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Re: [RC] They all only go on "with qualifications" - Barbara H-BAt 05:33 PM 2/17/03, you wrote:The question boils down to can a vet favor one rider over another in giving a break, i.e. allowing them to go on for a completion, when he wouldn't give another the same break? I had an experience of this when doing the ROC in Colorado in 92. We reached the check at over 9,000 feet with a slightly elevated CRI and slightly stiff hindquarters. Jim Bryant and Ray Randall were the vets there. Jim Bryant was my vet at home. Well, Ray was dubious about sending me out again - my horse was obviously not "right" at that altitude. Jim said to Ray "I know the horse and I know the rider. They live at 3' below sea level and train at 3' above sea level. Let her go on. She will walk all the way back to camp if we tell her to." And they did and I did walk on foot all the way back down to base camp about 10 miles. Because of Jim being at that vet check we completed the ride - very slow mind you but we did complete with a 48/44 CRI and overall B+ at the finish. So, was this fair? Perhaps not - but the vet knew about the altitude difference and that we were in no "trouble". BTW on our 2nd ascent to that 9,000' VC her CRI was 52/52. This is the way of our sport - we trust our vets and they trust us (for the most part) and we are a team working together to do as well as we can given the circumstances. Yes, it's all about trust!
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