Sadly, the “facts” you get on
the forums are probably all you are going to get.
Despite the fact that a record number (10)
of horses died at rides in 2006, the AERC through the Horse Welfare Committee
has not published ONE Individual Fatality Report on ANY of those horses,
although the first fatality in 2006 occurred 16 months ago.
In 2004, Veterinary Committee Reports were
shared with the membership. In 2004, “sanitized” HWC
Individual Fatality Reports were published. In 2006, we get a one line spreadsheet
summary on each death.
Combine that with the fact that since the
HWC was formed in 2003, we have had NO new rules or policies put in place to
further protect the Welfare of the Horse, it appears that we haven’t come
very far and we are going in the wrong direction.
This is what AERC has done that we should all
be so proud of? I am not proud our record on Horse Welfare….I am ashamed
of it. Someone held accountable? I doubt it.
From: ridecamp-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:ridecamp-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of Marinera@xxxxxxx Sent: Thursday, September 13, 2007
9:58 PM To: ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx;
AERCMembersForum-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [RC] GSFHR
A serious accident took place. Somebody will be held accountable.
But I have no facts about it other than what I have read on the AERC Member
Forum and Ridecamp. I cannot rush to judgment at this point and I hope it
does not set a wonderful sport back into the dark ages. We have come so far in
protecting our horses BECAUSE of AERC. It would be far worse to see the
safeguards we have put in place abandoned in future rides because of this one
tragedy. Julie Suhr
