I think the only way to do this would be to issue different membership
cards, similar to what the Aussies do. Just joined AERC? You're a
newbie. Any prior ride as a nonmember does not count. And, if you
show up to a ride, pay the ten bucks non-member fee, you're a newbie.
Make is so you have to earn the right to be a member of AERC and the
right to be called an endurance rider. And, don't forget, have a
Pacer/Mentor, who gets credit for miles ridden, go with those newbies.
What would give an endurance rider the incentive to want to be a
Pacer/Mentor? Free registration for that ride, of course. Plus, a
captive audience for 50 miles. Sing me up for Pacer duties. I love
that job already! I bet there's a long list of volunteers for that one
if it ever comes to pass.
cya,
Howard
Oh for crying out loud, panty man. Why don't we just
hire babysitters? And who is going to determine that the babysitters are
qualified to teach and mentor? And what about riders who are not "real"
members but just members for the day? Are they "newbies" for every ride?
Does someone have to hold thier hand every time? Even after 4 or 5 rides?
You're kidding, right? What about riders who have done CTR for years
and now want to try endurance? You want to hold thier hand too?
I still have a lot of years left to ride ENDURANCE,
not CTR. I'll be damned before I let someone hold my hand
while I start a new horse. No, I don't know it all, but neither do you,
Howie. And YOU want to be a mentor?? Oh Lord, help us.
The majority of us riding in AERC are not stupid. I
resent being portrayed that way. I am glad that the Austrailian riders have
a good record for horsemanship. But so do I. Why do I have to change the way
I ride and compete? I haven't done anything wrong and I am following the
same rules as everyone else. I haven't had a horse die or even be treated.
I've been riding the same horses ever since I started and they are still
sound today. I resent the assumption that I don't know what I am doing. I am
willing to learn, but not be dictated to.
I am following the rules already set into place and I
don't have any problems. And neither do the majority of riders in AERC. New
members and old, alike. SO WHY DO WE HAVE TO CHANGE??? We all started with
the same rules, have ridden by the same rules and all but a FEW have done a
good job with the same rules. And even a few of those few, did everything
right, it just turned wrong.
While I despise the idea of "tattletales" going to the
HWC, I do believe that focusing on the riders with problems will eliminate
some horse treatments. I don't mean just giving them a slap on
the hand,either. And until the vets can come up with some solid answers
as to WHY some horses didn't make it, giving us special cards and "special"
riding buddies won't teach us a darn thing. If the vets don't know why, and
I don't know why some horses didn't make it, how the heck can I mentor
someone else not to make mistakes? How can anybody? We can't teach what
we don't know.
Bob has repeated over and over again. We have rules in
place, some people just are not following them. SOME people, not ALL.
But SOME people want ALL of us to change. Posters have contributed
some very good ideas for preventative measures, but I don't think they,
themselves had any problems to begin with.
I don't think the HWC has had a chance to do what they
propose to do. I think they should focus on the single incidents as
they happen, do the investigations, report back to the membership and go
from there.
You want to be more like the Australians, Howie? Go
ride with them. But didn't I read in some of their rules that you posted
that the vet was ultimately responsible for the horses care? Is that what
you want? Do you want the responsibility of your horse taken out of your
hands, being told when to ride, where to ride, how to ride, how many rides
you can do and how to take care of your horse?
I don't. And I'm guessing neither do most of the
members. There are more of us doing the right thing, then not. For those who
are not, AERC needs to get a spine and do what is in the best interest of
the horse.
I will certainly make my opinions known to the board.
Not that they count for anything.
