I'm with you. I will be voluntarily chipping my horse this spring. An unregistered gray horse with no markings (and who will change color as he ages) needs another source of permanent ID. I consider it part of being a responsible owner.
I guess other than the expense, I don't see why anyone wouldn't chip their horses and other pets too. What is the perceived threat?
If you're not racing a ringer, then why would you object to having a chip scanner at the vet-in? (Of course, I also don't put up a fight when the guy at the liquor counter asks to see my ID.) I don't see mandatory chipping as being control or "government" intervention any more than any other rule we race under. We have races where hoof protection is mandatory—same cost as a chip, and not nearly as permanent!
Next we'll be saying that taking a horse's heart rate is an invasion of his privacy. ;-)
Galloping down the slippery slope... Ruth
Date: Wed, 20 Jan 2010 10:48:48 -0600 From: scswag@xxxxxxxxxxx To: ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: Re: Re: [RC] [Endurance Riding: News] Compulsory microchipping for Australia endurance horses
I always find it surprising that people who feel that micro-chipping a horse, dog or cat feel that it's government intervention. Then the same people do not find it to be an issue when every time they use a credit card, debit card or check all your personnel information is entered into a database for not only marketing demographics but governmental decision making. Plus providing to the government (IRS) your checking account information in order to file your taxes online. Or they don't mind all their health information being inputted into one huge database for all to review. I would much rather have my animals micro-chipped in case they are lost then take my chances that someone can recognize my horse as one of a million gray mares.
On Jan 20, 2010, Barbara McCrary <bigcreekranch@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Thank you, Ed! I am strongly opposed to too much control and intervention into the lives of people. Once this happens, people no longer take responsibility for themselves and they depend on some governing agency to take care of them. How I HATE this concept.
The Australian system is not about "education" it is about control under the assumption that riders can't be trusted in any aspect of the sport.
And the more control there is, the less independence and self-responsibility there is. No one seems to trust anymore. Of course, some people AREN'T trustworthy, but I'll take my chances rather than suspect everyone of cheating.
Subject: Re: [RC] [Endurance Riding: News] Compulsory microchipping for Australia endurance horses
"...Qualified endurance horses in Australia must now be microchipped before they can compete, under new rules effective from January 1..."
Big brother is watching you!
While I support chipping for theft prevention, and interstate transportation, I suspect that the real reason for this rule is to prevent folk from lying about which horse it is and enter a ringer in an endurance race.
Note that this is for "Qualified endurance horses". These are horses that have entered and successfully completed, on a different colored log book, a number of shorter, slower rides. Since during this time they were exposed to other horses at ride camps etc., it can't just be for disease tracking.
I hope that the AERC never buys into the idea that the riders do not have the ultimate responsibility for the welfare of their horses. The Austrialian system is not about "education" it is about control under the assumption that riders can't be trusted in any aspect of the sport.
Ed
Ed & Wendy Hauser 2994 Mittower Road Victor, MT 59875
(406) 381-5527
ranch(at)sisuwest(dot)us
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