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[RC] New Rider Proposals (how new is new?) - Jonni JewellKaren posted: >>>I'll admit to being new to endurance, having ridden my first LD ride a few months ago .. but I've have owned, ridden and trained my own horses for over 40 years. I don't think I'd like being lumped in a "new rider"category and treated like I don't know anything. <snip> but I do have enough sense to know when my horse is off which is exactly what happened at my first ride and pull him at the first vet check (even though he passed).<<< "Off" as in lame? Or "off" as in not doing right??? Being off (lame) does not kill horses, just damages them. It is the metabolics that we need to understand to the best of our ability to protect our horses. There are riders with 20+ years in the sport of endurance, and tens of thousands of competition miles who still do not know when to call it a day when the horses is metabolically not right. Most folks who have owned horses all their lives, but have not been involved in distance riding, only know to read and understand the basics, usually in regards to a colic type situation. Understanding gut sounds in the different sections, knowing what that gum color REALLY means, watching for change in anal and muscle tone, skin tenting etc. Riders have been depending on the vets to protect them, and tell them if their horse is "fine" for too long. I think it is time riders take more responsibility on how their horse is "really" doing. They are the ones spending the day with the animal on the trail, not the vet. The vet has a few min. to analyze the horse, and move to the next one. They will find obvious issues with the animal. The riders SHOULD know of the ones that the vet does not see. (and TELL THE VET!) Not eating or drinking as they normally do, lack of enthusiasm, not wanting to move out like normal etc. etc. If the vet says the horse meets all parameters, but your gut feeling is that the horse is just not right, then talk to the vet, and pull if you feel it is the best thing to do! If I wanted a lot of rules, I'd ride NATRC<<< I wonder how many folks feel this way towards NATRC or the other competitive trail riding organizations, but have never actually competed at a ride????? Talk to many of the long time endurance riders, and they will often tell riders it is a great place to start out before moving into endurance. You will learn to pace an animal, the horse is started in a quieter, calmer environment than the start of many endurance rides, and tend to not get as "race minded" and excited. The vet checks are often more thorough than endurance rides, as the horse is checked for not only metobolics, but injuries, sore back, rubs, interference marks etc. Something "some" endurance vets are very good about checking, but others skip many of these areas. And the score cards you receive are worth the entry fee. Jonni =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= 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!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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