Home Current News News Archive Shop/Advertise Ridecamp Classified Events Learn/AERC
Endurance.Net Home Ridecamp Archives
ridecamp@endurance.net
[Archives Index]   [Date Index]   [Thread Index]   [Author Index]   [Subject Index]

[RC] why no on provisional finish - Teresa Van Hove

  The more I think about my provisional idea the more *I* like it. >g< I
  thought Kat made a very good argument and I agree with her, there is a
  race going on and a ride


The glaring fault I see here is that it assumes that horses 
that are provisional are that way because the rider was pushing
to top ten (at least in weight division) and if told 'you \
can finish for completion only' is going to slow the horse
up, the horse will graze on those grass clumps and so on.

There are folks who don't want to spoil a perfect no pull record
who would try to lead a 'not fit to continue at all' horse
to the finish line, after doing their dangdest to hide any probs
from the vet (by vetting while horse is on its high, or if vet
wants to see horse later by getting horse up a bit before they
go over or ..)  THen theres all the riders who are letting the horse
set the pace and the horse just want to catch the horse they see in
front and is pushing to go even though they are compromised. 

Aaand there's plenty of horses who are not going to eat on that next
loop even if the rider stops and offers grass every 15 minutes,
either because they are getting tired and have lost appetite or 
they will be too excited as the back of the packers catch up 
and pass.  If the horse is 'fit to continue'  but needs a bit
of extra management and the vets alert the rider and the rider feels
'ok, Ole dobbin will slow down and eat for me now', & thats what
happens.
and Dobbin happens to come in 7th in wgt division even with
the extra care and time what purpose is served by taking those 
few bonus points away?  And If the vets send someone who couldn't rate 
their horse back out 'for completion only', the horse is sure not 
helped any healthwise if it continues at about the same too fast speed
its been going just because theres no longer any bonus points at
stake.

MHO anyways,
Teresa Van Hove (M17417) 




 Seems to me that a horse is either "fit to continue" or is not.  
  >      A vet should not have to count on the stars all lining up

  The more I think about my provisional idea the more *I* like it. >g< I
  thought Kat made a very good argument and I agree with her, there is a
  race going on and a ride. 

  I've had a vet tell me before, "He needs to eat some this loop" and he
  knew that I would be hitting every clump of grass along the way.  I know
  without a doubt that the vets know other riders who would totally ignore
  that advice and do what they had planned to do anyway.  You vets who have
  been around awhile know exactly who you don't trust...for good reason. 

  I'll agree that it would be hard for a vet to justify the decision, but I
  will not go with your argument that "provisional" horses do not go on.
  There's plenty of horses who are fit to continue *safely* who are not fit
  to continue to run for the win.

  Angie



=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net.
Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp
Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp

Ride Long and Ride Safe!!

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=