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Re: [RC] Re:Protests - Howard Bramhall

We shouldn't be too quick to judge others.  Endurance is a tough sport.  As far as I'm concerned, there in no other equine sport that is tougher, physically, on a horse.  Folks can literally start in and do a 100 miles with no prior experience required. This is how those who came before some of us set it up; it's how it is and, like it or not, it does invite a higher amount of risk than most other activities that have prerequisites required to reach certain levels.  With endurance no prerequisite is required. You learn as you go and some folks catch on quicker than others.  And, the horses absorb most, if not all, of the risk.
 
There are some horses not meant for this sport, even Arabians.  I know of one rider who had a very fit, well trained Arabian mare who coliced at an endurance ride the night before the start.  Something about the excitement of all those strange horses out there set her off.  During training rides this horse was perfectly fine and more than ready for a 50 miler.  Go figure.
 
It's sometimes easy to throw stones at others when we don't really know what went on at a particular ride.  Even an official protest filed with AERC might not come out with the correct conclusion.  It is, after all, based on human recollection of past events.  Only the rider really knows for sure what happened and even then might not be able to be entirely forthcoming with the truth.
 
As much as I love this sport I have seen some things at rides that have bothered me so much I have contemplated quitting.  If Dance Line would have died at that endurance ride years ago it would have been my last ride during our rookie year together.  I wouldn't have been able to look any of ya'll in the eye after that because I knew it was all my fault.  No matter how much you care about your horse this is a sport where bad things can happen even to the most meticulous of riders.  It's something I think about every time I pull into camp and that thought never leaves me until I return home with a healthy horse.  And, if it does happen to another rider's horse, my initial feeling is complete and total empathy.  I know it could have been me.  It can happen to anyone and if you don't believe that you must have some kind of direct pact with the Lord who is protecting your horse every step of the way.  The truth is it can happen to anyone.
 
I'm not one to judge others; I'll leave that to ya'll.  One has to live with what they do in life and, if your conscience will let you live with the fact that you took the life of another, even if it was only a horse, I do believe it will eat at you till the day you die.  I think that's why the woman in Truman's story never returned to show her face at a ride again.  And, when she looks at herself in the mirror, I wonder, even today, what exactly she sees.
 
As far as IV's go, I wish we riders would get rid of this negative stereotype that we have put on this treatment that might not be such a bad idea for every horse that finishes 50 or 100 miles.  It can and, has been used for horses that were not necessarily in "trouble."  I'd much rather see a horse on an IV than one lying on the ground not breathing any longer.  I'd venture to say that 95% of all horses that complete more than 50 miles on a hot humid day at an endurance ride are dehydrated.  If it wouldn't draw such a crowd and I could do it myself I'd give it to my guys after every ride.
 
cya,
Howard
 
 
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Friday, August 22, 2003 9:48 PM
Subject: Re: [RC] Re:Protests

Barbara,

I saw a rider ride a horse into his grave in '94. When the horse collapsed at the 42 mile check she just handed the lead line to someone else and walked away. Two vets worked long and hard to save the horse and poured a lot of fluid in him but the damage was done the the horse died two days later.

No one protested - maybe they should have but I guess everyone was to horrified to even think about it. The person never did another ride that I know of.  I am not even sure she was an AERC member and there was nothing the AERC could have done to bring the horse back or "punish" the rider since that is the only ride I know of she did.

If we ride long enough we will probably have to have our horse treated. It is not a risk free sport and the numbers will eventually catch up with you. I think it's how it happens and it's how we handle the emergency that is important. When our horse does crash that is when it needs us most and that is when our responsibility to its welfare is the most critical.  The issue was not that Lud's horse was on fluids - the important thing is Lud had the vet put his horse on fluids for the sake of the horse. You also made the (probably hard) decision to sell him and start over with another horse. You guys took the responsibility to help your horse in his time of need. I don't see how any one could see that as negative. If they did I would suggest they don't understand the risk involved in this sport.

Truman

Barbara McCrary wrote:
I've been thinking about the protests and the issues involved.  Since I haven't a clue how the rider reacted, how he or she did or did not take care of the horses in question, I can't pass judgment.  All I can say is that some horses, my husband's in particular, can and do get into metabolic trouble through no action on the rider's part.  This horse refused to drink, particularly on a desert ride in the winter.  The air was cool, it was also dry.  The horse flat out refused to drink enough.  He could, and did, thump and colic as a result.  We were not riding fast.....only at a steady, moderate trot, slowing down where appropriate.  He caused my husband great anxiety, so we finally found a wonderful home for the horse.  Horse is now enjoying a plushy lifestyle, he is loved, cared for, ridden for pleasure and in small local shows.  His new owner is jumping him (we didn't know he had the talent for this!) and generally having a great time.  Maybe he just wasn't suited for endurance........  Maybe there is a side of the story we don't know about the riders against whom the protests were filed?  Maybe we shouldn't be too quick to judge?  I don't know.  All I know is that someone could have seen my husband's horse hooked up to an IV drip and said, "Did you see that?  Lud McCrary overrode his horse!"
 
Barbara
  

Replies
[RC] Re:Protests, Dennis, Nancy & Bill
Re: [RC] Re:Protests, Barbara McCrary
Re: [RC] Re:Protests, Truman Prevatt