Home Current News News Archive Shop/Advertise Ridecamp Classified Events Learn/AERC
Endurance.Net Home Ridecamp Archives
ridecamp@endurance.net
[Archives Index]   [Date Index]   [Thread Index]   [Author Index]   [Subject Index]

[RC] 30 Min Rule - Jim Holland

Personally, I don't care whether this is passed or not. I think both the BOD
and the HWC know that this will have little or no impact on the "welfare" of
the horse.  Here in the SE, it's pretty much the norm to have a CRI 15
minutes after crossing the finish. (Sometimes we have to assign someone to
make sure Ann Stuart doesn't schedule one at 15 minutes when it takes 20
minutes to get back to camp) <VBG> I did 14 rides in 2004, and I'm pretty
sure most of them had a 15 minute CRI. I simply get my completion exam at
the same time.  It would have no impact on me (other than making the vet
check less "leisurely" at the finish) and IMHO, negligible impact on the
welfare of the horse. This is sorta like Congress passing a law to build a
fence across the Mexican border but appropriating no money to fund it.  It
looks good on the record and they appear to be doing "something", but it
accomplishes nothing.

There are penalties in AERC for drugging your horse or cutting trail. (Might
give you an advantage) but NO penalties for overriding your horse. If AERC
REALLY gave a d&^% about the welfare of our horses, they would pass a rule
like this, which we ALL know would have an impact:

"If John Jones and Dobbin get a metabolic pull, then Dobbin cannot compete
in another ride for a month.  If Dobbin gets a 2nd metabolic pull, he is
done for the year.  If John Jones on ANY horse gets 3 metabolic pulls in a
ride season, he is done for the rest of that season."

If a old "backyard rider" like me can complete 48 out of 60 rides with 19
Top Tens for a total of 2445 miles on four different horses in the heat and
humidity of the SE without a metabolic pull, surely the criteria above is
not asking too much? It's simply a matter of riding that horse on that trail
on that day. If you finish in the Top Ten, fine. If not, you "won by
finishing" on a happy healthy horse.  

The problem occurs when riders cannot properly "read" their horse or when
they decide to consciously "move up to the Top Ten" or "ride to win" without
regard to whether this is within the capabilities of that horse on that
trail on that day. There should be a "penalty" for such action which
encourages riders to err on the side of the horse. 

I have pretty much given up on AERC making any meaningful changes with
regard to horse welfare. :(

Jim, Sun of Dimanche+, and Mahada Magic

Richard T. "Jim" Holland
Three Creeks Farm
175 Hells Hollow Drive
Blue Ridge, Ga 30513
(706) 258-2830
www.threecreeksarabians.com
Callsign KI4BEN



=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

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!!

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=


Replies
Re: [RC] 30 Min Rule, Truman Prevatt