Re: RC: AERC and charges

[CMKSAGEHIL@aol.com]

In a message dated Wed, 1 Aug 2001 11:32:19 AM Eastern Daylight Time, SandyDSA@aol.com writes:

> Goodness, this train of thought is frightening to me. Yes, horses die - but   
> generally NOT at the hands of their owners/guardians who are responsible for   
> KEEPING the from dying. Even profound ignorance can be somewhat forgiven,   
> since far too many HORSE owners are terribly ignorant, let alone those   
> purporting to be skilled enough to ride 50 or more miles; but to indicate   
> that it is not unusual for a horse to die at a ride is just downright,   
> head-shaking wrong. 

I don't think ANYONE has suggested that it is "usual" for horses to die at rides.  Actually, a few years ago, I calculated a rough number of horses I had vetted at rides, and compared that with the number of deaths I had seen at those same rides, and figured out a percentage--it was a fraction of a percent.  It was actually lower than figures I was able to find for losses of horses in everyday veterinary practice.  So I'd say we are doing something RIGHT with our endurance horses, by and large, and that they are a pretty healthy group.

I have had the frustration of witnessing far too many equine deaths related to owner ignorance in the horse world at large--and I'd proudly hold up endurance riders as a group for their knowledge and care of their horses as compared to the rest of the horse world.  Yes, there are occasional bad apples--both abusers and riders who simply didn't know any better.  But before we start assassinating the sport, we might want to look at what we are doing RIGHT.  In no other discipline does the abuser OR the ignorant rider have to have his horse so frequently examined by veterinarians, or have vets and other mentors on hand for advice.  We should strive to eliminate as many problems as humanly possible, but we can't legislate against stupidity--in a free society, people have the right to be stupid.  One reason why I've always loved this sport is that there are a lot fewer insensitive and non-caring people in it than in any of the other equine disciplines with which I've been associate!
d, and most endurance riders mak
e a major effort to learn and to try to do what is right for their horses.

Heidi