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Re: [RC] [RC] New 30 minute rule for 50s - Long - Joe LongOn Sat, 5 Jul 2003 21:12:18 -0600, "Heidi Smith" <heidi@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: If a vet feels strongly enough that it should be 30 minutes, what's the problem with letting the RM know that when they are hired, so the infocanbe passed on to the riders?Because it isn't done because "the vet feels strongly"--it is done because ambient conditions call for it. There is no way that a vet can predict what the ambient conditions will be when he/she is hired.I would want to know of a change of this magnitude before leaving to travel to a ride, because IMO it would be a good reason not to go.Certainly your perogative.I pace for my horses to recover within five minutes or less at vet checks, but when I'm racing it isn't unusual to need more than 30 minutes to recover at the finish. Not allowing the full hour is incompatible with the fact that endurance rides are also a race, and the riders must be allowed to race.BUT it is a way to limit racing when ambient conditions suggest that it is not in the best interests of the horses. And that is what ride vetting is all about. (And what this sport is supposed to be about, too.) Ride vets don't do these sorts of things arbitrarily. If they did, they wouldn't get hired back. They do them because they think the horses will benefit. Again, I find it sad that one minute we're talking about how AERC needs to do more for the horses' welfare, and the next minute we're talking about how we can't be asked to rate ourselves when the vet feels it necessary to impose more stringent conditions (as per the rules) for the benefit of the horses.... <sigh> I do not believe reducing the recovery time allowed at the finish is an effective or proper means to "limit racing" when ambient conditions are difficult -- just the time that horses are likely to need LONGER to recover! Difficult conditions are already going to force people to adjust their pace, and lowering pulse recovery levels can force that further, without denying riders the full hour at the finish. I don't think that should ever be done. -- Joe Long jlong@xxxxxxxx http://www.rnbw.com =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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