dead mare at NASTR

[guest@endurance.net]

sindy mccosker sindymccosker@hotmail.com
Your right, this isn't the place to air the gory details of the sport, but
where is?  The fact is a horse died, no matter who is at fault! And this
is something that happens in this sport!  By not talking about it you are
not doing the new people to the sport a favor.  People need to know that
you can kill your horse by riding it too hard.  You can also loose your
horse through no fault of your own.

In 1999 we were at Forest Hill watching the riders coming into the vet
check at the Tevis, and yes there were horses lined up on IV's.  It does
happen, it is part of the sport.  Most of the folks who ride endurance
take exceptional care of their horses, but there are also new people who
are coming into the sport.  People who know NOTHING about horses.  They
think a horse is a machine that will go, and go, and go.  These are the
ones who need to know that horses are animals, and you CAN kill them.
Arabians especially will go above and beyond for their owners.
I'm not sure why this subject should be kept quiet.  No names have been
named, no accusations made.  It happened and we need to keep it from
happening again.  If this happened in the show ring everyone would be
outraged.  David Boggs was barred from the show ring for cosmetically
changing horses in his charge.  I'm not sure why the death of a horse at a
ride does not outrage people.  I guess I am just too naive.