FEI Stuff

["guest@endurance.net" <guest@endurance.net>]

K S SWIGART   katswig@earthlink.net


Upon checking out the January 2000 FEI Rule Book for Endurance, I find 
that in the FEI Code of Conduct, item 8 it states:

"All riding and training methods must take account of the horse as a 
living entity and must not include any technique considered by the FEI 
to be abusive."

And in Article 819.1 it states:

"Any act or series of actions which, in the opinion of the Ground Jury 
can clearly and without doubt be defined as cruelty, shall be penalized 
by disqualification. Such acts include:
-  the excessive pressing of a tired horse
-  an excessive use of the whip"

So, if the motivation of the FEI in passing the addition of whips to 
the "spurs are prohibited" rule was because of the excessive use of the 
whip at the finish line at the WEC in France last summer, then the FEI 
should not have needed to pass a new rule, the existing rules were 
already adequate to disqualify any such rider.

Additionally, in the Preamble it states:

"Every eventuality cannot be provided for in these Rules.  In any 
unforeseen or exceptional circumstances, it is the duty of the Ground 
Jury and the Veterinarians to make a decision in a sporting spirit and 
approaching as nearly as possible to the intention of these Rules and 
of the General Regulations of the FEI."

So not only are the rules already in place for disqualifying such 
riders, but it was the DUTY of the Ground Jury to have done so.  But we 
already have indication that FEI Endurance Officials are disinclined to 
enforce rules already in place, considering reports from Egypt (where 
one competitor was video taped violating the rules and the excuse given 
for not pursuing it was that the witnesses didn't "put their money 
where their mouth" was) and Dubai (where the rules forbidding outside 
assistance anywhere other that at predetermined "crew" points were 
ignored by half the competitors so they changed the rule half way 
through the competition).

If, instead, the FEI has passed this rule because it believes that 
there is no valid use for whips (I am assuming that they are including 
the use of a riding crop in the definition of "whip") or spurs when 
riding a horse in competition, then they are morons.  (And, I might add 
that they are inconsistent morons, since in FEI dressage spurs are 
mandatory and in FEI show jumping whips, as long as they are not too 
long or to heavy on the end, and spurs are completely legitimate).  If 
whips and spurs can only be used for abusing a horse, then the FEI 
needs to change all its rules, not just those for endurance (but 
then...maybe they have, and I just don't know about it.  But if they 
have, I still say they are morons).

And for all you people who the last time this topic was raised (when I 
said the "spurs are prohibited" rule was moronic as spurs are an 
important piece of safety equipment) said that you didn't need spurs 
because a sharp tap with a crop when your horse was inattentive to your 
leg was adequate for you...well, you won't get to use that either.

Maybe the assumption is that all FEI level endurance horses are (or 
should be) perfectly attentive throughout the entire length of the 
course and at all stops along the way--even though that the time 
required for this perfect attention is anywhere from 15 to 20 
hours...straight.

Fortunately, I have absolutely no desire or interest in riding FEI 
endurance.  Here's to hoping that the AERC is not equally as moronic as 
to follow in their footsteps.  Let's hope, as Barb McCrary suggests, 
that the AERC instead recognizes that it can disqualify riders who 
abuse their horses, no matter what implements they choose to use for 
doing so.

kat
Orange County, Calif.