Re: RC: There should be NO additional penalty for a pulledhorse

["Jana Crewett" <jfcr@ceh.ac.uk>]

>>> <DVeritas@aol.com> 07/05/00 08:47pm >>>
In a message dated 7/5/00 11:47:42 AM Mountain Daylight Time, 
guest@endurance.net writes:

<< We should NOT be penailizing people for stopping before the end.
 Doing so (more than is already done) cannot be in the best
interests
 of the horse.
  >>

I don't think a logbook system (and rules about banning horses who
fail several times in a row) necessarily penalizes riders who pull
their horses.

Here in the UK, we also have a log book system, and I'll just quote
the relevant rule from one of our societies:
"In exceptional cases, where there is evidence from a horse's Log
Book that it has been eliminated due to a recurrent problem during
the
             current season in the interest of the welfare of the
horse, the Technical Adviser ON THE ADVICE OF THE SENIOR VETERINARY
             SURGEON, may prohibit further competition by that horse
for a period of 30 days or more"

So - for this rule to come into effect, the horse has to have been
*eliminated* (rather than retired voluntarily by the rider) and it has
to be due to "a recurrent problem", rather than e.g. a streak of bad
luck where a horse has several different, minor problems in a row
which cause it to fail a few rides.
If anything, this rule encourages riders to pull their horse when in
doubt - if they pull their horses a few times for the same recurrent
problem (before it becomes so severe that they would get vetted out
for it) they face no penalty, however, if they go on until they get
eliminated for this problem a few times in a row, the horse might get
banned from competing for the next 30 days or more.

Our log books have a "mastercard" in the front, with rides, dates,
distances and results (incl. reasons for elimination), so it is very
easy to check whether a horse has had a recurrent problem and as
riders have to present their horse's mastercard at each ride, a ban
(entered on the mastercard) is very easy to enforce. 


Jana (happy with the UK log book system but deeply jealous about the
generous AERC time limits for 50 and 100 milers)