Re: RC: Re: Re: Dance Line

["Whitney Bass" <bass@bigsky.net>]

I'm afraid that you've lost me Diane.  I doubt very much that anyone makes
the DECISION to override their horse.  What someone does do, is make the
decision to stay with a certain person on a loop or two that perhaps is
going a bit faster than your horse is conditioned for, or decides to pass
up a couple drinking opportunities in the interest of saving time, etc. 
People don't generally choose to push their horses too hard (directly)  --
it's just that their priorities are elsewhere at that time.  I wasn't even
coming close to condemning Howard -- in fact, I wasn't really talking about
him.  I find it commendable that he chose to tell his story and learn from
his mistake.  However, if you think that he was "riding his own ride", then
I don't think you know the meaning of it,  as I have always thought it to
mean that you are riding at a rate that is within your horse's capabilities
(taking in all things, like amount of conditioning, number of rides
finished, how far they were trailered, how much they ate the night before,
etc. etc.).  And it DEFINITELY means ALWAYS selecting the speed at which
you are traveling.  If your priority is to stay with a certain rider, you
aren't riding your own ride, you're riding theirs.

----------
> From: diane knapper <knaptyme@uswest.net>
> To: bass@bigsky.net
> Cc: ridecamp@endurance.net
> Subject: Re: RC:  Re: Re: Dance Line
> Date: Wednesday, March 22, 2000 9:36 PM
> 
> Yes, Whitney, I more concerned with happens with our equine
> friends than you can possibly imagine.  But, if I chose to
> override the horse and cause his death, it is my decision
> and I have to live with it.  Would I or anyone on ridecamp
> do that....probably not.  I can answer unequivocable, that I
> wouldn't do it...but I can't answer for others....nope.
> That is their decision and only they know their horse.  Now,
> if you knew me, you would know that my horse is so pampered
> and spoiled, that he thinks he should be living in the
> house...is that good....NOPE.  I am slowly trying in install
> a better work ethic in him, you bet.  But you know what it
> is hard.  Because he is my best friend and on the cold
> winter MN nights, I think he should be in the house.
> Unless, I missed a 2nd part between the start and the
> conclusion, (not the 1st time on my computer) it didn't
> sound like Howard was racing his horse.  It sounded like he
> was trying to ride his own ride....but a bad thing
> happened.  They are animals, and bad things happen.
> Diane