XP Ride - I am disgusted

[Rides 2 Far <rides2far@juno.com>]

>> Call it a personal fetish, but in my mind, 5000 miles of poor riding
\> skills, > happenstance success, and fortunately good horses, I find a
> continued lack of DESIRE to learn, to become 
>>better HORSEMEN 


>sigh< Is this official panty wad day or what? Well, I've already ridden
my horse this morning so I can testify that mine are quite straight. >g<

Personally, I think, considering what I read about the incident that
started this whole mess, what everybody ought to be discussing is the
wisdom of having a 50 mile ride with only one vet check during the ride. 


I don't think Merryben is trying to flaunt her miles, but having been to
lots of rides means you've seen *lots* of things.  It takes a whole lot
of things happening to see trends.  What if you show up at your first
ride and something bad happens, then you think the whole system needs to
be altered because of it?  Well...if someone else has spent practically
every weekend at a ride for 15 years and that's the first time they've
seen it happen...it may have a different impact on them.  

No, mileage doesn't tell you everything.  It may simply tell whether you
live in a part of the country where you can compete year around... but it
does tell you something.  What it's told me is that even an experience
rider could be fooled by a horse running on adrenaline if there aren't
any vet checks.  That's what I'd like to see questioned.

Angie McGhee
AERC 7092
SE Region
3300+ miles
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