Re: RC: RE: Re: FW: The Posse Ride (From the Ride Manager)

["Truman Prevatt, Ph.D." <truman.prevatt@netsrq.com>]

Absolutely correct. Split second decisions have to be made. I was racing in for
first with another rider some years ago, when his horse went down and my only
option was to jump his horse that fell in front of mine. I stopped went back
got off and check the rider. No bleeding to stop, he was awake and seem lucid
(could count fingers) and getting up. So what do I do, stay with him or gallop
in the mile to camp and send medical help for him and his horse - his horse was
laying there still dazed. I told him to stay and I would send help.

The decision was to go in. I told management and they went out. Now he could
have gone into delayed shock and died and maybe  - just maybe - if I had stayed
that would not have happened. It didn't happen and by the time the staff got
there he had his horse up leading him in.  He rufused their help and when he
got in he tried like the dickens to get his completition -he was still in 4th
place - since we were pretty far ahead of the pack.  I won the ride and a few
people had a few unkind words for me (the fallen rider not being one of them)
for not staying.

You got to make the decision, you have got to make it right now and it does no
good to look back. If you came around the curve racing in at the finish line
and there was a truck in the trail, the only thing you can do is to move to the
side, while trying to slow the horse. You also have to make the split second
decision  as where to try to guide the horse to minimize the damage. Sort of
like going into a skid on black ice. Try to pull it out and try to head the car
where the least damage will be done.  Seems to me with a truck sitting in the
middle of the trail and spectators all around, there were very few places to
go.  Why was this option put before the riders - quite simplly because there
was a truck in the trail.  No turck no problem.

If this had happened to me I would be mad as hell at the guy with the truck.
Not only did he put the riders in danger, he put all the spectators in danger.
I don't know the actions of the riders, but I do know with the amount of the
adrenaline flowing resulting from facing such an incident at those speeds, the
truck driver should count his lucky stars that the riders didn't have more than
a few words to say to him.

These riders lives were put in danger by the truck being on the trail.  The
only way to avoid injury or death was to avoid the truck. These are 1000 pound
masses involved going at some speed. Getting a 1000 pound animal to trun on a
dime at speed, while trying to pick you way through a crowd is not an easy
task.  In these situtations accidents happen. It is too bad but it s a fact of
life.

I do feel for the person who was injured. I am sure the riders involved also
feel bad about the injury that resulted. But rider bashing will not turn the
clock back. Hopefully everyone will learn from this incident and we can go
forward with safer rides in the future.

Truman




> I was seriously injured only once in 12,000 miles of racing, in a
> sprint to the finish line.  I had the race won, the finish line in
> sight, when a lady not involved in the sprint lost control of her
> horse and he backed into our path -- the collision put me in the
> hospital and injured Kahlil.  The rider chasing me jumped over my
> fallen body and finished in first place.  I don't blame him; there's
> no way he could have stopped his horse and been of any help to me.  I
> don't blame the lady whose horse spooked into me; she was trying her
> best to control it.  It was an accident.
>
> My heart goes out not only to the injured man, but to these riders who
> have been so pilloried by those who are so eager to lay blame.
>

--
Truman Prevatt
Brooksville, FL

Mystic "The Horse from Hell" Storm
Buck's Mystic Karma
Rocket a.k.a. Mr. Misty
Jordy a.k.a. Bridger (when he is good)
Danson Flame - Hot Dog I'm healed and ready to go.

http://www.mrsl.com