Re: RE: It's a Drug.

["mmieske" <mmieske@netonecom.net>]

I do believe that the heart of our sport is about our horses' natural
abilities as athletes however, I do not think that we should forget how much
the rider contributes to the equation.  A horse can have all the natural
ability in the world but without a savvy rider who feeds, conditions, shoes,
strategizes and rides smart, where would the horse be?  The same could be
said in the reverse...a rider could do everything right but without a horse
with the ability to achieve the goals, where would that leave the rider?  I
do not believe in using products that "enhance" performance but isn't
everything we do for our endurance mounts an attempt to enhance their
performance?  What we feed, how we shoe, how much or little we ride at home
and in actual competition.  I understand the concerns stated in this thread
about the thin line between something that is "natural" and something that
is a drug...just because something may come from a "natural" source does not
mean it won't have drug like properties (per Kat's examples).  I find this
thread very interesting and hope we can continue some intelligent discussion
in an effort to enlighten riders, new and old, about the rules and about the
integrity of our sport.  That's the nice thing about RC...we can educate
each other, even if it's about our own opinions and perhaps make a
difference in helping people make decisions about how they choose to enhance
their horse's performance (or not) and where they draw the line.    Just my
two cents.... no change please!  :)
Maggie