Hey, San, I'd like to comment your response to Cindy's statement that abusive riders are still abusive, specifically that "abusive riders are not taken out of the sport and they should be".? Perhaps your assessment is too black and white.??Not only does this ignore the last few years of Horse Welfare Committee's volunteers contacting riders under the radar, but you know differently just from our area's results--sure, we're not at 100 percent, but we're surely making progress.
Think about the protests from our area?? The gal I protested never did another ride.? The couple from Warner Springs, she served her penance and had a whole new attitude, HE never did another ride.? He'll probably abuse horses forever, but not in our sport.? Back to racing, and the gal was at last report getting out of that business.
The guy who entered an underage horse multiple times?? Hmmm.? Abuse.? Yeah.? He has kept his nose clean since.
LT, well, the rules of the ride she attended got changed just for her, management changed, people "know" about her now too.??
Ride managers have to "have a set", and be able to make tough decisions.? Riders need to have one too and file protests when warranted, if management isn't responsive or it's beyond their abilities.? Directors need to support their RMs and their constituency, I know I got the support I needed to get my protest done.? Contact the HWF yourself.? Lastly, and most importantly, peer pressure is a powerful thing.? Those are our methods of holding people accountable for their actions, and not a bad bunch of tools from which to choose.? JMO, of course.
Lynne
enjoying the cessation of killer winds, silence is golden
In a message dated 1/5/2007 5:42:32 P.M. Pacific Standard Time, c_collins@xxxxxxx writes:
I see the great riders remaining great and the abusive riders remaining abusive.?
Darn straight. To us, the fastest horse over 2 or 3 big rides means much less - really nothing - compared to the steady campaigner who continues year after year after year, and sometime with more than one rider, staying sound and expressing quality care in the doing.
?
You are correct - abusive riders are NOT taken out of the sport and they SHOULD be. Unlike other sports where people cheat, cut corners (no pun intended) whine and gripe about the conditions of an event, compete hell bent for leather regardless of the consequences to others - in this sport, the ultimate victim is the horse. An abusive rider's horse HAS no recourse if the structure does not intervene. Here is the rub: there are too many people who don't LIKE being called a creep or an idiot or an abusive "rider" and so they turn around and sue people who are trying to protect both the horse AND the integrity of the system/sport. So, people are afraid to name names. How do we change this? I know of 3 abusive riders, one of which was slapped on the wrist for allowing her poorly trained juniors to run over people, competitors as well as just people enjoying the PUBLIC trails. Because she was not a member of AERC, I believe, she was suspended for a year and had to serve some "help-me" time at rides; but is back to the same ol'. Nothing learned, bad publicity for our sport, and ultimately more horses lamed, ridden into the ground, then?sold for big prices as "proven" endurance horses. So...how can we change this? How can WE at least hold people accountable? One should NEVER be punished for either an incident out of their control or mistaken information; but when a rider, over a period sometimes of YEARS, demonstrates abuse and unsportsman-like conduct, why shouldn't AERC say, you just don't get to ride and we will make a NOTE of it so if someone files against you, we will stand with them".?? Just some thoughts....for the horses.
