Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

I must say... as STICKY as this thread is.... I have to agree with Jim, Howard (yikes, and I am sending this publicly..<eg>) and Steph (except Steph, I KNOW my horse ISN'T stupid... although, sometimes I wish he was!<eg>).

I too, applaud the efforts of Bod here!  I remember the 70s, back then horses were JUST animals... Expendable!  I have seen horses die and it sure as hell isn't pretty.  I cried my eyes out when I witnessed first hand one episode, while the owner said.... "No biggy... there are plenty more horses out there."... UGH!!! 
Still to this day (20 yrs. later), I have a terrible feeling in my gut over that! (think it might be colic?) And towards the one responsible... all for a win... LUDICROUS!!!

YES, OUR (as an endurance FAMILY) horses should be of UTMOST concern.  I think ALL endurance riders KNOW (or should know) the risks we take.  To me MY horses are part of my family, but that is JUST ME.  All of us know about MURPHY! 

So I must say "THANK YOU" to the Bod.... I do appreciate your effort... but I also feel we need MORE FACTS (as Jim suggested).  My horse is just as likely to get LOOSE as anyone else's horse (or play the IDIOT role, which I might ad, he is QUITE good at!).  

We as (cough, cough) Howard said... NEED to learn from others mishaps!  

Geez, folks we used to wear panty hose and duct tape for crying out loud... This sport evolves EVERY YEAR (every ride)....  Learn what you can... Ride smart.. Ride till you puke, whatever! But by golly... KNOW your horse!  When your horse ~ your heart ~ your soul ~ your gut, (whatever) tells you something is wrong... LISTEN!
Don't be afraid to ask questions!  Ask the vet, ask someone else... I don't care... NO question is a DUMB question, if you're trying to learn!

If this sport were for WHIMPS... everyone would be doing it!

Ride SMART and ride HAPPY!
Jinnifer Plummer

<<Jim wrote:
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.

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.>>