Re: RC: what IS rider option?

[CMKSAGEHIL@aol.com]

In a message dated 4/29/00 3:18:50 PM Pacific Daylight Time, 
karen@chaton.gardnerville.nv.us writes:

<< Then somebody needs to tell the vets that OT horses need to be vetted.  So 
 they can at least find out why the horse went overtime.
 
 Yep, 'ol Dobbin got slowed down out there draggin' that hind leg all that 
 way....but since he didn't make it in before the cuttoff he got pulled for 
OT.
 
 Horse have gone OT this year and not been vetted.  But I suppose it doesn't 
 really matter, I mean, as long as nobody complains, right? >>

Guess I just don't hang out in the right places to see such things happen.  I 
personally can't imagine NOT vetting an OT horse...  I know for a fact that 
both OT horses (uh, "equines"--one horse, one mule) at our recent ride were 
vetted--I personally watched the head vet check them out.  Sorry to hear that 
standards are more lax elsewhere.  Rather than suggest that it is OK not to, 
perhaps it would be better for the welfare of horses to insist that common 
sense prevail and ALL horses be vetted?  I know that I'm not the Lone Ranger 
in this area for vetting horses that are OT or are RO pulls--and I know 
enough vets from other areas to think that it is the norm most other places, 
too, and that those that aren't are the exception.  Seems like such a simple 
thing, and certainly does not require much effort on the part of the ride 
vets.  Although I can appreciate Randy's comments about making such a policy 
a rule for reasons of enforcement issues on multidays, I would also say that 
it makes me VERY uncomfortable to see a horse loaded into a trailer that has 
been deemed by the rider not able to go on and hauled a long distance without 
benefit of veterinary exam.  (Yes, Randy, multi-days are a special challenge, 
but what keeps a crew from at least driving with the horse to the next 
checkpoint and having the horse checked?)  If there is as much abuse of this 
concept as you and others suggest, then perhaps the veterinary committee 
should look into this problem.

Heidi