Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

I'm probably going to regret jumping into this issue, but I  
disagree.  Horses can get sick, colic, or get hurt at any time.   
Sometimes, in retrospect, you can say:  yes, I missed something - it  
was there, but I missed it at the time.  In those cases, hopefully  
you learn something and don't repeat the error.  However, sometimes  
there really wasn't any indication that there was a problem.   I  
don't see the sense in saying "you should have caught it, seen it, or  
been clairvoyant" when there were no indications that anything was  
wrong.

I don't think that, if I am at a ride and see a horse hooked up to  
IVs, I have any business assuming that the rider did something wrong,  
or overrode the horse, or deliberately ignored a problem when I have  
absolutely no information about the situation.  The determination of  
whether the rider was in error should be between the rider, the vet  
and ride management.


On Sep 17, 2007, at 2:51 PM, Truman Prevatt wrote:

> You know - while "it happens" sometimes it happens because we are  
> asleep at the wheel. It happens because we are more concerned with  
> something other that 100% focus on our horse. We may be mentoring a  
> new rider, trying to go a little faster, trying to get the last 10  
> miles slow for the finish - there are a million reasons. We may be  
> trying out a new saddle and we may have the best intentions. At the  
> end of the day it is the horse that ends up of fluids. And at the  
> end of the day - it is the responsibility of the rider.
>
> I had my horse spend a day at the UF vet clinic some years ago.  
> Came in close to the end and he flew through the vet check. I could  
> make all sorts of excuses but the bottom line he was my charge and  
> my charge went down. My charge went down going out and going 50  
> miles for me. There were no sighs all day - but it happened. Whose  
> fault was it - it was mine pure and simple. I missed something - it  
> was there I am sure but I missed it.
>
> I am not real happy about the new "kinder gentler AERC." Oh, if you  
> horse goes down - don't worry we'll just plug him in to an IV. The  
> rule is pretty simple - "the rider is ultimately responsible for  
> his horse."
>
> So if anyone wants to ridicule me for not being more attentive to  
> my horse that day have at it - because while I may not have known  
> at the time the problem - they would be correct, I was asleep at  
> the wheel and my horse paid for it almost dearly.
>
> What the hell has happened to accountability? IMO if someone can't  
> accept the responsibility for their horse - they should not be out  
> on the trail.
>
> Truman
>
> Ranelle Rubin wrote:
> > My issue personally still is the issue of public ridicule for  
> > having your horse treated at a ride, as there is absolutely no  
> > excuse for that.

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