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[RC] completion rule -- another consideration - Joe LongI said I wanted to wind this down, but after going to bed I kept thinking about it and realized that there is a point that no one has addressed, to my knowledge. It has to do with the reason that a horse that doesn't recover within 30 minutes at a vet check is not allowed to continue.Research has shown that a horse who's pulse does not recover within 30 minutes is at risk of getting into trouble if subjected to additional stress, by going on down the trail. That does not mean that a horse who takes longer than 30 minutes is already in trouble -- he may or may not be, a full vet exam is necessary to determine that. But he is at increased RISK of GETTING into trouble if he goes on. For this reason, along with the difficulty of getting to horses in trouble in remote areas, we do not allow horses who do not recover within 30 minutes to return to the trail. This is a wise and prudent policy. Now, look at the finish. The predictive value of the recovery time no longer applies. The horse is not going to be subjected to additional stress. It doesn't matter one whit if there is increased RISK that the horse would get into trouble if stressed further, as he is not going to BE stressed further. All that matters is if the horse is unharmed and fit to continue at that point -- so it doesn't matter if that determination is made within 30 minutes after finishing, or within one hour after finishing. Therefore, disqualification after the finish for not recovering within 30 minutes does not help the horse. It does not spare him from additional stress, or additional risk. The only way it could help him at all is if the threat of disqualification caused his rider to ride more slowly on the last leg of the ride. But I do not believe this will happen. No one racing to a finish line is expecting his horse to not recover. If a slow recovery occurs, it is unexpected (and after the fact). All that reducing the time allowed for the post-finish vet exam will accomplish, then, is to disqualify some horses who are actually still fit to continue, but who are at increased risk of BECOMING unfit to continue if they are subjected to additional stress -- stress which they will not be getting anyway. I do not believe that this is either wise or prudent.
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