Ridecamp: Re: [RC] in response to Howard re horse deaths

In a message dated 09/26/2002 3:46:06 PM Eastern Daylight Time, mark@xxxxxxxxxx writes:


> I honestly do not think that in most (or any) cases that it is riders making
> the decision to continue if their horses are not able - the point of having
> veterinary judges is to pull those horses - and they do, without hesitation.


I beg to differ with you.  In the last two years of our ride we have had riders who continued riding whiles their horses heads were dragging the grown.  One was at the time a well known junior in the Southeast who refused to quit after many riders ask him to pull his horse.  We (a vet included) finally went out on the trail and literally took the horse away form him and put the horse on a trailer.  He then screamed at us that the horse could continue.  This rider now rides in the adult class and still runs the heck out of the horses he rides.  At our ride this past year we had a rider ride his horse until the horse dropped over.  He said he figured the horse could make 25 miles without any problems. (His first ride) Again he was asked by other rides to stop and walk the horse which he refused until the horse fell.  While we were attending to this horse a woman rides up with an exhausted horse and says her horse is just lazy.  Ken (our vet) started to hose the horse down and the woman scr
eams not to get the saddle wet.  She then stated that the saddle was worth more than the horse.  After a very heated discussion with myself and Michelle Owens telling this woman she had no reason to own a horse she hopped back on her horse and took off. Luckily these horses recovered but none completed the ride.  Don't assume that every rider has the horse's best interest at hand.  There ARE people out there that want to win at any cost.

Phil