Re: RC: Sandy's response to The Way We Win

[SandyDSA@aol.com]

Perhaps I should have added that in any case, I would MUCH prefer to choose an endurance home for a horse than just about any show home any day of the week. I think the pervasive effect of the show ring puts a less positive slant on endurance horses down here. Many ads will read "ex-show horse, expert rider needed, great endurance prospect!" Usually this is ONE BAD MANNERED horse, sickle-hocked, hooky, neck and a pig eye - who just didn't make the show ring - and then again too many times, people are selling a true athletic looking Arabian whose only fault is that he or she is not tabletop flat (as if THAT conformation was going to get us far or fast!). 

There is a ton of ignorance down here as well, so the combination of ignorant endurance riders(who don't understand abuse vs. conditioning) coupled with ignorant show owners(who have no idea about either conformation or conditioning) AND simply far too many poorly put together horses bred by greedy breeders results in a glut of average to bad horses, average to bad owners and ultimately average to bad reputation. 

It will be great to have a forum in which to perhaps police our own, learn from each other and possibly create a base for improvement.

San
p.s. don't forget, we in Lo Cal are a stone's throw from every bleeding heart "all animals should be free" Fruit and nut on the west coast. We look bad just OWNING horses!