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Re: [RC] overridden vs. fit to continue - Joe LongOn Wed, 27 Aug 2003 12:00:54 -0400, Layla <satchumwatch@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: For those of you who've had minor discomforts during a long distance event whether it be cycling, running or riding, you know that if you take it slow for a few miles you can often work out any muscle/stomach cramps, etc... that may be present. Endurance competition is about pacing yourself, and in the case of our sport, our horse as well. Minor discomforts will often work themselves out provided your horse is fit to begin with and ready for the challenge. Indeed, been there and done that ... in both footraces (just me) and with my horses. My point is that if the horse is not fit to continue safely to the next hold unless he is ridden slowly, then he isn't fit to continue. Hmmm, what is "slowly?" The problem here is that we have situations fraught with gray areas, not clear black-and-white. If a horse/rider come into the last vet check having averaged 8MPH the whole way, and the horse passes his parameters but is clearly getting tired (or is borderline on some parameters) -- so that in the vet's opinion if he continues to go 8 MPH he's likely to get into trouble, does that mean he is not fit to continue? When he could easily, safely finish at 4 MPH? I don't recall seeing anywhere in the AERC rules, guidelines or handbooks a definition of "fit to continue" that specifies "at X MPH." Riders adjust their pace during rides all the time, for many reasons. It isn't uncommon for riders to ride the last leg more slowly than any other, especially if they've gone a bit too fast early. Does that mean that any horse that can't maintain the pace he set early must be pulled? I don't think so. -- Joe Long jlong@xxxxxxxx http://www.rnbw.com =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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