Montana accident

["Dot Wiggins" <dotwgns@ruralnetwork.net>]

I was at the Posse ride this weekend.  I did not see the event but I was in
camp before the ambulance arrived.  I was at the meeting about the accident
as a ride manager and also a long time rider.
This is one of the best managed ride I have ever been to, with sharp crews
and plenty of them trying to be everywhere and do everything.
The riders are not novices, nor are they fools.  Everyone came in and or out
of that area all day.  In general, the track was open and safe to run in on,
perhaps a little close to congested spots, but the best to be had with the
terrain available.
The best trained horses and skilled riders cannot stop from a hard gallop
instantly, no matter how hard they try.  The riders tried to swerve to the
most open area they could see which was the vet trot out area which had no
horses at the minute.
It is my understanding the truck was driven by a visitor to the camp who was
not aware of the activity in that spot who was just arriving and there was
no time to tell the driver to get away from that place.
Let's not make a terrible accident worse for all by spreading bad
information.
This seems to me to have been a case of too many bodies, two horses running,
two riders trying to find a way through too narrow a spot, a moving truck, a
spectator not aware until too late to get out of the way.
Rides are hard to put on, it can be a thankless job with many worries,
things like this don't help us to sleep well even when we have done our
best.
No rider I have ever known would deliberately be responsible for this kind
of happening.  I know both people were in tears at times.
As Karen has said the last reports were the injured person was doing ok, and
we all wish him the best.
This was an ACCIDENT  guys.  Don't make it worse please.

Dot Wiggins

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