In a message dated 1/5/2007 5:42:32 P.M. Pacific Standard Time,
c_collins@xxxxxxx writes:
I see
the great riders remaining great and the abusive riders remaining
abusive.
Darn straight. To us, the fastest horse over 2 or 3 big rides means much
less - really nothing - compared to the steady campaigner who continues year
after year after year, and sometime with more than one rider, staying sound and
expressing quality care in the doing.
You are correct - abusive riders are NOT taken out of the sport and they
SHOULD be. Unlike other sports where people cheat, cut corners (no pun intended)
whine and gripe about the conditions of an event, compete hell bent for leather
regardless of the consequences to others - in this sport, the ultimate victim is
the horse. An abusive rider's horse HAS no recourse if the structure does not
intervene. Here is the rub: there are too many people who don't LIKE being
called a creep or an idiot or an abusive "rider" and so they turn around and sue
people who are trying to protect both the horse AND the integrity of the
system/sport. So, people are afraid to name names. How do we change this? I know
of 3 abusive riders, one of which was slapped on the wrist for allowing her
poorly trained juniors to run over people, competitors as well as just people
enjoying the PUBLIC trails. Because she was not a member of AERC, I believe, she
was suspended for a year and had to serve some "help-me" time at rides; but is
back to the same ol'. Nothing learned, bad publicity for our sport, and
ultimately more horses lamed, ridden into the ground, then sold for big
prices as "proven" endurance horses. So...how can we change this? How can WE at
least hold people accountable? One should NEVER be punished for either an
incident out of their control or mistaken information; but when a rider, over a
period sometimes of YEARS, demonstrates abuse and unsportsman-like conduct, why
shouldn't AERC say, you just don't get to ride and we will make a NOTE of it so
if someone files against you, we will stand with them".?? Just some
thoughts....for the horses.
