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reply to Tom Ivers re: re FEI



a message dated 8/28/00 10:38:29 AM Pacific Daylight Time, Tom Ivers
writes:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

That's the problem with athletics--be it human or equine. You're always
treading a tightrope between beneficial exercise and injury-causing
exercise. The only solution is to condition well beyond any stressor
that is likely to be encountered in competition. At that point, you are
a true athlete--or a true horseman. Anything less is cruel and unusual
punishment, no matter how sanctimonious the philosophical wrappings.

ti
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Got to disagree a bit here Tom.  Your words seem to imply that anyone 
who hasn't conditioned enough to win, but enters an endurance ride 
anyway is being cruel to their horse.  That is just bull - sure its
cruel to enter a ride on a horse not fit to go the distance, but 
there is nothing wrong with entering a ride on a horse fit to go the
distance at a slower pace then the winners so long as one sticks to
that slower pace.  Pace ridden has a huge effect the amount of stress
on a horse, and if I want to take my fit to finish horse out and
ride only for a completion on a given day to support the ride manager
and the sport with my entry fee and to enjoy a "day out" with my
horse theres not a damn thing wrong with it.  I also don't believe
its possible to train for every condition you might encounter on
a ride.  A rider might live in a high, arid environment and find
themselves facing high humidity at a ride.  If a horse that lives always
in a hot, humid environment is at the ride it will have a large
advantage; as a good horseman one could choose to reduce pace, and take
extra time cooling and still try to "beat the trail" and have a horse
ready for the next race.  However if they believe that anything
less than a win, every race, is beneath them and push the horse for the
win in spite of its disadvantage, that is putting the win in front
of the horse's good.  This is the type of scenerio that us 
amatuers worry about when big money and glory is on the line-though
has been pointed out already there are egos out there that will
place a win for a coffee mug against just the local competition 
ahead of the horse's good. Going for the win regardless of the risks
to the horse, is certainly not a problem confined only to world-class
events. I might add though, that I suspect that paying $40,000 for a
winning at high levels horse instead of paying under $4000 for a
prospect and building it yourself is more likely to engender a view that
the horse has an obligation to win for you instead of a view that you
and the horse are in a long term partnership with the goal of
achieving as much lifetime success as possible.

Teresa Van Hove



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