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RE: [RC] new riders - deaths - Mike Sofen

Horse deaths are caused by true accidents (horse steps on loose rock and falls off cliff), rider-caused accidents (rider, unable to control their horse, rides off cliff), rider-caused health issues (rider overrides horse into metabolic failure or colic), and horse-caused health issues (congenital bad heart).
 
In the interests of fairness, then we must segregate out horse deaths not caused by a rider away from rider-caused deaths.  Of the remaining deaths, we know that some are caused by the rider overriding their horse. 
 
However, how many are caused by the rider selecting an inappropriate horse on which to compete?  How many are caused by an unskilled rider losing control of their horse at a critical moment?
 
I've been at rides where I'm shocked at the lack of ground schooling some horses have, and ground behavior is reflected in the saddle.  Are we going to require - in addition to pacing and mentoring - that all riders have completed a ground schooling clinic?  Are we also going to require a riding skills class and proof of completion certificate?  Just because I believe in ground work doesn't mean I want to require it for everyone else.
 
Horses are fragile creatures.  We ask them to work in rigorous ways that potentially endanger their health.  American endurance doesn't require proof of riding skill or riding ability.  Since without a doubt, these contribute to potential horse deaths, are we now going to also require that?
 
I don't believe that creating new rules around how new riders do their first rides is going to "solve" the problem.
 
Mike Sofen
Santa Cruz, CA
 
Joe Long wrote>>>>... how many equine fatalities over the last ten years were to riders with fewer than 200 endurance miles completed?<<<<


Replies
[RC] new riders - deaths, Laura Hayes