Re: RC: EN policy

[BMcCrary27@aol.com]

In a message dated 01/08/2001 9:00:14 AM Pacific Standard Time, 
Howard4567@aol.com writes:

<< But I know it can happen at a ride, and I see similar 
 situations almost every time I attend one.  Competition can drive people to 
 do things that they, normally, wouldn't do with a horse, and I just wanted 
to 
 explain what happened to me and Dance Line.  What can happen if you are too 
 focused on winning and not focused enough on your horse's well being.  
  >>

Horses can get into serious metabolic trouble even though the rider is not 
being competitive.  Sometimes it's just the horse's predisposition to have a 
particular metabolic failure.  Example: my husband's horse, who WILL not 
drink enough water on the trail.  Dehydration can push him over the edge, 
into thumps and colic.  It just happened to him recently, on a desert ride.  
It may be that he cannot handle such arid conditions and will have to be 
ridden on rides that have more humid air, though not necessarily something as 
humid as the east in summer!

Barbaa