Re: RC: Dance Line

[Liz Newfield <lizfield@jeffnet.org>]

Sorry, I didn't read it that way.   
1. It really didn't sound to me that it was that obvious that Howard's
horse was not able to take the rate of speed or that Howard was acting in a
reckless manner.
2.  Interesting to me that you wrote this response since I didn't name
anyone in particular as having flamed Howard.  However, it did sound like
you and a few others came down a bit hard on someone who had just
publically bared his soul.  But then maybe that is your style as I found
your response to me just a bit testy. 
3.  My first endurance ride was in 1977 and I rode 50 miles.  I knew
absolutely nothing -- and the "experts" didn't know a whole lot more.  I
ended up riding several rides quite fast -- because it was fun and the
horse gleefully picked the pace.  I pulled on about my 4th ride as my horse
didn't appear to be having fun and appeared a bit tired.    Two of the
horses that completed on that unseasonably warm day died that night.  Mine
was fine but there but for fortune go I, Howard and anyone else who rides
horses.  


At 01:28 PM 3/23/2000 -0600, you wrote:
>a horse experiencing a tie up is not hardly the same thing as a horse
>crashing because the rider chose to ride 2 loops with experienced, fast
>100 milers just cuz that would be fun
>
>that's like comparing apples and oranges - not even in the same boat
>
>Tina
>
>Liz Newfield wrote:
>> 
>> Sometimes I read some wonderful things on Ride Camp.
>> Howard, your story brought tears to my eyes and I really admire you for
>> writing it and for your humility.
>> 
>> >I have no opinion about what happened to Howard because I was not there
>> and I
>> >do not know him but before you write posts like this one, you better make
>> >darn sure that nothing bad ever happens to one of your horses and you
can't
>> >do that.  AS one of the my close friends with over 15,000 endurance miles
>> >says, if you don't want a horse to die, don't ride one.  Better yet, don't
>> >own one because it will probably happen to all of us..........Maryben
>> >
>> Maryben, thank you for writing this.  I was lurking in the background
>> trying to figure out how to express my reaction to the flamers.
>> 
>> I recently had an experience not very different from Howard's.  I was
>> fortunate that my horse didn't get as sick but it did take him several days
>> to recover.  He is a 9 year old horse that is well condiditioned.  About 3
>> miles of easy riding up a road that he has traveled many times he had a
>> major tie up, had to be rescued with a trailer (I count my blessings that
>> he was accessable) and rushed to the vet for treatment.  Why?  We don't
>> know, though there are certainly enough theories.  Sometimes it just
happens.
>>
>
>