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[RC] Punishment at this stage? - sharp penny

 I think we need to tread VERY Lightly here...this could
open up a huge can of worms in regards to potential
lawsuits and very public airing of AERC's *dirty laundry*.
Currently not many outside of AERC have intimate knowledge
of this dead horse topic...do we really want PITA, 60
minutes and a whole slew of other outside interests
chronicling all this publicly? you start accusing a high
profile rider and I guarantee when we mess with someone's
livelihood they will seek outside legal action and in the
process if they go down will try to bring down the whole
*card house* with them. Right now our house of cards looks
very shaky. We might as well kiss endurance riding as we
know it today goodbye. Punishment should be the LAST topic
discussed. We need to clean up *our own house* with
suitable rules and set a SOP (standard operating procedure)
that is uniform across ALL regions of AERC. I have only
competed in two regions but there are huge differences in
how one region runs an AERC endurance ride in relation to
another region. IMO all AERC rides need to be run with the
exact same format, utilizing the rules and regulations as
set forth by AERC. In my way of thinking the only
difference when you travel to another region to compete
should be the terrain of the trail and weather. Until there
is uniformity across the AERC board [in things like length
of holds per miles of trail, where the out and in timers
are positioned, where a roped off P&R is in relation to the
vet check, minutes allowed from in time to when you must
present to P&R and uniformity of vetting protocol before
and after a ride are just a few of the things that need to
be addressed and standardized for every AERC approved ride
to follow no matter who the vets and RM's are or where the
ride is being held. Until these are set in motion and
adhered to how can we expect any changes toward the benefit
of horse welfare to successfully take place? This coast to
coast uniformity will also aid with gathering statistics, a
giving us a greater standardized pool to pull from.

JMHO from another relatively newbie.
Penny Sharp, (#M30707, CT region)


First of all, I'm a self-confessed relative newbie,
having only been in the sport since 1999 and not having
many miles.  But I've been reading this debate with a
great deal of interest, and I think Edie has mentioned
something worth thinking about here.  I'm generally not
one to be in favor of "punishment" types of remedies in
sports such as endurance.  But for riders who seem to
repeatedly have major metabolic problems with their horse
or horses, but who have been riding long enough to feel
(right or wrong)that they are "past" needing education,
what is to be done???  Perhaps what is needed is to put
them under a magnifying glass, impose some sort of
sanctions, or maybe ostracize them publicly (if concern
for their mount doesn't motivate them to "do right",
maybe the threat to their image will do the trick).

Several folks on the list who are far more knowledgeable
than me have noted that a 15 minute pulse-down
requirement is not likely to catch very many additional
pending crashes.  Given their experience, I tend to
believe them.  And I just can't buy that it's mostly the
hot shoes who crash horses - I know several people
personnally in CT region who regularly finish top ten,
often top 5 or win, and I haven't seen their horses on
jugs.  So I know it's possible.  What are they doing
different?  Maybe putting their horses first and leaving
their egos in camp?  

So how does one "reach" the people who *do* regularly
have metabolic crashes with their mounts?  Perhaps go
after that ego/image/reputation?  I don't know...but it
just seems to me that the solution needs to involve
action directed at the chronic problem riders, as well as
top-notch eduation of newbies and those not-so-newbies
who are willing to listen and learn (the #2s Edie
mentioned).  I know one problem is that the chronic
offenders, by definition, have been around in the sport a
long time and no one is willing to step on their toes,
but what's more important - appeasing and staying on the
"good side" of these people, or biting the bullet and
standing up for the horse?

Geez, I need to shut up...I tend to get wound up
sometimes.  

Dawn in East Texas.

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