Re: RC: Horse Dying at Endurance Ride

[Jim Holland <lanconn@tds.net>]

Linda...

Are you serious?  Only ONE vet check between start and finish? In the
desert in June? I don't believe it! This MIGHT be acceptable at say, a
National Championship Ride, where all the riders are knowledgeable.  But
a standard ride? With maybe beginning 50 milers? NO WAY! Why would a
Ride Manager do this? Maybe there is something I don't know here
(lacking facts and I wasn't there) but if this is true, this is
definitely a case of poor judgement!  The poor vet didn't have a chance
of preventing this!

Jim and Sun of Dimanche

Linda Hedgpeth wrote:

> 
> One of the points that has been brought up concerning this ride and,
> perhaps, others like it is this:  On the 50 miler, the vet check is at
> the halfway point ONLY.  There is NO OTHER VET CHECK until you get
> back to camp at the end of the ride.  This person suspected her horse
> was ill and elected NOT to vet in at the end.  The vets told her to
> slow down at the halfway vet check.  She didn't and came in on a sick
> horse.
> 
>  *Perhaps* if there had been two vet checks on the 50 mile course
> instead of only one, they could have DQ'd her at the second one.  That
> way, if the mare was questionable at the first and was still getting
> the dog snot ridden out of her, there should have been some clearer
> signs at the second . . . . and maybe she would be alive right now.
> IMHO, the vet checks should be a little closer together than 25
> miles - especially on desert rides in June.
> 
>  Just a thought.
> 
>  Linda Hedgpeth
> Janesville, CA
> lth@thegrid.net
> 
> =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
> Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net.
> Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/RideCamp
> =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=