>Heidi, no offense, but this "I've been doing it for 30 years and I know
more than the rest of you" is getting a little tiresome. I personally don't care
if you have 50 years or 1 year in Endurance...your opinion is of no more value
than any other member. One person, one vote, majority rules, and your opinion
doesn't count any more than mine or anybody else. If you're not part of the
"horse death" solution, you're part of the problem.
Sorry that longevity offends you, Jim. I had the
impression that you share your experience to back up your opinions as
well. Guess what is good for the goose must not be good for the gander,
eh?
That said--"part of the problem" is the emoting and
exaggeration that goes on and gets in the way of real solutions. Howard's
inflated numbers caused some offense, and clearly not just to me, as I see
others are commenting as well. The only point about "30 years" is that in
NO time in that time have I seen anywhere near Howard's numbers having
problems--and that isn't just my opinion.
I'd submit that the emoting is getting in the way of real
progress here far more than the stagnation that you suggest. And
furthermore, I DO take offense at the suggestion that those of us who would like
to inject some realism into the discussions are not "part of the
solution." A great many of the best new ideas still seem to be coming from
folks who have been around the sport for awhile. That isn't to say that
new folks don't have good input--many do. But to discount the "old war
horses" who have been around the block a few times is a mistake. I still
see contributions from the likes of Kerry Ridgway, Bob Beecher, Jeanie Waldron,
Barney Fleming (not as many years as some of 'em, but he's sure caught up with
regard to the "mileage"), Mathew M-S, Dane Frazier, and several others that I
would sure hesitate to call "stagnant" or "part of the problem." And I
don't see them running polls under the assumption that public opinion will have
some magical effect on horse deaths, or even posting inflamatory posts designed
to whip the emotions about the subject--I see them out working on the
problem.
