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[RC] BC--different slant - Dot Wiggins

BC doesn't just happen the day of a ride, for any distance.

Somewhere, somebody chose the dam and sire with the qualities to produce
that horse.  Someone fed and cared for the mare to get a fine strong foal on
the ground.  Several years of careful nutrition, worming, shots, hoof care,
education.
Somebody chose that youngster as a potential distance horse and continued
the care and education.   Many hours and miles of training and conditioning
came and went.   More careful feeding, shoeing, saddle fitting, and who
knows what progress and/or set backs have been dealt with.
On that ride day, when the horse travels fast enough to be in contention for
BC and wins BC, and high vet score too,   that is the culmination of years
of work.
What ever the distance, 25/30,  50,  100.

Howard is correct in a way, the horse doesn't care where it finishes,     as
long as it was set up to do the distance and speed within a safe comfort
range.

I don't think it's an ego trip for everyone that had a part in devloping and
riding that horse to take pride in the efforts.

I like LD just like it is, it's been working for a long time now.
The real safety and control issues came with the "Fit To Continue" for all
distances, and "Pulse Down To Complete" for LD.
And if Ride Camp had been around when these were put in place, the smoke
would not have settled yet.
And "Gate into Hold" and pulse criteria dropped from 72 to 68/64 caused
major knashing of teeth.   Yet today many rides use 60 sometimes even 56,
and it works fine.

All distances can ride as fast or as slow as they chose.
There is no way to prevent every wreck out on the trail, but the current
systems pretty well stops any rewards for poor horsemanship.

Ain't broke, no need to fool with it.



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