Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

> How about an automatic suspension from all AERC rides until the horse's
death has been investigated?  I also think that it should be the burden
of AERC to pay for an autopsy and fees related to the horse's death.  If
it is found it is the riders fault, then they must pay back the fees
(and fines) to be able to ride again in AERC sanctioned rides again.

There seems to be a perception that the causative factors of a death are
always clear-cut if one does an autopsy.  This isn't always the case.  One
can define the pathology involved, and sometimes it is pretty clear that the
death was not in any way related to riding.  And sometimes, the pathology
backs up the observed progression of an overriding situation.  But to say
"this death we can blame on the rider" just based on the pathology is in a
lot of cases a real stretch.  Case in point--Adios actually died of a
ruptured stomach.  Did Darolyn rupture his stomach?  No.  Did the autopsy
identify the metabolic reasons that led to the rupture of his stomach?
Apparently not--or at least we are not aware of an answer if it did.  Was
overriding a factor here?  Possibly.  But can we determine that from the
autopsy?  No.  All we CAN say for certain is that the horse needed
treatment, and was treated with fluids via stomach tube.  And that after he
died, it was evident that death was immediately caused by a ruptured
stomach.  Period.  Have we learned anything here?  You betcha.  We've
learned to question administration of fluids via stomach tube to
metabolically compromised horses.  Valuable lesson.  We've also added to our
knowledge of events leading to the crash of one horse--which can be added to
our cumulative knowledge of crashes in general.  That's all important.  Is
there enough information here to hang Darolyn from the rafters over it?  No.
But there are things here that are well worth discussing--just as we've been
doing--could there be a pre-existing factor here (ie could Darolyn look into
horse selection with regard to metabolics in the future), could there be an
issue of weather change (does Darolyn need to make adjustments when she runs
in cooler areas, and if so, what might those adjustments be), could there be
warning signs that Darolyn might have heeded, and might pay more specific
attention to if a horse exhibits them in the future, etc.  (No, I'm not
picking on Darolyn here--just using the Adios case as a springboard--you can
insert "rider" for "Darolyn" in the above and have a general comment.)  And
the way we LEARN is to discuss such things.

We are getting the cart before the horse here in trying to assign punitive
aspects.  We don't even understand what it is that causes one horse to die
under the same circumstances under which another horse goes happily on year
after year.  FIRST we need to learn and to educate.  Then and only then can
we determine if punitive actions are in order.  Adding punitive measures
prematurely hobbles the learning process, as people are less apt to be
forthcoming with pertinent information if they fear a penalty for it.


Heidi


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