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Re: [RC] [RC] [RC] Pres Cup - Catfish Daniels

Hi Maryanne:

Good to hear from you. Well, I certainly value your input as you are definitely a wealth of knowledge - specially in matters concerning our sport on your side of the globe, as well as the history and social aspects surrounding it. What you said makes total sense. Based on some of the stories and info I received from friends that have spent a little time in the UAE, it just seems that at least the care of the horses is indeed at a different wellness level than the consistently grim picture we tend to paint here in the States. I think that was my whole point - that even though a horse may not go to heaven at age 30 in a bed of diamonds after not having been ridden for the past 20 years, the opposite of a horse being ridden to the ground and then "thrown away", doesn't quite seem to hold true either. Am I right about that?

I myself did not have the opportunity yet to visit the UAE and experience this style of competition. So, other than stories from well respected friends who have real life experiences, I can only form opinions. That's why it's refreshing to read some of your stuff - being that you're from that region and know soooo much more as to what's really going on.

I have a DVD from the 2004 President's Cup, which I watch periodically. I can't help but notice that after the gruelling race and having put your horse thru this in 7 hrs and 20 minutes (that was in 2004), and winning a ton of money, how the rider simply dismounts, hands his horse to the grooms and never looks back with any seeming concern for his horse. I'm certainly under no illusion, and I'm always reminded when I watch this video - that although I love competition...this would not be the way I would like to ride or treat my animals - whether they would finish sound or not.

Catfish


From: "Maryanne Gabbani" <msgabbani@xxxxxxxxx>
To: "Catfish Daniels" <catfishdaniels@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: [RC] [RC] Pres Cup
Date: Mon, 19 Feb 2007 09:15:10 +0200

Catfish,
I've posted my concerns on Ridecamp, but there are things that you should be
aware of regarding the social attitudes and horses in this part of the
world. One of these things is the fact that to people in the Middle East, a
horse is just a horse and as such has value if it is useful. They will go
to reasonable lengths to find uses for horses but at the end of the day, a
stable is a commercial enterprise even if it is just for racing and there
are bottom lines. This is more true in the UAE than in other parts of the
Middle East because the society there was, prior to oil, primarily traders,
pirates, and herders. Those are not name-calling. That's what they did. The
families of Dubai and Abu Dhabi are consummate traders and are amassing
fortunes far beyond any of their oil wealth in that field. They are also
very aware of the attitudes of other groups and really like to look like
good guys in public. No wealthy businessman is going to allow an increasing
drain on his enterprise by providing luxurious after care to an increasing
number of aging or injured horses. To be sure, there will always be the ones
trotted out to show how good the care is, but the simple amount of square
footage in the Gulf, the water and forage problems, among other parameters
point clearly that luxurious retirement of horses is not going to last
forever.


Maryanne Stroud Gabbani
msgabbani@xxxxxxxxx
Egypt Face to Face
www.alsorat.com
Weblogs
Living In Egypt
miloflamingo.blogspot.com
Cairo/Giza Daily Photo
cairogizadailyphoto.blogspot.com

On 2/18/07, Catfish Daniels <catfishdaniels@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: 



I so often hear this stigma about the rich oil sheiks buying up horses in
the six figures and you never hear of that horse again.  That stigma
surrouned by rumors that they just ran those horses into the ground.  The
fact is that the organization there does indeed buy promising prospects at
a
very high cost.  First off, their organization has money, money, and
money.
They are not afraid to spend it.  All too often, a prospect is purchased
and
to preserve the well-being of the horse, they realize that this horse is
not
cut out for what they had in mind.  So this horse that people think was
ran
into the ground and never to be heard of again, was consciously decided
never to be entered in its debut race, and is in fact living a healthy,
incredibly spoiled and wonderful life in an environment that most of us
financially could not provide for our horses.

The more I am learning about how things are done over there, the more I
feel
I should share it with fellow endurance riders - if not only for the
purpose
of lifting some stigma about "the other side of endurance - the UAE".
Anyway - congrats to Fred...for finishing with a healthy horse. !!!!

Catfish




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