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[RC] LD BC - Bruce Weary DCHeidi--I don't think there is as much disagreement here as it seems. I agree that the BC eval is a tremendous teaching tool. The components that it entails are irreplaceable as far as evaluating the horse, and telling the vet and rider how the horse is doing, and how well he weathered the day. They include, but are not limited to: gait, impulsion, skin tenting, capillary refill, pulse, respiration, anal tone, attitude,etc.,. But then again, those are the components of the basic veterinary exam all horses are subject to before, throughout, and after the ride. All vets are free to educate the rider at any given point on these parameters as they relate to that rider's horse. The BC format isn't uniquely designed to educate the rider otherwise. The only significant difference is that for the post-ride evaluation to qualify as a BC exam versus a standard post-ride completion exam, is that the horse MUST have gone faster than all but ten other horses to be considered. Therein lies the concern for many of us. Since LD rides are open to equines four years of age, the concern for potential overriding ( which incidently is only partly related to speed) has been heightened by Deb Bennett's recent article in EN regarding the skeletal maturing of the average horse. Why not eliminate the "need for speed" and evaluate the horse with the same parameters (educating the riders to the vet's heart's content) based on just covering the distance, carrying weight, in the allotted time? I think there needs to be just as much consideration given to protecting the horse as there is to educating the rider. Educating the rider after the horse has been overridden doesn't accomplish much, as far as the horse is concerned. And, asserting that horses aren't potentially overridden because the completion criteria keeps everyone in check doesn't hold water. So where can we find some common middle ground? Bruce Weary =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= 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!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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