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Good post, Howard.....
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------OK,
it's in this month's issue of Endurance News, page 47, under the heading
"Workshop."  The first thing that struck me, after reviewing the Vet
Report covering the 7 horse deaths at endurance rides in the ride year
of 2002 was the following sentence that was attached to each and every
one:  "No specific management or veterinary circumstances have been
identified that may have prevented this
fatality."--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

IMHO, the problem here is not the statement itself, but the lack of
information that preceeded the statement.  In any "report", a
"conclusion" needs to be supported by "facts" that justify the
conclusion.  "Contributing factors" should also be included. My problem
with the reports are their brevity.  The reports should include all
"environmental" information available such as number of Vet Checks,
general humidity/temperature conditions, experience of the horse and
rider (names not required), etc. How will we ever come up with
rules/procedure changes to protect the horses if we don't document... IN
DETAIL... every horse death for research purposes? I do NOT believe that
horse deaths are inevitable in Endurance.  It should be an event as rare
as a major plane crash and investigated just as throroughly.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hopefully, the Horse Welfare Committee, and, yes, I realize it's early
in the game to ask them to make changes today, but, for tomorrow, I do
believe we need something more credible.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I agree, but it's important to remember that until the 2003 Convention,
the Vet Committee and the BoD would not even make public Vet Committee
Reports or inform the membership on how many fatalities we had, and
simply swept it all under the rug....and the Horse Welfare Committee did
not exist. AERC would not even reply to queries on this issue. AERC has
now "addressed" the membership in a formal letter. Board member Stagg
Newman researched and wrote a white paper on how to better care for the
horses at rides.

Is this enough? Absolutely not, but when training horses, it is
important to reward for the smallest "effort", then ask again for more.
Continue to "ask" and "reward" until you get the results you want.
Failure to reward for "effort" results in resistance, resentment, and
discouragement, in the case of people and horses..  I think the BoD and
the Veterinary Committee have made an "effort"...and I applaude them for
that.  However, as a concerned member, I expect to see continued
progress in this area. Hopefully, the Horse Welfare Committee will
publish periodic reports in EN and online as to what actions they are
planning to recommend to the BoD...and keep the membership informed.
Those of us committed to make a difference on this issue need to keep it
on the front burner, never go backward, and insist on progress.  I
sincerely hope the BoD will continue the "Hot Topics" on horse deaths at
the next Convention to give us an update on what they have accomplished,
listen to our comments, criticisms, and of course, our praise.
Hmmm...wonder how many horses will die in
2003? 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I really do hope we do better in reporting equine deaths at endurance
rides.  Actually, my hope is we don't have any, but, that's probably a
dream and not reality.  I will say, to Jim Holland, Laura Hayes, and
anyone else who is proactive on the Horse Welfare Committee (Jim, I know
you're not on the Committee, but, you should be); I want to be a part of
this.  Something is missing here and we need to get things rolling.
Hopefully, we're on the right track but I know WE CAN DO BETTER.  We owe
this to the horses, of that there is no doubt.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Howard, I think it is best that I'm NOT on the Committee. I am too close
to this issue, too passionate about what needs to be done, and IMO, have
pissed off too many people to be effective.  At this time, I choose to
give the BoD and appropriate committees the opportunity to address this
problem.

I do NOT believe that "Rider Education" on the dangers of Endurance
Riding and caring for the horse is enough.  For example, one of the most
publicized issues in this country is on the dangers of drunk
driving...DUI.  There are thousands of groups warning of the dangers,
billboards, TV commericials, ads, testimonials, etc. on the dangers of
DUI.  If "education" would fix it, then this should never be a problem.
So why then, do we have laws against DUI? Why would anyone do that?
Because we need to get the people who just don't give a damn off the
road...thus we have laws.  If you don't DUI, then why do you care how
many laws there are against it?

We need research in order to develop new and more strict rules in
Endurance to protect our horses.  If you don't override your horse, then
you won't even know they are there.  The people who do are a liability
to AERC and a danger to our discipline.  Howard....and all of you...I
hope you will continue to "speak for the horses" and to insist that AERC
continue to address this issue until it no longer IS an issue.

Jim, Sun of Dimanche+, and Mahada Magic.
( Sunny and I and Flinn Anderson on Abe tied for dead last at the Sunday
Liberty Run 50....in 11 hours and 45 minutes, hot, fly bitten, tick
bitten, and TIRED!)  <whew>






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