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Amen to Lisa's post.

If you want to do it the Aussie way, move to Australia. Some people just
need to do CTR. Howard doesn't have a particularly good track record (860
endurance miles with two metabolic pulls, both horses treated with one saved
from the brink of death) and he seems to be the loudest mouth on this
subject. Are you going to let someone like this come into this sport and
change the rules??? The thought of him mentoring someone is shocking. He
needs the babysitter. Don't let the loudest voices dictate to the rest of us
what this sport should "look like."

Sometimes I have found Howard to be entertaining but his pertinacity on this
subject is getting really old and boring.
Lauren

From: "oddfarm" <jsalas@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: [RC]   New Riders; proposals

   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.

   Lisa Salas, The Odd faRM


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