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It's a race. The WEC is a race. To win at this level - the rider has to 
ride on the edge. If he doesn't he won't win because that is what the 
competition is doing. There are some might good drivers and mechanics in 
NASCAR, Grand Prix racing, etc., but you still see a lot of blown 
engines simply because they are operating on the hairy edge. They select 
their champion by a series of races, but don't drive the same engine 
each race.

What you see at the WEC is because of two factors. It's winner take all 
with a lot of people there going for the win - be they individuals or 
teams. In fact if you aren't going there for the win or help your team 
win you have no business there taking up a spot on the team. Second they 
tend to treat more because it is higher stress. If there is a problem 
and a horse is dehydrated - they go on fluids in many cases as a 
prophylactic measure. I applaud them for that. If the FEI is going to 
incentivize riding the horses on the edge - they should provide the 
facilities to mitigate the impact and they do. Does it always work - no, 
but it a heck of a lot better than a "wait and see if they recover on 
their own" IMO.

One thing I have heard people talk about to the minimize the risk on the 
horses is to change it WEC to a series of races where the horse/rider 
TEAM with the most points at the end of the series is the winner. 
However, that probably would turn out being worse since it - it would 
just move the "Katie bar the door flat out race" to the last race in the 
series when the horses are probably a little tired going into. It would 
also have a significant cost impact - especially for many riders in the 
US who are not independently wealthy but have good horses and a desire 
to participate.

The FEI championship rides are what they are - they are a race. If you 
change the race - it is not longer endurance racing. I don't see that 
changing. The question in my mind is if we as an organization don't 
accept the impact on the horses by the structure of the WEC in our 
values as an organization - what are we doing about it?  If we can't 
help the FEI change the structure to provide more safety for the horses 
and consequently a better image of the event - should we be supporting 
the FEI as an organization at all? You are many times painted by the 
same brush as the company you keep.

Truman

k s swigart wrote:
> Steph Teeter said:
>
>   
> > ...the press and other disciplines weren't critical
> > of the Aachen course, they were critical of the sport.
> > Most of the rest of the Equestrian world never sees
> > Endurance unless it is held in conjunction with a WEG.
> > ...
> > But still, when less than 50% of entries can even 'get
> > around' without some level of metabolic distress or
> > lameness... that simply doesn't look good.
> >     
> Because if they don't do something to encourage riders to ride their
> horses within their capabilities even if it means slowing down so they
> can, then the world endurance championships (with everybody else
> watching) will continue to be an event where the rest of the equestrian
> community (and the world at large??? if some people were to have their
> way) just sees a bunch of riders who are willing to (or are too ignorant
> to know not to) ride their horse into the ground.


--

"Life is about obstacles. Endeavors in life are not to be overlooked. 
Our lives are not determined by what happens to us, but how we react to 
what happens. Not by what life brings us, but the attitude we bring to 
life." Wade Boggs, on his induction to the baseball hall of fame. 


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