Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

Truman, I think you saw an entirely different message in that article 
than what was intended.  Although that itself indicates a problem, if 
you read it that way probably others did too.

The point isn't to have a "kinder, gentler AERC," nor is it to avoid 
harming anyone's self-esteem.  The issue is dealing with the fact -- a 
reality whether we like it or not -- that the stigma associated with 
having your horse treated at a ride tends to cause some riders to wait 
and hope that treatment won't be needed.  A delay that is often harmful 
for the horse, even fatal.

What do you care more about?  Making sure that people who don't take 
proper care of their horses get punished by ostracizing them, or having 
more horses get timely treatment when they need it?  How many horses 
having treatment delayed is it worth to be sure no one "gets away" with 
anything?

OK, that's harsh.  I'm just trying to make a point.  If more people 
understand that a horse being treated doesn't automatically make the 
rider a "bad person," more horses will get needed treatment earlier. 
And that is the goal.  Not riders' egos -- more timely treatment for horses.

If someone's horse is on IVs because he callously or recklessly rode him 
into the ground, that rider deserves all the ostracizing we can give him 
(and worse).  But the majority of  horses treated at rides do not fall 
into this category.  Most of the time it is a caring rider, riding 
mid-pack or slower, where something went wrong.  They don't deserve to 
be lumped in with the yahoos.


Truman Prevatt wrote:
> Let me tell you my big problem with the new "kinder and gentler AERC." 
> When I first started this sport, there was a rider that seemed to have 
> her horse hooked up way too often. One day at a ride I walked past her 
> at a vet check and her horse stretched and peed brown and her comment 
> was something like, " well looks like I better go get you some fluids 
> old boy." It was a very cavalier attitude - one that in my opinion the 
> AERC should not be fostering. Clearly the attitude is not something I 
> think we should promote.
>
> While problems do sneak up on you - humans also have the ability to 
> overlook minor problems when it could cause a changed plan. For example 
> - "he had a mild gas colic two weeks ago but he should be okay and I 
> really want to go to the Bo Diddley Memorial ride next weekend. I'm sure 
> he will be okay. Maybe yes, maybe no. But clearly other factors have 
> entered the equation. That's fine if they are balanced. But are they 
> always?
>
> There is also a difference in "doing something wrong" and making a 
> mistake by missing something that might have been caught and I think 
> that is the crux of the issue at hand. A rider can make a mistake but 
> not "do something wrong." However, it will not matter to the horse if he 
> is sick because there was a mistake or because he "did something wrong." 
> Clearly the rider I referred to above might have made a mistake - the 
> first time but what about the second, third....?
>
> You are right a sick horse at a ride is none of anyone's business at the 
> ride except the vets and the rider and owner (if different) because at 
> that point the horse needs treatment. However, the fact there was a sick 
> horse at and AERC ride is the business of the AERC and the AERC should 
> be very proactive trying to determine what lead to the horse being sick 
> and what could have been done to prevent it. That is what horse welfare 
> is all about. Part of that equation is being willing to establish 
> responsibility and if necessary accountability.
>
> And yes if my horse gets sick - it is my responsibility. The rule is 
> very clear: "...but the competitor is ultimately responsible for self 
> and mount before, during and after an endurance ride." It is my 
> responsibility independent of the fact that it might not be "my fault" - 
> that is I did not intentionally over ride him. At least IMO 
> responsibility becomes fault if there are multiple times that my horse 
> gets sick for whatever reason - even if the reasons is a simple as the 
> horse is not cut out to do the sport.
>
> The basic issue I have with the article in question is - it seems to be 
> one step toward the attitude "well looks like I better go get you some 
> fluids old boy." It almost smacks of the "let's make it okay so we don't 
> bruise the self esteem of the riders that they need to have their horse 
> treated." If you horse needs treatment "...the competitor is ultimately 
> responsible for self and mount before, during and after an endurance 
> ride." If they don't get treatment the rider is not living up to his 
> responsibility to both the AERC and his horse. IMO the AERC should not 
> be in the self esteem business - they should not be in the business of 
> worrying about bruised self esteem nor should they be in the business of 
> worrying about "how bad the rider feels." Just think about how bad the 
> horse feels. If they want to address the issue that horses that need 
> treatment need to get it - it should be addressed as the welfare of the 
> horse is the rider's responsibility and if the horse needs treatment it 
> is the riders responsibility to get the horse treatment. Living up to 
> that responsibility is what is important.
>
> When I tried to kill my horse did I fell bad - you are damn right I did. 
> However, bruised self esteem was the last thing on my mind when I ran 
> for the vet or when I delivered him to UF at 2:30 AM. My only worry was 
> him recovering - which he did fairly quickly. IMO - and this might not 
> be popular - a rider that would even allow the issue of bruised self 
> esteem over a perceived "stigma" of treatment get in the way of seeking 
> treatment for a horse really is not mature enough to be riding endurance 
> because they have not recognized the responsibility they have to their 
> horse or as it says, ".... the competitor is ultimately responsible for 
> self and mount before, during and after an endurance ride."
>
> I see the article in questions sending the wrong message.
>
> Truman

--
Joe Long
jlong@xxxxxxxxxxxxx

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