Re: [RC] Vet proposal comment on resting pulse - Howard Bramhall
The thing is, Jonni, we can't count on the riders to go with their gut
instinct. We do have riders in our sport who will continue on until
someone tells them they cannot. This is the point I've been trying to
make. We can eliminate those riders who will do this (push their horse
beyond that edge) by tightening up the controls we are now using.
You can come up with a hundred exceptions to any rule that is
changed. But, somewhere down the road, the tighter controls will kick
in. It might not happen the first or even the second loop, but, if the
rider is going too fast for the horse's ability, the signal they are sending us
will eventually register. I believe it will register sooner, by enacting
some of these changes, than it would if we keep things as they are.
Tighter controls will pull that particular horse before it becomes a
statistic.
Look at it this way, please. Will tighter controls increase the
number of metabolic treatments or increase the endurance related deaths
that are now occurring? I don't see how that could possibly happen; it
will make things better. And, save a horse or two along the way.
I don't have all the answers. Even the vets I'm mentioning will be
the first to tell you they don't know all that they need to know about how to
read the signs that a horse is going to get into trouble during an endurance
ride. But, if we can't accept the idea that we do need to make some
changes, to put the horse's health ahead of our own personal goals, the
prognosis looks extremely grim. We need to reach out to these vets who do
have some fantastic ideas on this subject and accept the reality that if we
don't do something, things will continue on as they now are.
If Dane Frazier, Susan Garlinghouse, or Nancy Loving tell me I'm completely
wrong here, I will shut the heck up and go hide under that rock as some folks
have suggested; those who want me to do exactly that will receive their
wish. We really do need to quit pussy-footing around here. The lives
of these horses are just too important.
I really do believe this is what most of the members want. They want
the number of horse deaths and metabolic treatments to change and are willing to
make some sort of sacrifice for that to happen. I really do think we can
turn all of this around if we are willing to acknowledge that it is the sport
itself that is causing some of these problems. Forget the rider, forget
what his/her motives or abilities or, even, what their morals are. We need
to judge the horse, and, the horse alone, look at him closely, each and every
step of the way, and set our controls on them and them only. We have a
much better chance of controlling that horse than we do any human.
Subject: [RC] Vet proposal comment on
resting pulse
>>>The vet checks are there for the horse; it's their
best protection. Could you imagine what our rides would be like if we did
not have them? And, since we have them, and we're still losing horses in
the sport, wouldn't it be a good idea to lower the numbers (heart rate and
pulse recovery time) that will prevent some of these deaths?
<snip> It will, however, stop a rider who is willing to continue on
even though the horse is telling them they should
not.<<<
But Howard, there are already riders who don't listen
to the signs the horse is giving them, and admit they saw the signs, and
are having horses die under their care. Some of these horses would still
pass a lower criteria, but have something that is amiss with them that day.
There are horses that might be passing the vet, but the rider thinks
the horse "is not quite right", yet continue to RACE. The vet only
gets to see that horse for a few min. off and on during a ride. The rider
is the one who is there with the horse the whole time. The rider is
responsible for that horse during the day. The rider needs to know when
enough is enough, and call it a day. The rider knows if the horse is
eating, drinking, how much electrolytes it had, if it has been traveling
with its normal enthusiasm, or just not right. The riders knows how far the
horse trailered to get to the ride, if the weather is different, if it has
stable mates who it is looking for. The vet sees the metabolics of the
horse, but they do not see the mind of the horse on the trail. Many vets
have seen nothing metabolically wrong with a horse, yet the rider DID feel
the horse was not normal that day, and have stopped....only to have the
horse start to colic or get sick. They knew the horse was not right, even
though the vet said they were fine and could go on. Thank goodness there
are some riders who put their gut feelings, and their horse above what a
vet might say, and know when to call it a day...but for some, they can not
seem to see past that finish line ahead, and some stupid T-Shirt. Jonni
in
TX
