Well talk about having some "cajones" My Hats
and there are tons of them go out to you Darlene.
Posting something on this list like you
did takes a lot of guts, and I was just worried about the flames I would get for
"suggesting" that over electrolying might be something to
ponder.
And isn't it a shame that when one speaks from
the heart, we have to "have TARGET firmly in place?"
Excellent post and I still am not tossing blame
to anyone, I wasn't there, but I do think that we need to get past the
condolences and try to be open as to how to prevent another horse
death.
This is the third equine death in the Western
States since August 10th, where I personally witnessed a horse go down, and the
vision still haunts me, as I am sure the owner is haunted as
well.
At personal risk of the "ridecamp backlash" I feel it's important to make a
few comments, for better or for worse.
First, I send my heartfelt sympathy to the horse who gave it's life in
the name of this latest competition, Rockin' Adios.
I watched Dr. Dane Frazier give a moving speech to the riders of the 2003
Pan American Championship and predict to the riders, at that time, that one of
the entered horses would die as a result of this race, he challenged the
riders to better past Pan Am completion rates. I've heard a similar speech
given prior to the 2000 Tevis cup, but it seems that the riders, to some
degree, believe they are above such statistics, even though the statistics
clearly prove otherwise. It saddens me to know we proved Dr.. Frazier's
numbers right...again. I was impressed with the fact that Dr. Frazier had the
"cajones" to say the things he did to some of the most impressive riders in
the United States. It's about time someone did!
Without throwing out personal flames or taunts, the research I've done
shows that Ms. Butler-Dial has not finished one single Pan American
Championship since at least the 1997 Pan Am in Bend, OR. That's 6 years of
very bad luck? I could not find the results for the PAC's prior to that. This
person has well over 23,000 AERC miles to her credit and should not be blaming
the ride vets for doing damage to her horse. She has enough miles to accept
some responsibility for contributing to her horse's demise, however small the
part may have been. She brought four horses to this event and only one
finished.
The vets are there doing the very best they can, most of the time only
becoming aquainted with any particular horse for the few minutes they see it
at each vet check.Ultimately it is up to the rider to know what is going on
with their horse and share that insight with the veterinarians. I see so many
riders making the vets play guessing games at vetchecks with regards to their
horses! This is ridiculous behavior.
Dr. Mike Foss let me help out in the barn with treatments at the Pan
American in Vermont, 2001. There were fewer treatments at this particular Pan
Am than many previous. Dr. Foss could only comment that the riders and the
weather must have been good that day. Ms. Butler-Dial's horse (leased out) was
referred to a surgical facility at the 2001 Pan Am, and only she can tell you
why, but I assure you it was not because of a ruptured stomach...that time
around. I spoke with her in Reno at the AERC convention early the next year
and she herself told me that that horse was euthanized due to a rectal tear
that could not be repaired.
This is another tragic event that has occurred, but I have a hard time
feeling very sorry for the riders, I feel deeply sorry for these magnificant
animals that are giving their lives to us, literally. The horses deserve
better. Our SPORT deserves better.
Darlene M. Anderson (target firmly in place)
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