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RE: [RC] 30 Min Rule - Mcgann, Barbara

Thank you, Bruce, for speaking out against the "punishment" mindset.

I started endurance in 1976 and was moderately successful, won a ride
here or there, top tenned frequently.  Moved to Idaho in 1982 and my
troubles began.  I had not one, not two, not three, but FOUR horses
start tying up.   Was it my feed...no, hadn't changed from grass hay, no
grain, one vitamin supplement.   Was it my riding.   No, I was still
trying for middle of the pack status.  We embarked, though, on a long
trial and error process with my boys.  Take one to the ride....does just
fine, finishes 6th.   Go to another ride, 3 miles in he ties up.  Home,
blood tests, vet suggests supplement, rest, feed the supplement,
re-condition horse, go to ride.  Boom, tied up.   Home, more blood test,
vet suggests change in feed.   Try that, rest horse, re-condition go to
ride - he finishes 9th.  Hey, maybe that was it.   Go to next ride,
boom, tie up.  At one point, people were suggesting it was the breed of
horse I rode, so I went out and bought two Arabs.   They, too, tied up.
You can imagine, at this point, the self-incrimination, the
embarrassment that I was heaping on MYSELF was fierce.  Over a period of
about 4 years, I had less than a 50% completion rate.  To make a very
long story shorter, it turned out to be our water and since we have
changed water, I have not had a tie-up come off my place since.   

What would a set of rules like Jim proposes have done to change my
story??   Believe me, the welfare of my horse has always been my
overriding concern.  I got so good at recognizing the systems of early
tie-up that I would get off my horse, walk it back to the camp, and the
vets would say "That horse isn't tied up."  I would say, "Oh, yes, it
is, take blood - you'll see I'm right.".   All of those horses are still
alive and useful today, never overridden, never abused, but if Jim had
his way, I would probably be banned for life from the sport!  ASSUMING
that a metabolic is a sign of abuse or overriding does not leave room
for the myriad of metabolic problems that can occur to even the best in
the sport.

Barb McGann, AERC #840



-----Original Message-----
From: ridecamp-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:ridecamp-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Bruce Weary DC
Sent: Monday, January 08, 2007 13:46
To: 'Ridecamp'
Subject: [RC] 30 Min Rule

   Jim Holland has long suggested that the path to compliance and thus
greater horse welfare is through punishment. The type of punishment that
will drive the point home, embarrass the rider publicly in his chosen
hobby, and make him think twice about mis-treating his horse, whether
deliberately, or simply through "not reading him" properly, as Jim
claims he can do.

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