Fw: high vet score-best conditoned

["Sandy Bolinger" <bolinger@bigsky.net>]

----- Original Message -----
From: Sandy Bolinger <bolinger@bigsky.net>
To: Maggie Mieske <mmieske@netonecom.net>
Sent: Tuesday, June 06, 2000 8:01 AM
Subject: high vet score-best conditoned


> I agree with Maggie....it has gotten to the point where 50's are goingsoo
> fast that every ride should have a vet check 1/2 mile from the finish...I
> always feel high vet score is more meaningful than best conditioned...AND
I
> have a question that I'm sure there is an good answer to...Why don't the
> vets ask for horses to be trotted in circles particularly at the pre-ride
> check and at completion???Aren't most lameness more apt to show up on a
> circle than in a straight line?  I know it was common practice a ROC and
> some other rides...Ray Randall uses the circles allot....just
wondering...??
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Maggie Mieske <mmieske@netonecom.net>
> To: Lynne Glazer <lynne@glazer.org>
> Cc: <ridecamp@endurance.net>
> Sent: Tuesday, June 06, 2000 7:18 AM
> Subject: RC: Re: Ride Meals, Entry Fees and LD BC
>
>
> > Lynne,
> > Not being in your neck of the woods, I can't speak for everybody and
every
> > area but I can tell you that I don't believe that a BC is necessarily
won
> > by racing at any distance, 25 or 50 or 100.  I have won 2 BC awards at a
> 25
> > LD....at one my horse pulsed down 3rd and most recently he pulsed down
> 1st.
> >  Though 3 of us rode in a group in the lead at this last LD, I never
felt
> > that we were racing...the horses all settled into a comfortable
trot/lope
> > (well, the one gal rode a standardbred so she TROTTED the whole way).
It
> > was Malik's first "endurance" (format anyway) ride.  He performed to
> > perfection...eating, drinking and going down that trail like a trooper.
> > The standardbred was a mare and he was a perfect gentleman.  We rode
into
> > the finish at an easy lope, he announced his arrival and pulsed down in
2
> > minutes.  It was a cool day but we did some electrolyting anyway a
couple
> > of times so he knows the routine.  I was surprised at our ride time...it
> > was a lot faster than I thought we were going.  It was not an easy
trail,
> > certainly not flat with lots of sand and hills and some rocky areas.  He
> > had a ball and won a BC to boot.  This weekend he does his first
> > 50...pretty flat, some sandy areas if I remember correctly and may be
hot
> > and humid (depends on the weatherman's whims).  Malik will probably do
> some
> > more 25s this year mixed in with some 50s...of course, all this depends
on
> > him.  I would like to think that the BC is more important than first
> across
> > the line with LDs...we do still have the rule about order of finish is
> > order of pulsing down, right?  I know that's how we did it last month.
> Had
> > to pulse down to 60.  Anyway, I LOVE the award we received...sort of a
> > stadium blanket with the name of the ride (Little Manistee Memorial
Ride)
> > and Best Condition embroidered on it.  A wonderful start to what I hope
> > will be a long and glorious career for Malik. My score sheets are
> important
> > to me because I use them as tools to improve what we do for our
> > horses....what can we do next time to have a better score in such and
such
> > an area or whatever.  I wish we could all keep copies of our vet cards,
> > too!!   Anyway, keep an open mind...I know it may seem like you
shouldn't
> > fuss over LD that much to discourage the "bad eggs" who are going to
race
> > anyway but know what?  There are bad eggs out there racing their horses
> > into the ground on 50s!  Or 100s!  There's always going to be some at
any
> > distance!  I think the LD rides contribute financially to the success of
> > some rides and may draw riders that might not come otherwise.  Again,
what
> > the heck do I know?  But thought I'd share my thoughts with you.  BTW, I
> > thought LD only stood the first 6 finishers for BC?  Did that change,
too?
> >
> >
> >
> > Maggie Mieske
> > Mieske's Silver Lining
> > 10601 S. Richards Rd.
> > McBain, Michigan 49657
> > http://www.netonecom.net/~mmieske
> > mmieske@netonecom.net
> >
> >
> >
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