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] Horse Deaths Unnacceptable -- (was WS50) - Ridecamp Guest

Please Reply to: Dawn Simas dawnsimas67@xxxxxxxxxxxxx or ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
==========================================

Well put Steve.

I don't know the details of this weekend's accident, but to give the rider that 
was crowding her the benefit of the doubt...  The WS50 is the 2nd half of the 
Tevis trail, often used as a training ride.  Isn't the starting line at Devil's 
Thumb only about 4 miles prior to the site of this accident?  Most of us know 
what the start of a 50 is like on amped up fit endurance horses.  If he was 
crowding her horse, he may have been concerned for his own safety too as you 
cannot "go to battle" with your mount on this section trying to rate his speed.

And regarding doing something to eliminate the risk of this section.  It's not 
only this section, there are others too that have similar cliffs on the edge of 
this trail.  That's the attraction of this ride, it's ruggedness.  And, if I'm 
not mistaken, horses die during these rides just about every year for other 
reasons, such as metabolic.  What can we do, outlaw the heat and the elevation 
climbs too?  You have to draw the line somewhere as to blaming things for 
accidents.  As Steve put it well, they are "accidents".  Well trained horses, 
trail knowledge, and conditioning, will decrease the odds for these losses.  
But even with all the preparation in the world, there is always risk.  Probably 
the biggest is the traffic and trailer ride.  I thank God every day when I get 
home safely with my horse and see him happily grazing in the pasture.

As I'm sure you all agree,  my heart goes out to Tanya for her loss.  Maybe a 
few of those little shrines with crosses at each spot a horse has gone off 
would be an awakening for all who ride the trail to be careful in memory of the 
one that gave its life.

Dawn


=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
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!!

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