)

and the first thing a potential new rider asks the current rider,
"Where is the ride" ? total garbage that that answer isnt on the ride calander, or on the "MAP" link, or the ride flyer link, or the ride location link. Like I said the software is already in place. 
Yes its the RM responsibility to get that info, also the RM's responsibility to line up alot of other issues. AERC provides sanctioning when these steps are met. One of those steps should be LOCATION of ride. Good grief I just cant fathom the resistance to such a simple concept.


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## jillybean19 (Dec 23, 2011)

I'm not resisting the concept as I think that location is important, but disagree with where you're placing the blame.

Location is not required when sanctioning a ride with AERC because getting the date on the calendar as soon as possible is the most important thing for initial sanctioning. Getting the details ironed out comes later, especially for new rides or rides that need to change camp locations or are moving locations completely. It's like reserving your room at the hotel - you know you have your date reserved, but you don't know your exact room number until you get there. Same with rides - you know you can prepare and host a ride on this date, so you reserve it, and then update the details once you've nailed them down. If you'd like to understand the process, AERC has the ride manager's handbook online for you to peruse.


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## jillybean19 (Dec 23, 2011)

If you'd like to continue discussing individual ride issues, I encourage you to start a new thread rather than hijacking one intended to make people more aware of why they should join AERC and encourage other endurance riders to do so as well.


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