Re: RC: Metabolic Pulls at Tevis

[DVeritas@aol.com]

In a message dated 7/22/00 7:37:48 PM Mountain Daylight Time, 
rides2far@juno.com writes:

<< but thought the haul out sort of made them start with
 two strikes against them >>

It would seem to make sense that (if at all possible) that two equal horses 
and two equal riders whose only difference was that one lived at Forest Hill 
and the other in Illinois (say), that the Illinois horse would be at a 
measureable disadvantage before even starting.  (Not to mention familiarity 
with the trail.)

I'd be curious to know how many California horses needed IV treatment as 
compared to horses from a distance greater than a thousand miles from Tevis.  
It seems to me that there has to be a difference (if only at the cellular 
level) in a particular horse's "readiness" to perform at optimum level given 
the disparate distances involving in hauling to the ride.

The other thing I find a bit interesting is how many "leased" horses needed 
treatment.  I heard the owner/crew of one particularly well-known horse (with 
prior Tevis completions) who was pulled, standing around talking about how 
their horse had been overridden.  Seems to me that you pay the money to ride 
another person's horse, one might not be tuned into that horse's particular 
way of going and might use the only English word they seemed to know, 
"Passing",,,,,,"Passing"....all the way to the first vet check where they got 
pulled.

On the other hand, a good friend was offered an astronomical amount of money 
to allow someone from another country to ride his horse and he opted to ride 
instead.  He finished quite well.  Very well, in fact.  Some things are more 
important than money.

Frank.