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RE: [RC] [RC] [RC] Pred's Cup - Laurie Durgin

I can see that perspective --- so it is more of a ---demonstration ?

From: "StephTeeter" <stephteeter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: RE: [RC]   [RC] Pred's Cup
Date: Fri, 18 Feb 2005 08:48:40 +0400

Another day. This was a hard day, a hard ride. So much sand and sand and
sand and sand...

I'll write more later, but a few things:

There is no doubt that this is an extreme version of the sport. But it is
still the same sport - still 100 miles - still comes down to having a horse
with natural ability that has been conditioned to do the work.

You really can't compare completion rates at these events to completion
rates back home. These vets don't hestitate to pull a horse, for any reason.
Many of the lameness pulls are imperceptible to the lay person. Many are
pulled on CRI or low gut sounds or 'looking tired'. These horses are under
intense scrutiny - not just a quick glance, trot for 5 steps and 'OK' on the
vetcard. I've seen hundreds of horses declared 'fit to continue' at our
rides in the USA, especially the multiday rides, that were NOT 'fit to
continue' by these standards.

And these horses are pulled BEFORE there is serious trouble. If you want to
compare it to a demolition derby, then picture a derby of shiny rigs where
if you're scratched, you're out. These horses are not being 'trashed' they
are being eliminated from the competition before they -can be- trashed. And
the 'spirit of competition' is so strong over here, between emirates,
between stables, that if the vets weren't so tough, it would be a demolition
derby. But it's not.

Another thing to consider is that when you compare Endurance at the
FEI/International level to the other Equestrian sports such as Eventing and
Show Jumping - there is a tremendous difference in qualification (or lack
of). If can imagine taking the backyard trained horse and entering them in a
Grand Prix competition, or trying to do a 5' jump course, then you wouldn't
expect a great deal of success. Our sport still has little or no
qualification requirement, any old horse can try. So can you really expect
high completion rates at the high end of the competition spectrum? Many of
the International riders that were invited to the PresCup or came for the
WEC, had done well at one, maybe two events, on totally different courses,
very different conditions. There is no screening in the sport to guarantee
that only the very best, very most capable horses can compete.

This course was 100 miles of sand. Anybody who has experience riding (or
walking or running) sand should know that it is really really difficult. The
horses that did well (could actually finish the course) were primarily
horses that train on this course, in the sand. They have developed the
muscles needed for running in the sand. If you can't train continuously in
the sand, you really can't expect to have a horse that can trot or canter in
the sand for 100 miles.

More later -

Steph

-----Original Message-----
From: ridecamp-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:ridecamp-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of Laurie Durgin
Sent: Friday, February 18, 2005 6:38 AM
To: DVeritas@xxxxxxx; ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [RC] [RC] Pred's Cup


Sort of a "Demolition Derby for Horses"---and the value of this is.........?

>From: DVeritas@xxxxxxx
>To: ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>Subject: Re: [RC] Pred's Cup
>Date: Thu, 17 Feb 2005 12:27:22 EST
>
>
>In a message dated 2/17/2005 10:06:05 A.M. Mountain Standard Time,
>Leonard.Liesens@xxxxxxxxxx writes:
>
>Well... come on... horses entering such a prestigious race must be able to
>canter sound during 80kms at 20kph. They should be conditioned to perform
>at
>the canter.
>
>
>
>That said, what does an 18 percent completion rate say about the
>"soundness"
>of the state of endurance in such a "prestigious race"?
>Perhaps "endurance" should be replaced with "survival".
>
>In a region which seems to have a lot of sand, it sure seems the conditions
>were "perfect" to stage a race and invite the rest of the world to come
>play
>in the home conditions, eh?
>(What better way to ensure from which region a "winner" would emerge.)
>I know, I know, after all, it IS the President's Cup.....
>
>~Frank
>Congratulations, Heather, you "represented" well.
>
>
>
>



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Replies
RE: [RC] [RC] Pred's Cup, StephTeeter