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Re: Horse abusers need to be stopped



Well, I've been sitting here far away from anyone personally involved in
this situation, reading all the posts and wondering what is true and how
does one sort thru all of the "facts" presented.  Does this incident really
indicate a need for different/more rules, etc.  My one assumption is that
the horse/rider history I looked up in AERC records is actually the one
involved.  Seemed a pretty good guess from info given.  Here's what I
found:

1997- Total season miles - 700
          Multi-day ride miles included in above - 450
         Total # rides completed 12
         100 milers completed - 1 in 20.18 ride time (27th place overall)
         Avg 50 miler ride time - 6.5 hrs
         Avg 50 miler placing - 13th overall
         # BC awarded - 2
         Number rides pulled/not completed - 1 (reason- over max time
allowed)

1998- Total season miles - 810
         Multi-day ride miles included in above - 710
         Total # rides completed 16
         100 milers completed - 0
         Avg 50 miler ride time - 7.3 hrs
         Avg 50 miler placing - 14th overall
         # BC awarded - 3
         Number rides pulled/not completed - 0

1999- Total season miles - 705
          Multi-day ride miles included in above - 650
         Total # rides completed 13
         100 milers completed - 1 (in 12:31 hrs, 2nd overall and BC)
         Avg 50 miler ride time - 6.4 hrs
         Avg 50 miler placing - 12th overall
         # BC awarded - 1
         Number rides pulled/not completed - 1 (reason - lame)

2000- Total season miles - 515  (Thru 3/24/200)
         Multi-day miles included in above - 365
         Total # rides completed 9
         100 milers completed - 1 (in 12:50 hrs, 13th overall)
         Avg 50 miler ride time - 6.3
         Avg 50 miler placing - 13th overall
         # BC awarded - 0
         Number rides pulled/not completed - 0

To address the original post on this incident:      
> patrick mcdonald pjcmd@us.ibm.com
> Well it finally happened. The same guy who consistently rides his
> horse to win every week has finally done it. His horse died at the
> Oakland Hills ride. WE cannot say we did not see it coming. This rider
> treats his horse I suppose like the motorcycles he use to race. He
> has one goal and that is to win at any cost. His rides usually end
> with his horse hooked up to IV and or lame. An occasional Win drives his
ego on.

Who is the WE?  Are you saying that a group of riders/vets/ride managers
PREDICTED this horse's death and did NOTHING?!  
 
> All the vets were aware of him, yet could not stop him. 
 You're seriously telling us that on the majority of the above rides, this
horse was hooked up to IV's after the ride or lame and vets allowed him to
start the same horse on another ride next day or day after?
I ride in the Midwest, and don't know of one vet I've ridden under who
would feel powerless to stop that type of abuse!


>Back to back weekend racing on his young horse was the norm. 
Looks like multi-day rides were his game - still not convinced of abuse. 
We have other ride campers who put on as many or more miles on a horse in a
season.

>Riders were aware of what he did but again could not stop him. 
You mean you watched this horse be put on IV's or vet lame and still be
entered in a ride and you did not lodge a protest yourself?!  SHAME on you.
 Even if we give a rider the benefit of the doubt in that he/she may not be
fully aware they were abusing a horse, by your own admission, YOU DID KNOW
BETTER and DID NOTHING that might change the situation!  Where was your
concerned email to others asking advice on how to correct this situation
BEFORE the horse died.

>Ride managers could do nothing within the guidelines of the AERC. 
Veterinarians have control over vet matters.  

>I have talked to many riders who have witnessed him whipping his tired
horse   to go faster. 
And you all restrained the urge to quietly tell a rider abusing a horse
with a whip that if he used it on that horse one more time, you'd put it
where it would do the most good?!  Again, you are saying that NO ONE spoke
up in the face of REAL abuse?

> I have seen him pulled at TEVIS, only to argue with the vets and then
leave >his horse tied in the boiling sun with his head hanging,(no water)
while
> his crew tended to his every need.
Well, can't speak to this.  According to AERC history, this horse was not
entered in the TEVIS ride......(at least since 1996)

> Something needs to change folks. Possibly keeping records on treated
> horses? 
I will comment that here in Midwest, where most rides are also run under
UMECRA rules, per UMECRA, horses may not received treatment before leaving
the grounds without losing completion.  That has its own set of problems,
though.

>Vet comments regarding overriding sent to AERC? Riders that
> witness this behavior to document it? Think about it.
When someone can present real proof of actual abuse and not just a
philosophical difference regarding appropriate rider behavior or emotional
reaction to the loss of what appears to have been a grand, wonderful horse.

Just my perspective, 
Sally H.



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