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I recently, with reservations and not having renewed since 1990, renewed my
AERC membership.  Why with reservation?  The following are some of the
questions that have haunted my mind in connection with Endurance RACING.
These are questions that I ask myself.  I point out these are QUESTIONS.  I
do not have the answers.

What other high level Equine competition kills and cripples the number of
horses that are ridden to death or permanently crippled in endurance RACING?
Not only abroad at International competitions, but within the confines of
our own country?

Did we, the Americans, not see, when this sport was born, where it would
eventually go?

I remember in the late '80's there was a $20,000 JACKPOT race in Oklahoma.
One of the comments I heard when this ride was announded and advertised, was
"it's about time some money is offered in this sport.  Maybe the horses will
be worth something now."  I didn't attend that ride.  Being from North TX
and understanding the level of horsemanship and lack of knowledge about
horse RACING at DISTANCE in this area, I predicted a disaster.  I did not
want to be witness to the carnage.  To the credit of the AERC competitors,
when the conditions of the RACE were announced, they pulled out and moved to
a different location and conducted a competition based on AERC criteria.  I
wasn't there, but from reports, if they are to be believed, 7 or so horses
lost their lives that day in that JACKPOT race.  I'm fairly sure there were
others that died later or were permanently disabled.

Flat track racing has a hard time policing itself even though this racing is
conducted over a much short course in front of large crowds of people with
strict controls in place.   These logistics make it potentially much easier
to manage and keep the competitors honest than when the race is done over
long distances in remote areas.  When we are being "policed" by ourselves
(other endurance racing competitors) it makes it doubly difficult.  It's
hard for friends to police friends.

Why did or do we think, when big money comes into play even though not in
the form of cash prizes, endurance racing is going to be any less difficult
to control than flat track racing?

Even without the presence of high dollars, the human ego is enough, in and
of itself, to push our horses in the name of winning metals and cups, etc.,
beyond reasonable limits.

I've completed the Swanton and the Big Horn, before I'm too old, my goal is
to finish Tevis.  To that end, I have entered Tevis and rejoined AERC.  I
have a good solid horse with 2500  LSD CTR miles.

My goal hasn't changed in light of the recent debacle.  I only want to
finish Tevis, but I feel a little sick at heart for our Equine partners.  I
know, whether I approve or not, these good horses are going to be ridden
hard, sometimes too hard.  Horses can be ridden hard, at speed and distance,
they can be kept sound and healthy.  It takes a lot of knowledge, experience
and consciously motivated management to do so.  In the presence of high
dollars the already compromised, ego driven, conscience gets even more wane
and weak.  Or so it seems to me.

These are some of my thoughts and questions concerning what has led to the
current events we are experiencing at the International level.  I can't help
but believe others are thinking along similar lines.

I don't have any answers, but I think in order to find the answers, we need
to start thinking more about the welfare of our horses rather than that of
our pocketbook.  This started out as an AMATEUR sport.  Distance riding has
ample rewards that go way beyond what can be measured in dollars.  If the
current trend continues, those rewards are going to be considered and
experienced less and less and by fewer and fewer competitors.

I don't mean to offend, step on toes, or point fingers, but I truly believe
we've lost focus on what is most important, our responsibility for the
welfare of these wonderful animals that give us such opportunities for
reward and glory in ways that cannot be measured in dollars.

Linda Tate/Courts



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