Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

Laurie Underwood jimmy@xxxxxxxxxxx
I've always regarded the vets as part of my team.  Kathy Eichelberger, DVM 
taught me the value of this adding vets to my team during my first ride 
year at the Biltmore Fall Fling.  Lil and I were attempting a 50 there, and 
40 miles into what would have been our first completion at 50 miles, my 
mare was Grade 1.  Not enough for Kathy to pull me.  I could have gone on, 
and believe me, I wanted to.  Kathy's advice was to pull because the last 
10 miles were rooty and continuing, even slowly, could compromise my 
horse.  She never let me off the hook, and after some consideration, I 
heeded her advice and rider optioned.  I've never forgotten the lesson, and 
I've always felt more than a bit of shame that I would have ever let a 
completion come before Lil's health.  I apologized to Kathy after the ride 
for questioning her judgment.  I will always be grateful to Kathy for the 
lesson, and it has served Lil and I well.

Howard, one of your posts said that FEI rides do not allow riders and vets 
to interact.  I think that interaction is vital.  The vets are there to 
help, but inasmuch as they only see our horses for an average of 5 minutes 
during a vet stop, how can they "help" if we cannot interact with them and 
tell them how the horse is performing on the trail?  The vets have to be 
viewed as and and included as part of our team.  We as riders just have to 
understand that "helping" doesn't necessarily mean completion.  "Helping" 
means doing what's best for our horse at the moment.

Laurie Underwood
AERC M21483


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