Ridecamp: [RC] WEG letter from Aussies

Hi, ridecampers

	Did you all take note of this paragraph:
"The FEI should insist that all NFs that want to be affiliated with the FEI 
have a suitable Rider Qualification Procedure and Horse Welfare monitoring 
system, and that this be maintained and subject to ad hoc inspection by the 
FEI." ?
	"Horse Welfare Monitoring System", eh? (sorry, I'm Canadian).
	Do you all think that we are in compliance with this concept?
	AERC (BOD/Vet Committee) has been trying for some years to implement 
something of this nature; there have been various problems implementing the 
rider survey forms, veterinary report forms, etc--but the attempt is being 
made.  The biggest obstacle?  Us, the riders.
	We all like to brag about how concerned we are about horse welfare, how 
much we want to protect the horses from (other people's!) abuse, etc.  But 
time and again, we see posts or hear reports from people who would move 
heaven and earth to get their pull listed as RO rather than M or 
L.  Various riders, some of them extremely experienced and respected 
competitors, have openly reported that horses they have ridden have had 
metabolic problems (crashes, thumps, tie-ups etc)--these are the people who 
are both honest, and confident enough in themselves to risk the response of 
the public.  Some riders have been, frankly, attacked in print when they 
posted similar reports.
	But until we--and I mean you and I, brothers and sisters!--are willing to 
be 'up front' about problems experienced by our horses, any claim to a 
'horse welfare monitoring system' is a joke.  	We need to: honestly report 
to the ride vets any problems we perceive, and allow them to be accurately 
reported in the results (even if the decision to pull is the rider's).
	We need to: be up front with the ride vets about problems our horses have 
experienced in training--especially colics and tie-ups.  If such disclosure 
causes the vets to pull us, then maybe that is what has to happen.
	The BOD/Vet committee is, I understand, trying to lay out a framework for 
following up on horses treated at rides, and also for establishing a forum 
where riders can report problems that occur within a few days of a 
ride.  We need to be energetic and accurate about responding to these queries!
	It is my belief that for every equine fatality (at home or in FEI) there 
are many "near misses".  Until we can analyse the factors that contribute 
to these less-serious 'failures', we will never be able to prevent 
disasters--only wring our hands in sorrow and cast blame liberally around 
after the event.
	I know what you're thinking--that "new riders", that "abusive riders", 
that "other people" won't report their  problems honestly, so why should 
you?  But in this life, you can never control what "other people" do--you 
can only control yourself.  So how many of us are ready to do what it 
REALLY takes to protect our horses?

Terre O'Brennan  (AERC #2548)


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