 |
[RC] Punishment at this stage? - sharp pennyI think we need to tread VERY Lightly here...this could open up a huge can of worms in regards to potential lawsuits and very public airing of AERC's *dirty laundry*. Currently not many outside of AERC have intimate knowledge of this dead horse topic...do we really want PITA, 60 minutes and a whole slew of other outside interests chronicling all this publicly? you start accusing a high profile rider and I guarantee when we mess with someone's livelihood they will seek outside legal action and in the process if they go down will try to bring down the whole *card house* with them. Right now our house of cards looks very shaky. We might as well kiss endurance riding as we know it today goodbye. Punishment should be the LAST topic discussed. We need to clean up *our own house* with suitable rules and set a SOP (standard operating procedure) that is uniform across ALL regions of AERC. I have only competed in two regions but there are huge differences in how one region runs an AERC endurance ride in relation to another region. IMO all AERC rides need to be run with the exact same format, utilizing the rules and regulations as set forth by AERC. In my way of thinking the only difference when you travel to another region to compete should be the terrain of the trail and weather. Until there is uniformity across the AERC board [in things like length of holds per miles of trail, where the out and in timers are positioned, where a roped off P&R is in relation to the vet check, minutes allowed from in time to when you must present to P&R and uniformity of vetting protocol before and after a ride are just a few of the things that need to be addressed and standardized for every AERC approved ride to follow no matter who the vets and RM's are or where the ride is being held. Until these are set in motion and adhered to how can we expect any changes toward the benefit of horse welfare to successfully take place? This coast to coast uniformity will also aid with gathering statistics, a giving us a greater standardized pool to pull from. JMHO from another relatively newbie. Penny Sharp, (#M30707, CT region) First of all, I'm a self-confessed relative newbie, having only been in the sport since 1999 and not having many miles. But I've been reading this debate with a great deal of interest, and I think Edie has mentioned something worth thinking about here. I'm generally not one to be in favor of "punishment" types of remedies in sports such as endurance. But for riders who seem to repeatedly have major metabolic problems with their horse or horses, but who have been riding long enough to feel (right or wrong)that they are "past" needing education, what is to be done??? Perhaps what is needed is to put them under a magnifying glass, impose some sort of sanctions, or maybe ostracize them publicly (if concern for their mount doesn't motivate them to "do right", maybe the threat to their image will do the trick). Several folks on the list who are far more knowledgeable than me have noted that a 15 minute pulse-down requirement is not likely to catch very many additional pending crashes. Given their experience, I tend to believe them. And I just can't buy that it's mostly the hot shoes who crash horses - I know several people personnally in CT region who regularly finish top ten, often top 5 or win, and I haven't seen their horses on jugs. So I know it's possible. What are they doing different? Maybe putting their horses first and leaving their egos in camp? So how does one "reach" the people who *do* regularly have metabolic crashes with their mounts? Perhaps go after that ego/image/reputation? I don't know...but it just seems to me that the solution needs to involve action directed at the chronic problem riders, as well as top-notch eduation of newbies and those not-so-newbies who are willing to listen and learn (the #2s Edie mentioned). I know one problem is that the chronic offenders, by definition, have been around in the sport a long time and no one is willing to step on their toes, but what's more important - appeasing and staying on the "good side" of these people, or biting the bullet and standing up for the horse? Geez, I need to shut up...I tend to get wound up sometimes. Dawn in East Texas. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- =- -= Discussion List Archives: http://www.goldhill.com/members/index.html =- -= Subscribe/Unsubscribe: mailto: AERCMembersForum-moderator@xxxxxxxxxxxx =- -= Rules of Usage: http://www.goldhill.com/members/index.html =- -= Terms of Usage & Liability: http://www.goldhill.com/members/liability.html =- -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Free Pop-Up Blocker - Get it now http://companion.yahoo.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!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
|