When you listen to the stories of the various winter Olympic athletes being interviewed, have any of you been struck by what seems to be the total dedication and intensity of their training?

Their extreme physical fitness, the total immersion quality of the past four years of focussed intensity seems more intense than what I sense many of our "Team-bound" riders subject themselves to.

Not to say our "kids" don`t "want it", but I just don`t have the impression it`s quite the same willingness to work their guts out.

Convince me that I`m wrong, because I hope I am---

Another interesting question - hope I will make it to dinner.

And I do not know the answer - though I am also kind of afraid of it.

I try to catch this question on my training website with a picture of my little herd on a very nasty winter morning - the caption is "Do you still love them?"

I am not sure if your question about the "kids" is really covering it. Where do the "kids" get the "attitude" from?

This is very similar to your other post - boy are we getting old?

To me there is not much of a choice. It does not matter, if it is 5 degrees out there. I did make the decision to have / breed these horses. And it is not always a fair weather job. I might be dragging my butt (pour another coffee) - but that is the kind of morning when these horses NEED their hay.

I think it starts right there - and then goes to working your guts out for four years. You are either dedicated or not. Kind of becomes a rare treat.

Sorry, to be not more positive - but I think you hit some interesting point. Sure would like to see some post on that!

GC