Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

The main problems I have with the 30 minute rule are that I believe it 1) 
is indiscriminate, 2) will penalize those who don't need this KIND of 
penalty, and 3) won't STOP those who override their horses.

1) It penalizes not only the rider whose horse routinely hangs for 30-60 
minutes but also the people whose horses might be hanging on just that one 
particular day.

2) From what has been written here on Ridecamp, it would appear that the 
majority of riders who take 30-60 minutes either do so because they CAN, 
not because their horses aren't down, or are having an experience that is 
unlikely to be repeated, such as having prepared their horses well enough 
to go 45 miles instead of 50, or their horses are coming down with a cold 
or are just having a bad mane day.  For this group, a vet's lecture about 
the relationship between overriding and time to recover would make a huge 
impression.  It would be a big penalty, knowing they had not done right by 
their horse.  Such a rider would be very inclined to work harder so as to 
have a better prepared horse next time.  Further, think how discouraging it 
would be for a person trying to move up to 50's, to have put forth the 
effort and time, finished with a sound horse and yet have nothing to show 
for it.

3) For those few who don't give a rat's ass about their horses, not only is 
a pull AFTER the fact, it is also no more than the proverbial slap on the 
wrist.  When a horse that belongs to a person in this group stops Top 
Tenning, it gets tossed aside and replaced with a new one.

Even so, IF the number of occasional offenders was small and the number of 
abusers large, the rule might have value.  But that is not the case.  It is 
the other way around.  Those who err occasionally constitute the large 
group and routine abusers the small group.

The reason the phrase "feel good rule" has been applied is that this change 
is just that.  A "feel good" action is one that will make you feel good 
that you have done something positive even though you really haven't. 
Signing Internet petitions against civil war and rape in Africa are an 
example.  You sign and forward the petition to all your friends so that 
without even climbing out of your chair you can believe that you have 
helped those poor souls.  You haven't.  The petitions are easy to forge and 
therefore worthless.  IF they ever reach a Congressional representative, 
they will simply be round-filed.  But YOU feel good.  This rule change is 
the same because it completely fails to address the problem - CHRONIC OVER 
RIDERS.

If you want to stop those who frequently over ride their horses, the people 
Heidi says are gradually and inexorably destroying their horse's health, 
the only way to do it is to track them.  That means requiring RM's to 
include final recovery times in their rider stats.  Once in the computer, a 
simple search will yield a list of repeat offenders.  Three offenses and 
the HWC sends a warning letter.  Six offenses = suspension for a CALENDAR 
year (or whatever numbers the BOD decides are appropriate).  Now you are 
PREVENTING abuse AND not attacking the person who occasionally makes a 
mistake.  This course of action would require dedication and work and 
FOLLOW UP, unlike with the 30 minute rule which has no provision for follow 
up, just pass it and forget it.  Makes one feel good though, "helping" all 
those overriden horses.

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