 |
Re: [RC] Treatment - Barbara McCraryI'm reading all these messages about treatment and precautionary treatment and it brings to mind my husband's last experience in competition with his longtime endurance horse Kunyak. This horse did very well for many years and was an exceptional multi-day horse. On his last ride, on the desert in December, he refused to address his thirst. He was a horse that couldn't be convinced that he needed water. That particular day, he again drank poorly. Some time previously, we had taken to giving some electrolytes in hopes of solving this problem. On arrival at the vet check, he drank some and I gave him a dose of electrolytes. He quickly went into thumps, followed by colic. Of course he had to be treated with IV fluids, much to my conservative-riding husband's dismay and embarrassment. I went on to finish the ride and was met at the end by Kunyak's screaming and yelling in recognition of his stablemate. He had made a quick recovery from his dehydration and was hopping up and down. The moral to this story is: Never assume that a horse that needs treating has been "over-ridden." And don't assume that a sick horse is a result of a careless rider or an unfeeling one whose only agenda is winning. Neither was the case in Kunyak's instance. He was simply a horse that gradually became more and more difficult to care for on the trail, because he didn't have the sense to take care of his own needs. We finally sold him to a lovely woman who adored him and used him for pleasure, a little jumping, a little light showing. She outgrew his capabilities and gave him to a girl who is thrilled to pieces with him. My husband loved that horse, but it was clear that continuation of endurance riding would likely kill him someday. Barbara From: "Jim Holland" <lanconn@xxxxxxx> To: <ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Wednesday, October 13, 2004 5:40 AM Subject: RE: [RC] Treatment precautionary adj: "taken in advance to protect against possible danger or failure" I don't think there is a difference in this context. If you push your horse to the point where you feel "precautionary" treatment is necessary, IMHO the horse has been over-ridden. AERC needs to consider carefully whether situations like this are good for our discipline. Perhaps an awards program with a stronger emphasis on "ride" instead of "race" and "one horse, one rider, many miles" is overdue. I'm appalled by the lack of concern for the welfare of the horse. It's hard to believe that anyone who really cares about the sport of Endurance and their horse would think that an invasive treatment during or after competition is "normal". I hope the Veterinary Committee and the Horse Welfare Committee will take a long hard look at this situation. Jim, Sun of Dimanche+, and Mahada Magic-----Original Message----- From: ridecamp-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:ridecamp- owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Ridecamp Guest Sent: Tuesday, October 12, 2004 11:46 PM To: ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [RC] Treatment Please Reply to: John Bass jbass@xxxxxxxxxxxx or ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ========================================== Truman, you're too emotional. There is a huge difference between pre-cautionary treatment and necessary treatment. John Bass Beatty Nevada=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= 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!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= 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!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
|