[RC] Overridden and Fit to Continue - Howard Bramhall
Heidi, I've waited just about forever to say this, but, hey, "I agree with
you here." Or, maybe, I agree with Doc Newell.
It's one of the few things I appreciate about FEI. No talking with
the vets, no personal interaction. And, quite frankly, it's the way it
should be. The Vet at a ride should not be your buddy, he should not be
your friend. If you have a relationship with him than you should go see
one of the other ride vets. He should be evaluating your horse, and only
your horse. Your comments, your opinions should have nothing to
do with his decision. NOTHING!
No caveats, no "Well, if you promise me you'll with go slow with this
horse, you can go on." Bull shit. Because, that's exactly what it
it. If in doubt, pull the horse, and, trust no human to tell you they'll
comply with your demands. It's all for the horse and if there's any
uncertainty, pull the horse. The horse is either fit to continue or it is not
and listening to the rider's excuses for the horse's performance during the vet
check should be immaterial. Your horse either passes or it does not.
I don't care who you are, even if you're my gal, Val. No
favoritism. It's all about the horse. The horse is the one who is
fit to continue or it is not. The human leading it down the path during
the trot out is immaterial. Only a passenger. It's the horse's life
at stake here, not the riders.
> It worries me a great deal to read that vets may base
their decisions on > what they either perceive or know to be a rider's
level of experience > instead of a professional and unbias analysis of
the horse's symptoms.
Well, as Doc Newell said--that's favoritism, and
is unacceptable.
That said--there are degrees of everything, and even
with an unbiased and professional analysis of the horse's "symptoms" there
are judgment calls. On the beginning edge of fatigue, there IS room for
vets to advise a different ride strategy (stay here and eat awhile, slow
down, etc.) where there is still the "safety net" of the next vet check,
and where if the rider minds the vet, they are likely to complete with a
healthy horse, but if they don't, they may well not make it past the next
check. There is a lot of room between the horse that hasn't been
anywhere yet and the one that is over the edge--and that is why we HAVE
vets at rides, instead of just having a robotic "by-the-numbers"
system. It IS a judgment
call.
