Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

Dear Kat,

 

I've understood you from your first post. 

I agree with your assessment of "world class riders" presenting horses (who are unfit for soundness or metabolic reasons) to vets at (so called) world class events as probably needing to adopt a different moniker or receiving some type of sanction.

It is the World Class events which receive the attention of affiliates...affiliates who would subsidize the (hoped for) expanding of the the public's awareness of the sport of endurance horse racing.

 

Perhaps, to go one step further along this path, and in the vein of making riders TRULY responsible for their mounts, some form of this could be adopted by the AERC.  That would ensure an honest evaluation of mounts by riders and their crews BEFORE presenting to the vet at vet checks.  I know, I know, it would slow down the racing, but hey, many horses wouldn't complain.  Then, if the rider had any question as to the ability of the horse to continue, perhaps, the rider would "err" in favor of the horse, rather than the event, the award, the points.....

 

Riders would have to understand the locomotion of their horse, the sounds of a healthy, recovering heart being tasked with effort, the sounds of appropriate peristalsis, etc.

 

If a rider felt that their mount was unfit to continue, they'd still have to present to the vet and state (something to the effect of ) "I believe my mount is unfit to continue because of ........................." and the vet would then either verify the riders feelings or assuage the concern.

 

If horse welfare is something the AERC can truly influence in a sport where, ostensibly, the rider is responsible for the horse, perhaps this could be a direction we could head.

 

Frank




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