Re: [RC] It's not "All About You" - Maryanne Gabbani
Listening to the debate about Big Horn is really interesting to me with my plan of arranging a 50 mile for Egypt in the fall. All of our previous rides have been done in the desert...just the desert... and have been loops for the water/food/vet issues. I'm planning on only 20 of the 80 km of my ride in the desert, for the safety of the horses. I really think that 80 km of our loose sand is simply too much for the horses...not to mention for the sanity of the riders.? 80 km of sand, sand, sand and just the occasional pyramid in the distance can make anyone squirrely. But the usual local argument for desert riding is that it is safer...ie, no people around.
My riders, however, will have to deal with another type of obstacle. No threat of falling off mountains or being washed away in a creek, they will have to ride 60 km while saying "Salam Aleikum" or "Hello"...literally "Peace Be Upon You" every minute or so. This is so stressful that virtually none of our local riders are willing to risk their larynx at this ride.?
There are all sorts of issues with every ride and I think that the Gamoosa Gambol is a good example of the variety. Riders will have to watch out for donkeys, water buffalo, sheep, goats, chickens, ducks, and geese on the trail...not to mention all the humans who will be working their fields, harvesting crops and having tea along the path or blocking it with either a pickup truck or a donkey cart. There are village areas where riders will have to watch for children underfoot, most of them yelling things like "Good Morning", "money!" (an annoying one that), "What time is it?", or "What's your name?".
I have no idea at all about how we can mark trail but I'm hoping we can do it with gypsum on the ground and that it will stay there for a day or so.? To be honest, I'm hoping most of the riders can come ahead of time so that we can ride the parts of the trail independently (probably one 40 km loop and 2 20's from my farm) ahead of time so that they can get familiar with the local SNAFU's ahead of time. Part of me thinks that a bunch of endurance riders can handle the social and zoological aspects of a ride like this just fine, and part of me thinks I'm totally nuts and should be locked up.??
Will be interesting to see which part is right.? Dr. Q, want to come and try it out?
Maryanne
On Jul 24, 2006, at 4:22 PM, oddfarm wrote:
We?ALL have a responsibility to do what is right for the HORSE. RM should make sure that the trail is safe and has some back up plan for emergencies for the HORSE and rider. Vets should monitor horses very closely on these "tough" trails and not be caviler in their assessments. Just because our rules say a horse can go out with a grade 1 or 2 lameness (which is stupid imo) doesn't mean they should. And riders, you need to consider in all your wisdom and expertise about YOUR HORSE, what would be in his or her best interest for that day, for that ride.
?
I don't think that is asking too much and can't imagine anyone would.
?
At the end of the ride, we should all want the same result. Not the beauty and challenge of the trail, not the camaraderie of our riding buddies, not the goodies that come after the ride but the fact that we have a SAFE AND SOUND HORSE! Your points, your mileage and the fact that YOU came through a tough ride?won't mean a damn thing if your horse comes in just barely passing the final vet check. That's when "To Finish is to Win" becomes a load of crap.
?
Now I am NOT saying we ask too much of our equine partners on a challenging ride. If the?HORSE is well PREPARED for the task at hand, all should go well. But if something does go wrong, and the other safeguards are not in place then that is just plain cruel to the HORSE. Wouldn't you agree?
?
It is not about what YOU want people, (loops, no loops, drag riders or riders that aren't a drag ;)?but about what brings our HORSES in from the trail safe and sound. If you come into camp with heat stroke, a really upset stomach requiring surgery?or even a heart attack, (Lord forbid) YOU have a good chance of survival. Not necessarily so for our equine partners. In or out of our control, we still have to do what is best for the HORSE.
?
That is all we can do and anything less is just plain cruel.
