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[RC] Mathew Mckay proposal - oddfarm

Jim,  I beg if you must vent about something that bugs you so personally, do it in private. Please.
 
I myself have not jumped the band wagon on this proposal. Will I be flogged?
 
Why does it have to be so difficult? I don't think this proposal has enough bite. The whole idea of "To finish is to win" is such a load of crap. It just encouages riders to finish, no matter what. I'm not saying that those who just ride to finish are not accomplishing any goals. I am saying a horse that finishes, then needs treatment isn't winning a damn thing, except an IV bag. Fit to continue at the vet checks, needs to be the mantra.
 
Jim, you yourself said that letting the riders call the shots while on the trail is not working and yet Dr. McKay proposes to do just that. He proposes to let riders continue, but only if they slow down because they are only going to get a completion. Who is going to police that?? By the way, does anyone know if his definition of completion includes mileage? Because if you pay to ride, and you complete, you had better get the mileage, don't you think?  
 
Fit to continue is so much more appropriate for what we are trying to accomplish. If we want to tighten up the "pulse window" than make it tight. Give it some backbone.  A compromise would be to put into place a 20 minute pulse time and those who don't make it, get pulled. Period. If the horse hasn't met that parameter, why in the world would we want to rely on the rider, (since you say that isn't working) to continue on but slow down? That doesn't make any sense. And for those who say their horse can't possibly make that window of opportunity for what ever reasons, I disagree.
 
The horses that are truly able to compete should pass with flying colors, the ones that can't, will just have to go a little slower to begin with. I think we can all agree that any horse can do this discipline, therefore offering everyone the same opportunity to ride. But they can't all do it at the same level. That has to be accepted by riders who ride horses of different breeds. It all goes back to training and conditioning and if your horse can't go the speed and distance you want, either slow down or get another horse that can. How does that saying go? Lord, please help me accept what I cannot change.......
 
You want zero tolerance? Don't make excuses. Make the parameters tighter and those who want to ride will work very hard before a ride to be able meet those parameters. It's pretty simple. That way, the core mission of Dr. McKay's proposal is still met. Everyone can ride, and the risk to horse is lessened.
 
If a horse isn't fit to continue within 20 minutes, how will 10 more minutes make him more fit??
 
Lisa Salas, The Oddf aRM