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Re: [RC] Horses/Olympics - Truman PrevattThis whole issue has nothing to do with training, skill, athletic ability, etc.At the '92 Olympics in Barcelona they showed the cross country day of the three day eventing. The course was tough, there were spills and one horse in particular looked like he was going to collapse after it. He probably was close to exhausted horse syndrome. The TV cameras and commentators dwelled on it. Eventing has been under a lot of pressure since then. Looking at humans run a horse to exhaustion did not go over well with the TV audiance. The IOC demanded a easier course in Atlanta in '96 and also demanded that the FEI determine how to design a course that would not endanger the horses given the heat in Atlanta. A lot of money was spent on this effort - a good bit at endurance rides in the Southeast. I believe that eventing has also had problems arising out of the image of a very tired horse in Barcelona from the animal rights groups. Anyway eventing is under the IOC microscope. I doubt that we will see it on prime time network TV and I suspect if there is undue stress on the horses, it's days in the Olympics are history. They don't want the bad publicity. It has nothing to do with training, skill, etc., it has to do with what the IOC will accept as risk to the horses. They have forced the FEI to make the course shorter and safer or else they were going to be eliminated from the Olympics. If this doesn't satisfy the IOC, I suspect they will be gone in '12. Given that the endurance community killed two in Spain - what does that say about the chances of endurance becoming an Olympic event? Reining might cause long term problem for the horses - especially how young they start them. However, you won't see a reining horse suffering from exhausted horse syndrome - ready to collapse - on national television. Truman sharp penny wrote: .... so then, how do you explain the 3 day eventing, show jumping , dressage and soon to be reining in the summer olympics? Riders in these events are no more or less atheltes than endurance riders. Contrary to your post it does take training, skill, endurance and all the other things human athletes without a horse have to be at the top end of any equestrian venue. Respectfully, Penny sharp penny wrote: .... so then, how do you explain the 3 day eventing, show jumping , dressage and soon to be reining in the summer olympics? Riders in these events are no more or less atheltes than endurance riders. Contrary to your post it does take training, skill, endurance and all the other things human athletes without a horse have to be at the top end of any equestrian venue. Respectfully, Penny
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