Re: Re: Re: Re: finish criteria.

["Susan Garlinghouse" <suendavid@worldnet.att.net>]

>But we are talking about a complete vet check.  That's what >you need for a completion.  What is the point of going thru >the P & Rs and not finish with the completion check?  >Would you have them go back twice to get a completion; >once within 30 minutes for P&R's and then again for the vet >check within 60 minutes?  None of this is conducive to >shorter vet lines and I don't see the point.

 

 

But isn't that what we're already doing at the rest of the VCs?  Waiting a couple of minutes to get a P&R time and then going for the vet check later?  If the horse is fit, we're not talking about anything other than a quick HR check and you're on your way in three minutes.  The only horse being penalized is the horse that maybe shouldn't be getting a completion at all.

 

 

>In a 50 mile event the horse has already proven it's >metabolically fit to finish a ride or at least 3/4's of the ride.  >Why make this such an issue at the completion when (and >I thought I learned this from you, Susan) it's much more >important the horse rests, eats and drinks. 

 

I agree, that is important.  But even more important is making sure that riders don't think because they've cleared the 3rd VC that now it's okay to barrel on in because they know they'll have a whole hour to get the horse to criteria.  Alot of permanent metabolic damage can be done in that last 10-12 miles.

 

I think my point is that there's not much inconvenience at all to the horse that's fit and has been managed well the *entire* ride.  If the horse hasn't been managed well and/or overridden, then I think those horses at risk should be identified as quickly as possible.

 

 

 

>crewing areas.  At least at the finish I don't have to go >there; I can go to the campsite for awhile and not have to >worry so much about that 30 minute time limit for P & R.

 

But we're working off the assumption that your horse finished fine and in good shape, so your priority at that time is just helping the horse cool his jets and start getting ready for the next ride.  What I'm concerned about is the rider that galloped his undertrained horse in from the last VC and gets a whole 60 minutes to do whatever he has to get that heartrate down to criteria.  I just think that a 60 minute window to reach criteria *potentially* allows a risky horse to squeak by criteria, even when metabolically he's about to fall over (and might very well do that later that night or the next day). 

 

If your horse finished in good shape, then you won't be delayed by more than a minute or two.  I think that's an okay price to pay if it identifies the one or two horses in the crowd that have no business getting a completion, and potentially need to be looked at by the vet ASAP.

 

Still, JMO.

 

Susan G