Re[2]: Northwest Endurance Rides

[llayman@neorx.com]

     Heidi, 
     
     I have contacted the AERC board. They were unsympathetic because they 
     have changed no law, and have taken nothing away from the ride 
     managers. What it comes down to (and anybody correct me if I'm wrong 
     but this is what I got from the Doyle Patrick) is that the board 
     upheld the protest because area ride managers can't get together and 
     ban a horse from every ride in a region, regardless of their good 
     intentions, and the fact that they did it with the help of a board 
     member, or director at large, I can't remember which one. Regardless, 
     it's still called blacklisting. The rule still stands that each ride 
     is a separate event, and an individual ride manager CAN still ban a 
     horse and/or rider from their ride for cause. So any ride manager that 
     has witnessed unsafe behavior from a horse and/or rider at their ride 
     last year, still has the right to ask that horse and/or rider not to 
     return, OR to allow it to compete but disqualify it for bad behavior 
     should it arise. 
     
     I completely support our ride managers and their wish to put on safe 
     rides. The sad part, is that they still can, but perhaps they don't 
     realize it, or are just too worried about the liability. I can't blame 
     them. But that still doesn't alter the fact that the majority of rides 
     in my area are gone.  And yes, I'm working on putting on a ride next 
     year, so please, no comments about how I should get out there and do 
     it myself. I am. 
     
     Linda-Cathrine
     Northwest Region
     Cascade Ridge Runners


______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Re: Northwest Endurance Rides
Author:  CMKSAGEHIL@aol.com at IMail
Date:    10/12/98 10:38 AM
      
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