The Horse magazine and apology

["jsalas" <jsalas@tampabay.rr.com>]

This month's issue of The Horse magazine has some wonderful articles, including one about the barefoot horse, the latest info in foals dying in Kentucky, dehydration and thumps and cooling hot horses. All apply to endurance riders.

    Also, I just finished reading June EN and the sad story of OT Kid Curry. When we were talking about horses dying at rides here in ridecamp, I stated that there was no reason a horse should just die after a ride. I meant a horse being run to death. The Kid was pulled during a ride and died very soon after that. Obviously, this horse was not run to death as he had a winning record that got him into the Hall of Fame. He was fit and riding the way he had been trained to do. So I am truly sorry to anyone who has lost a horse under similar circumstances, that I may have offended. How presumptuous of me to think that we have such total control over everything around us. After reading the story of the Kid I remembered the pre-purchase exam we did on Odd Todd. The vet said he had a heart murmur. Even I could hear it. He said Todd could outgrow it, or with conditioning and proper nutrition it could disappear or one day we could be riding and he could drop dead of a heart attack. Since then, no vet has been able to hear a heart murmur. Is it gone? Could I lose him in a race situation? I can only pray. I am sorry for the loss of a great horse, and all the other horses who leave thier families too soon. Lisa Salas, The Odd FArm