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[RC] Naive vs abuse - Kristi Schaaf

I've ridden lots of NATRC and a couple hundred miles
of LD, but have wanted to be a '50 miler' for almost a
decade. Finally, this fall everything fell into place
and we were off. At the mile 35 vet check, after my
horse got all A's and looked fantastic at the trot
out, when going to resaddle I discovered that he had,
for the first time ever, a girth rub that made him
twitch and jerk when I put my hand on the area. It
clearly was extremely sore and was very hot to the
touch, though there was no broken skin. So what did I
do, 15 miles away from finally completing a goal that
I've been longing for for a very long time? I pulled.
The vet told me that pulling would be a rider option
because my horse was fit to continue. Still, I pulled.
Even if had finished 'sound', going down the trail
with me would have HURT. Why would I ever want him to
associate pain with being with me? 

I'm not sharing this to pat myself on the back. I'm
sharing this because of how frustrated I am that not
everyone puts their horse first. To me it's SOOO cut
and dried - the horse comes first, ALWAYS, and I don't
understand how anyone could ever purposely push their
horse when he tells them he hurts or that he can't do
it. Yes, I've seen and understand that sh** happens to
even the most conscientious riders, and horses can be
stoic to their detriment, but I wonder how often
crashes are really in that category, rather than in
the "I can tell he's not 'right' but it doesn't matter
as much as what I want does" category. Therein lies
the rub that causes so much argument - where does
naive and/or 'I didn't know' end and 'I don't care'
begin?

Kristi


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