Ridecamp: [RC] What Constitutes a Start?

> Ok... I'm going to stick my neck out on this issue. I believe that >
this> falls within the 'jurisdiction' of the ride manager, not AERC
rules. >  what would a protest look like in this case? What would you 
(or the BOD) protest?

Steph,

I like the idea of keeping the decision with the manager, but that
requires that the managers not abuse it. I was at a ride where we warmed
up in a big field, then when they said "go" we exited onto a gravel road.
One rider immediately felt that her horse had lost a shoe. The farrier
had already left for the vet check, so she just unsaddled and helped out
at the checks all day. I would *not* want to say, "She crossed the magic
line". She crossed it by about 50 yards...but that's the sort of option
I'd love to leave with the manager...but it requires responsibility on
the manager's part.  

Sounds like the girl at your ride could have learned a lesson to warm up
her horse >g< She'll be the one you're having to waste your time
rescueing with her horse tied-up 2 miles into the ride next time. I'd
have kept her money to remind her...cheaper for her in the long run.

What I have a problem with is going five miles. If you went 5 miles I'm
assuming that the horse *was* sound at the start, and then became lame.
That's part of a ride and that's a pull. What if the rider wasn't an AERC
member...now it's $14 you didn't send to AERC. Hypothetical
situation...NOT anything I've heard about XP, just hypothetical. What if
a manager somewhere decides that since these 3 non-AERC members got
pulled anyway...even though they went 20, 35, and 40 miles...they just
won't list them since nobody will miss them anyway. No refunds, just
won't list them.  That's $42 the manager can keep right? Is that
something we want to get started.  I've already received a note from
someone who said she was left off as a starter in a ride in the east when
she didn't finish...and did not get a refund.

Are we going to have to just shrug our shoulders when a rider reports
this?  I'm not big on lodging formal protests, but have found that
usually if you shine a big light rats will scatter. I just want to turn
the light on. 

As to filing a protest..wasn't the head of our protest committee on the
entire XP ride anyway? I'm assuming that if he saw anything that bothered
him he'd have mentioned it by now.  John, are you still on here? If
multi-days are run *that* differently than one day rides, maybe the
"Pioneer Division" should be more separate...Hey, ANOTHER split off
organization. >eg< (this could end up like the churches that get to
arguing and suddenly half of them who believe something end up meeting in
a garage >g<)

Angie



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