Re: RC: Australian System

[Onefarmgirl@aol.com]

I was glad to see Angie reply to this post, and to read the earlier post from 
Jennifer Layman.   These discussions are not as "juicy" as rehashing some one 
elses' poor riding, bad manners, deceptions, or general bufoonery; but we've 
just got to get this dialog going.

It's going to be a major hassle to make any changes into the way we structure 
our sport, with lots of pushing and pulling and yakking, but I'm increasingly 
convinced it's necessary.   I'm not someone who favors more rules or more 
rigidity, but I think we've just got to look at the suggestions made my Dr. 
Mackey-Smith, and at the systems in place in Australia and parts of Europe.   
  As endurance riding becomes more and more popular, we have to build in more 
protections for the horse.   These enforced systems can also serve to protect 
an enthusiastic beginning rider from the nightmare of learning the hard way 
the anguish of damaging their horse.

I didn't do the conversions that Angie worked through, and to tell the truth 
I don't think the details of the logistics are too important, but what IS 
important is that we start talking about how to evaluate and consider the 
best parts of models which are successful in other areas, and how and what 
might work.  

pat farmer