I resent the implication that because I suggested CRI's give earlier
information about whether a horse is tiring I am trying to push all
responsibility for my horse onto the vets. I state right in the message
that I will do the CRI myself if it is not part of the vet check. Maybe
I should know how my horse is doing just by riding him but I havent
competed 1000's of miles yet and I DONT. I am also sure that I am not
the only person that competed in a few rides before I ever joined AERC
and got the handbook etc. so when I started I didn't even know what a
CRI was and I'm glad that the vets at those rides performed them and
ADVISED me what the numbers meant.
I was actually not pushing a mandatory CRI criteria, but just putting it
out there as a method that a ride manager COULD use to keep someone on
a horse that wasn't as fit from running with the front of the pack IF they
had concerns. I realize that this would be an addition to the AERC rules and
would have to be given in writing to the riders before the ride. I WAS
advocating that CRI's be part of the vet check, with advice from the
vets for rookies who don't know what the numbers mean yet. I HOPE that
you don't think horses should pay for a riders ignorance when a few
seconds of time from a vet can give that rider a warning that could spare
their horse from severe problems.
For the rest of you, forgive my tirade, but I can't stand the (my perception)
attitude that if you are not an expert you shouldn't be doing endurance.
Most of us have to learn from experience and I've sure learned more about
spotting and preventing problems with my horse doing endurance, than I
knew from several years of 4-H and ordinary trail riding.
Teresa