Re: RC: From Dave Nicholson (the Duck)

["Calle Mirkowsky" <horsez4ever@hotmail.com>]

I have a question, why are shorter rides more dangerous? I'm  riding 24s right now because I'm new at the sport and want my horse well preped, but to tell you the truth i'm iching to go 50. Help me out people. Also I want YOUR sugestions on legging up a previously injured horse, (has had a hard life)

Calle

>From: "Steph Teeter"

>To:

>Subject: RC: From Dave Nicholson (the Duck)

>Date: Sat, 24 Mar 2001 19:06:29 -0700

>

>Message from Dave for Ridecamp:

>

> >>-----Original Message-----

>From: DAVID NICHOLSON [mailto:theduck@scinternet.net]

>Sent: Wednesday, January 24, 2001 8:38 AM

>

>

> re: Fire Mountain Ride Meeting

>

>Lets clarify what was said at the Fire Mountain Ride meeting. While I

>have apparently offended a few of the riders, it was not my intention. I

>am especially concerned with some of the derogatory adjectives towards

>the LD riders that have been added which were not implied nor intended.

>My intention was to remind the riders that they are the ones who are

>ultimately responsible for the welfare of their horses and that I can

>only assist them in that undertaking. I shared some observations that I

>have made over the years regarding the use of exogenous products and the

>potential for veterinary problems on increasingly shorter rides.

>

>The primary point that I tried to make was that the riders need to be

>responsible for their horses. Further elaboration on this can be found

>under veterinary information at www.xprides.com. Another point was that

>I am becoming increasingly more uncomfortable with the use of exogenous

>products in the horses. Finally, I responded to some direct questions

>on the LD rides, which seems to be the most controversial.

>

>Lets clarify my opinions regarding the LD rides. First, you should know

>that I have suggested to every ride manager that I can think of, that

>the LD ride be separated from the longer rides so that we don’t have to

>work them all at the same time. Many times I have offered to come to

>the rides early to participate in a clinic. If the LD rides are to be a

>training ride for young horses and new riders, we should be spending

>more time with them, not less. The problem for me, as a

>veterinarian, comes from the green horses and inexperienced riders

>consuming time that we often don’t have during the big rides. In my

>opinion the LD rides should be a learning experience and that they can

>be improved by separating them from main ride so that we can spend the

>time with them that will make it a better experience for everyone.

>Separation means doing things like having the ride meeting the morning

>of the ride, after the fifties are gone, so that we can take the time to

>address issues that more experienced riders are bored with. It also

>means routing the ride so that we can take more time to handle the green

>horses and answer the questions that come up. The more experienced

>riders, who choose to occasionally ride a new horse in an LD, or the

>career LD riders who choose to never escalate to longer distances,

>should be able to have a little patience with the slower vet checks and

>repetition of advice.

>

>I am also of the opinion that the shorter the distance, the greater the

>potential danger for the horses. The LD were designed to appeal to the

>neophyte endurance rider and it should be clear that the less collective

>experience you have, the greater the chance for error. There were many,

>including myself, who were very apprehensive about fifty mile rides in

>the beginning of AERC. Being apprehensive about the potential dangers

>to our equine partners is a long ways from “beating up” on all those who

>share differing opinions. Those of you who were at the meeting can

>consider my comments as a rough draft of this message and I apologize

>for any other impressions that I may have left with you.

>

>Dave Nicholson D.V.M.

>

>

>=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

>Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net.

>Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/RideCamp

>=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

>

---

Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com.