Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

Personally, I think that swallowing is a mechanical process, a mechanical 
process which, along with chewing, supports the INITIATION of metabolic 
processes.

I think Benji was off in the esophagus, a condition rectified by an 
invasive therapeutic procedure. Invasive - like inserting a nail in the 
hoof as one would do to replace a lost shoe.

He was fine both metabolically and mechanically following the procedure and 
could have continued had I chosen to do so.

BUT, because he was administered a drug during the fix-it process, had I 
continued, I would have been in violation of the AERC drug rule.

Even though the horse was fine and could have easily continued the ride, we 
could not continue because to do so would have been a rules violation. We 
could have continued and completed (with luck) and then someone could have 
protested and I'd have the stigma of an AERC protest. I opted to not proceed.

I chose not to continue on a horse that was, within the time parameters of 
the ride, sound.

I think it was my choice (well steph and sarah's:) to allow the therapeutic 
procedure, rectifying the mechanical problem (lameness of the esophagus) 
which led to a disqualification (DQ) based on the AERC anti drug rule.

Did I violate the AERC drug policy by allowing the procedure b/f being 
removed from the competition? If I were removed from the competition prior 
to the procedure, then it was because of a mechanical problem related to 
the esphogus??

None of this is black and white because of the complexity of the dynamical 
systems involved. To classify all conditions into one of 5 predefined 
categories requires that one ignore relevant details.  It makes for easy 
database programming.

:)

johnt 


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