Who are the Green Beans?
This article, written by Aarene Storms, first appeared in February 2014 issue of Endurance News shortly after the start of the Green Bean movement in endurance (used with permission).
About the author: Aarene Storms lives, rides, and does trail work in the Northwest Region. She is the author of Endurance 101: A Gentle Guide to the Sport of Long-Distance Riding. Visit her blog, Haiku Farm, and don't forget to pick up her book!
About the author: Aarene Storms lives, rides, and does trail work in the Northwest Region. She is the author of Endurance 101: A Gentle Guide to the Sport of Long-Distance Riding. Visit her blog, Haiku Farm, and don't forget to pick up her book!
The Green Bean Team: A New Place for New Endurance Riders
For years, AERC and regional endurance organizations have been concerned about dropping recruitment to the sport, worrying about seeing fewer participants at rides, and generally fretting that we aren’t attracting and retaining more new members.
“Whatever shall we do?” said the various boards and organizing groups. When new rid- ers show up, all they know is that “Hidalgo” movie, plus whatever some yaboo at the feed store told them. Some new riders are ignorant and can even be dangerous—and we want them to be happy and knowledgeable and bring properly trained and conditioned horses to camp.
But lately in the Pacific Northwest, there’s another thing.
A new thing.
A good thing.
A group of riders that self-identifies as newcomers to the sport.
These riders don’t argue about LD being “not really” endurance. They don’t dispar- age the tack choices, the breed choices, or the clothing choices of each other. They just want to get out on the trail with a horse and ride. They are bringing other new riders into the sport, and encouraging each other to try new stuff.
They call themselves the “Green Beans,” and they’ve got a Facebook discussion and support group to help each other. According to Sharalyn Hay, group organizer, the Green Beans only have two rules:
1. No scoffing. The Beans recognize that each horse/rider team is unique, with individual preferences and needs. Advice is often sought and offered, but criticizing another rider’s choices is strictly not allowed.
2. Anyone using the words “always” or “never” gets tossed in the water tank. Sharalyn remembers the not-too-long- ago time when she was new to the sport, and found it hard to learn the rules. “In fact,” she says, “at my very first race I was disqualified because I didn’t understand how the vet check worked. Back then I really had no idea how to get my hands on the information I needed and because of that I made a lot of rookie mistakes.”
She started the Green Beans because she really enjoys helping riders who are new to endurance. "Also, I'm bringing up my young horse (Goodwin McSpotty) and wanted a place where I could share tales of misery about bringing a new horse into the sport. I knew I wasn’t alone!”
The Green Bean Team is made up of all kinds of riders: beginners who have a few rides under their belt and want to get better or move up in distance, beginners who are brand-new to the sport and just want to give it a try, and there are even some veterans bringing up a horse new to the sport. Some Beans are proficient in other equestrian sports but newcomers to endurance, and oth- ers are brand-new to equestrian life entirely.
The Beans also welcome experienced riders to participate as mentors (online and on-the-ground). They cheer for each other, and they help new riders feel less alone. Us- ing the Facebook page, members organize training rides and match up green beans with local mentors.
The discussions are kind and supportive, informative and helpful. Topics range from feeding a tough keeper to what to pack in your crew bag. All queries are welcome and questioners get a lot of different feedback when posting a question. Some information is useful, some is not. It’s up to that particular Green Bean to decide.
Sharlyn and the Green Beans encourage any activity that will get riders to saddle up. They’ve even created an online Distance Derby for themselves that rewards people for just getting out and riding, without worrying about pace, distance or time. The goal is to get people riding. Then, if they decide to do an endurance event—whether it’s a intro ride or a 50—it’s just an added bonus.
The idea is taking hold quickly—already, Green Bean groups have formed in Ontario and in the AERC Central Region.
Sharalyn says that if people want to start a Green Bean group, “Make it easy and make it fun. Oh, and make sure that all know that no attitude is allowed. Endurance can be an intimidating sport and I feel that the reason my page is seeing so much success is because we welcome all with open arms and are posi- tive and supportive.
“People really do want to try this sport,” says Sharalyn. “We just need to give them a forum to get the information they need to get started."
“Whatever shall we do?” said the various boards and organizing groups. When new rid- ers show up, all they know is that “Hidalgo” movie, plus whatever some yaboo at the feed store told them. Some new riders are ignorant and can even be dangerous—and we want them to be happy and knowledgeable and bring properly trained and conditioned horses to camp.
But lately in the Pacific Northwest, there’s another thing.
A new thing.
A good thing.
A group of riders that self-identifies as newcomers to the sport.
These riders don’t argue about LD being “not really” endurance. They don’t dispar- age the tack choices, the breed choices, or the clothing choices of each other. They just want to get out on the trail with a horse and ride. They are bringing other new riders into the sport, and encouraging each other to try new stuff.
They call themselves the “Green Beans,” and they’ve got a Facebook discussion and support group to help each other. According to Sharalyn Hay, group organizer, the Green Beans only have two rules:
1. No scoffing. The Beans recognize that each horse/rider team is unique, with individual preferences and needs. Advice is often sought and offered, but criticizing another rider’s choices is strictly not allowed.
2. Anyone using the words “always” or “never” gets tossed in the water tank. Sharalyn remembers the not-too-long- ago time when she was new to the sport, and found it hard to learn the rules. “In fact,” she says, “at my very first race I was disqualified because I didn’t understand how the vet check worked. Back then I really had no idea how to get my hands on the information I needed and because of that I made a lot of rookie mistakes.”
She started the Green Beans because she really enjoys helping riders who are new to endurance. "Also, I'm bringing up my young horse (Goodwin McSpotty) and wanted a place where I could share tales of misery about bringing a new horse into the sport. I knew I wasn’t alone!”
The Green Bean Team is made up of all kinds of riders: beginners who have a few rides under their belt and want to get better or move up in distance, beginners who are brand-new to the sport and just want to give it a try, and there are even some veterans bringing up a horse new to the sport. Some Beans are proficient in other equestrian sports but newcomers to endurance, and oth- ers are brand-new to equestrian life entirely.
The Beans also welcome experienced riders to participate as mentors (online and on-the-ground). They cheer for each other, and they help new riders feel less alone. Us- ing the Facebook page, members organize training rides and match up green beans with local mentors.
The discussions are kind and supportive, informative and helpful. Topics range from feeding a tough keeper to what to pack in your crew bag. All queries are welcome and questioners get a lot of different feedback when posting a question. Some information is useful, some is not. It’s up to that particular Green Bean to decide.
Sharlyn and the Green Beans encourage any activity that will get riders to saddle up. They’ve even created an online Distance Derby for themselves that rewards people for just getting out and riding, without worrying about pace, distance or time. The goal is to get people riding. Then, if they decide to do an endurance event—whether it’s a intro ride or a 50—it’s just an added bonus.
The idea is taking hold quickly—already, Green Bean groups have formed in Ontario and in the AERC Central Region.
Sharalyn says that if people want to start a Green Bean group, “Make it easy and make it fun. Oh, and make sure that all know that no attitude is allowed. Endurance can be an intimidating sport and I feel that the reason my page is seeing so much success is because we welcome all with open arms and are posi- tive and supportive.
“People really do want to try this sport,” says Sharalyn. “We just need to give them a forum to get the information they need to get started."