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[RC] It's Human Error not the trail, Acceptable horse deaths? - Steven ProeHi Marcia/all: It is my opinion that the trails are not to blame, including the "Tevis/Western States/Run trail. There is no way to protect our partners from injury other than GOOD training, Riders that have horse sense, and Horses that are experienced in trails riding and Endurance on Single track trails. I personally have used these trails worked on these trails and know at least one of the people that was involved in this "Accident". I have spoken to a person that knows where the accident occurred, it was not a very narrow trail, It was described to me as being "Wide" in the area that "Accident" occurred. I use the word "Accident" as I do not believe that anyone that is involved in a Ride/Race, Event, Endurance Sport ever deliberately has it in their heads that they planned to injure another Rider or Horse including their own or any other person or critter. Yet it does occur, I think that some of the people that enter into the "Wood's" are ill prepared for their entree into some of these places and events. Many people can not gain this experience other than doing the event, other than by participating in "Fun" rides over extremely safe and wide open trails. This is called "Homework". Yet this is no guarantee that "Accident's" will not occur to Rider's and Horse's and other participants. I have recently in my neck of the woods(Cool CA) heard of "Freak Accidents" that have injured and killed riders. One was a tree falling on a rider and the other was a horse unexpectly bucking the rider off, causing GREAT bodily injury and yet standing by and allowing the rider to mount and he horse carried her to safety and most 'likely" aided in her survival. I state that "likely" because the lady had the equipment and presence of mind to realize what had occurred and was prepared to help in the surviving of this "Accident". The lady states that she believes that she was fearful that she would bleed to her death if see could not ride out to help. All things in life are a risk, to blame a inanimate piece of dirt as the culprit. THE TRAIL DID NOT DO ANYTHING! People can always make a choice. My Thoughts. Steven Proe: Tevis trail rider, repairer, and lover. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ridecamp Guest" <guest-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> To: <ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Monday, July 05, 2004 7:36 AM Subject: [RC] Acceptable horse deaths? Please Reply to: Marcia Francis love2ride3@xxxxxxxxxxx or ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ========================================== I am shocked to read about another horse falling off the "Tevis Trail" to its death at this last weekends WS ride. What is even more shocking is how many people seem to deem this as an acceptable risk, and to have an "oh well, s*** happens" attitude. Didn't TWO horses fall off during last years Tevis? One to its death? Not only is it not unusual for this to happen during the Tevis (and apparently the WS) ride, but someone told me it happens to people doing their training rides up there as well. (I believe there was an article in Endurance News this last year about a horse being helicoptered out after falling during a training ride) Why is something not done about this? This section of trail has a history of serioius problems. Honestly,there are enough inherent risks to riding horses and endurance riding, do we need to knowingly put ourselves and our companions in this kind of danger? For a belt buckle? For a photograph (this weekends completion prize for WS)? Why can't this section of trail be fixed or eliminated? I know that there are no compeltely "safe" trails. That is not the issue here. The issue here is that this is a known problem. Is our AERC Horse Welfare committee interested in things like this, and will they do something? I honestly hope that this last fatality is not in vain. My heart goes out to the rider and to the horse. Marcia =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= 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!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= 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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