Re: RC: RE: Dead/Alive -TEVIS RESCUE Part 2

[Bette Lamore <woa@stormnet.com>]

Dear Bob
So your point is??? We tell football games, Olympics, Ski Competitions
etc to eliminate their emergency services on the basis of some
ideological problem with government control? We are merely discussing
the advisability of perhaps making provisions for search and rescue
capabilities at AERC sanctioned rides when the course is known to be
hazardous. Does that offend your sensibilities? Let's not go on tangents
here--- anti-gov, anti-tree huggers, anti-whatever. Let's just look at
the recent example of a horse going over a cliff (which nearly included
its rider) and consider the possibility that some kind of advanced
provision for search and rescue operations might have been a good idea
and might be a good idea for future rides of this nature. Could be
professional, could be local search and rescue teams, could be
volunteers--- no need for an ambulances and rock climbers standing by
the sides of the trails---just SOME PROVISION for assistance made in
advance.
Bette

Bob Morris wrote:
> 
> Safety is a universal buzz word now days. It is in the same group as apple
> pie and motherhood. NO ONE and I really mean no one can fault it or deny it.
> A point in case that is very immediate to me. Boise was a military base when
> the west was won. The Army practiced artillery firing into the foothills
> from 1870 to about 1935 (aprox) Now the Government wants to spend 2.2
> million to clean up the scrap because some one might get injured. 130 years
> and no reportable incidents BUT. The Government considers the risk to be
> less than half of being struck by lightening but will spend all that money
> to do the job. Mind you it will not get done before 2002 or 2003 (if then)
> but the danger still exists so they say.
> 
> Safety at the Tevis could, with outside influence, become a big money item.
> If the issue is pressed the Agencies could impose stricter regulations,
> require increased insurance and/or deny the event on the grounds of the
> safety issues. Safety is a personal issue in endurance riding. You are the
> ultimate, responsible end of the chain.
> 
> Remember,  one of the drawing points of endurance riding is the team effort
> of you and the horse against the trail. No one forces you to compete. You
> make the decision. If you feel the trail is to tough then you are not tough
> enough for the trail. Go ride in the ring or some place else. When the
> majority of the riders complete a ride but a few complain about the trail
> (the NC rides) then you know that  some of the riders just were not ready to
> ride the ride. No one forced them to compete. No one promised them a rose
> garden. No one promised them they would even survive the ride.
> 
> Sorry, but the generation now riding leads me to believe they do not know
> what hardship is and they do not want to learn. Failure is the one most
> positive way to learn.
> 
> Bob Morris
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Bette Lamore [mailto:woa@stormnet.com]
> Sent: Thursday, August 10, 2000 10:39 AM
> To: Lif Strand
> Cc: Ridecamp
> Subject: RC: Dead/Alive -TEVIS RESCUE Part 2
> 
> OOPS
> That was supposed to read, "If there were NO emergency services for the
> Olympics.."
> In the heat of passion my brain went faster than my fingers. Realized I
> sounded a bit snitty, Lif. No offense meant, but geez, I don't think PR
> should EVER be a consideration where safety is concerned. I guess that
> pushed my button.
> 
> Bette
> 
> Lif Strand wrote:
> >
> > I don't know of any ride that says they will provide rescue services for a
> > horse entered in a race.  I have never presumed that there would be.
> >
> > Tevis is a race with steep climbs and that is not a secret.  Accidents
> will
> > and can happen.  I figure that when a person enters any endurance race,
> > they should approach it the same way they would a long conditioning ride -
> > that is, the person who is on the horse assumes responsibility.  Come to
> > the race prepared to help yourself & don't rely on RM to provide a safety
> > net.  It says on the Tevis webpage, (second sentence!) "Participants in
> > this event do so at their own risk and must pay an entry fee. They must
> > also sign a waiver of liability...".  Perhaps Denise's story is a good
> > reminder of what "ride at your own risk" means.
> >
> > I have to add that I can't think of worse PR for our sport then to have
> > emergency services standing by at races.  Lif
> >
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> --
> Bette Lamore
> Whispering Oaks Arabians, Home of 16.2hh TLA Halynov
> (yes, REALLY!)
> http://www.arabiansporthorse.com
> 
> =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
> Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net.
> Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/RideCamp
> =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
> 
> =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
> Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net.
> Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/RideCamp
> =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

-- 
Bette Lamore
Whispering Oaks Arabians, Home of 16.2hh TLA Halynov
(yes, REALLY!)
http://www.arabiansporthorse.com