Re: Northwest Endurance Rides

[CMKSAGEHIL@aol.com]

In a message dated 98-10-12 13:21:31 EDT, llayman@neorx.com writes:

<<  Are there ANY rides in the Northwest (especially Washington) that are 
      still going to be held in 1999?  It sounds like they're all being 
      canceled. If any managers out there are planning on holding their 
      rides, please let us know. We're all in a state of panic.
      
      Linda-Cathrine
      Seattle, WA
      Northwest Region >>

I would strongly urge you to contact the AERC Board of Directors and express
your feelings about the Board decision that has caused these managers to
cancel.  A clarification of the rules MUST be made here, or else none of us
may be able to risk putting on rides in the future.  I, for one, thought the
rules were quite clear, and was distressed that the Board would jeopardize the
future of our sport by putting ride managers in such an untenable position.
If these ride managers CANNOT exclude a known dangerous horse, the insurance
carriers WILL pull coverage in the event of a serious injury caused by such a
horse on the premise that the manager is grossly negligent for allowing the
horse to compete, and is then liable for damages.  They have already said as
much.  Those of us continuing to put on rides in the face of the Board's
decision are possibly risking everything we own. This is a VERY serious issue,
and it is a sad day for our sport when ride managers have had to go to the
extreme of cancelling their rides because of risk to themselves in order to
illustrate the consequences of the Board's action.  I hope the eight directors
who voted to deny the appealed protest will continue to work to get this
decision overturned.

Heidi Smith, DVM