Re: RC: 2001 Tevis Cup Ride

[Jim Holland <lanconn@tds.net>]

Julie...

I have one comment.....

"Thank You"  Excellent perspective

Jim, Sun of Dimanche, and Mahada Magic

Marinera@aol.com wrote:
> 
> I grow weary of the post-ride bashing of the Tevis Cup Ride.  I think recent
> posts impugn the reputations of 20 of the top veterinarians in the country. I
> think it implies that the riders are not caring or loving of their horses. I
> think, by implication, ride management and 600 volunteers are being hung out
> to dry.
> 
>  91 horses out of 225 completed the ride.  How come more did not complete?
> Because you had a ride supervised by veterinarians who took their job so
> seriously that they pulled any horse that was the least bit questionable.
> You can be sure they wanted a higher completion rate.  They chose to protect
> the horses instead.
> 
> I have stabled horses at the Auburn Fairgrounds for many years.  I have never
> seen a "huge rock" in a paddock or stall.  It is a first rate facility.
> 
> Tired horses? You bet. They have been awake well over 24 hours and, when the
> time comes to take a snooze, they relax their ears and their lips and their
> eyes look sleepy.  I do not think a tired horse is a crime (I am tired at the
> end of a day). An exhausted horse is a crime. I am not saying there were no
> exhausted horses (although I saw none), but I will stick my neck out and say
> there were very few.  After one Tevis Cup Ride I was told at around 4 o'clock
> in the morning that my horse was in trouble, that he was lying down in the
> paddock and not eating. Well, they were partially right. However, the horse
> was not in trouble.  He finished the ride at 1 a.m., ate for an hour and a
> half in my presence, and then decided it was time to take a nap. But somebody
> told the barn manager the horse was too exhausted to stand.
> 
> I will be happy to walk the barn area next year on the morning of July 21st
> (the ride is July 20) with whoever cares to accompany me.  I think that they
> will see, as I will, that the horses are "blinking, moving and breathing"
> quite nicely.  Following the ride, the barn is patrolled by members of the
> veterinarian committee to be sure the horses are okay.
> 
> The top ten horses looked great!  If I remember correctly, there were two
> that were a bit off, not dead lame in any way.  One went with his ears back
> and really wished he didn't have to trot out, but he did. I thought it was a
> great group.
> 
> People complain about the cost of an entry.  I do not know what was spent on
> that trail during the past year. But even with volunteer labor, I know one
> year the figure was $130,000.
> 
> It takes 600 volunteers to put on the ride. That is one for about every 3 1/2
> horses.  They are spread out from the start line to the finish line with some
> covering more than one post in the course of the day. They are there because
> they love horses.  I doubt if many of them would be there if they thought
> they were encouraging cruelty to animals.
> 
> It takes a good horse to complete the Tevis Cup Trail. It does not take a
> super horse. It takes a conscientious and caring rider, not a super rider.
> When you can point to records of horses who have completed it 12 and 13
> times, to horses that have completed it in their mid-20's, to a horse who won
> it six times and lived to 34 years, it is a doable ride with horses finishing
> in excellent condition.  To my knowledge, (and I think I am right on this,
> but if you are curious you can check) there has not been a fatality at the
> Tevis Cup Ride in 20 or 25 years.
> 
> As for the stolen articles this year, I suppose that is a sign of the times
> and I will be a little more security conscious in the future.
> 
> My hat is off to the Tevis Cup management, the volunteers and the
> veterinarian staff who put on a great ride with great care and consideration
> for the horses and the riders.
> Julie Suhr
> 
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-- 
Richard T. "Jim" Holland                 Phone:  (706) 258-2830
LANCONN, Inc.                            FAX:    (706) 632-1271
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