OK, folks, about that ten to twenty percent. I get the feeling some
are taking that too much to heart so I wanted to come clean and tell ya'll that
I kind of pulled that one out of my butt. I was reacting to John's
statement where he said .001% of our riders don't do the right thing (if you do
the math that means one out of one hundred thousand, which is hard to believe
since we only have 6,000 members in AERC) or continue to
over-ride their horses. I thought his number was about as valid as the one
I pulled out of my butt. So, for that, I do apologize.
I'm apologizing because this issue is too important to me, and others, and
some of them have written to me on this subject ("Quit using numbers,
Howard, they're beyond your comprehension." And those were the kind
posts). For their own protection (Heidi wasn't one of them) I won't
mention any names.
However, the Pan AM numbers do fall into that category (16.8% of the horses
that started got into trouble as a result of that ride). But, I will
say, the Pan Am was an anomaly as far as I can tell. If all of our AERC
rides were like that I would no longer be a member.
Please take a serious look at DR. Mac's site. Here it is
again.
Go to the support section and read who is on there and what they have to
say. I swear, after awhile of reading some of them, I started to
cry. I got the feeling, "It's really going to change. These
fantastic riders are doing the right thing."
For once, here is an idea that is catching on. I didn't think I'd
ever see the day (keep in mind I've been on Ridecamp, of and on, for over 4
years now, and have never seen anything catch on like this seems to). It's quite
obvious that those who signed their name to it realize there is a need for a
change in this direction.
So, for awhile, I will shut up about this because if any of my posts gets
anyone to think that I have a clue about figures and data and how to use them,
let me be the first to say, "I do not." I'm an emotional wreck, I am in
therapy, and I do tend to get carried away sometimes. But, when it comes
to the horse, I do believe that if it isn't us who protects them, who will do
so? Think of all of this from the horse's point of view and I bet you just
might join in and sign up on Doc Mac's site. Make a statement. Let
the world know how you feel about this.
Changing any rule in AERC will take more than wishing. It will take
action, courage, and a willingness to put it on the line. Like I said,
this idea is one of the first I have ever seen that seems to have the "crowd"
talking. Go out in the barn and ask your horse what he would like to
see. Seriously, go out there and look them in the eye and ask them how
they feel about all of this. I bet I know the answer (and I don't know
much, especially when it comes to numbers).
I'll keep my posts to a minimum on this because I talk too much. In
fact, what I'll do, is for every ten posts Heidi makes, I'll make one.
That seems fair to me and realistic.
