Re: Horse Dying at Endurance Ride

["Linda Hedgpeth" <lth@thegrid.net>]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Lif Strand" <fasterhorses@gilanet.com>
>
> Exactly.  It does happen that horses that are not over ridden drop
dead for
> entirely other reasons.  There does not have to be a direct
connection
> between having been ridden - no matter how hard - and the death.  I
hate
> jumping to conclusions because I've been proven wrong so many times.
If
> the vets didn't see a problem with this horse and pull it, then
maybe
> that's because the horse wasn't showing signs that it was in
trouble -
> maybe the horse wasn't in trouble!

One of the points that has been brought up concerning this ride and,
perhaps, others like it is this:  On the 50 miler, the vet check is at
the halfway point ONLY.  There is NO OTHER VET CHECK until you get
back to camp at the end of the ride.  This person suspected her horse
was ill and elected NOT to vet in at the end.  The vets told her to
slow down at the halfway vet check.  She didn't and came in on a sick
horse.

*Perhaps* if there had been two vet checks on the 50 mile course
instead of only one, they could have DQ'd her at the second one.  That
way, if the mare was questionable at the first and was still getting
the dog snot ridden out of her, there should have been some clearer
signs at the second . . . . and maybe she would be alive right now.
IMHO, the vet checks should be a little closer together than 25
miles - especially on desert rides in June.

Just a thought.

Linda Hedgpeth
Janesville, CA
lth@thegrid.net