I agree that because of 'great veterinary supervision and the great amount
of time a rider spends with a particular horse', there are very few incidence
like the one I had mentioned. I'm aware of the risks of the trail. The best
planning, training and conditioning cannot prevent certain tragedies...
However, I disagree that people will hide their horses behind trailers
instead of seek assistance when they get into trouble. I don't think that it
takes getting a horse into trouble before one can have 'experience' in the
sport of endurance. Likewise, I don't think a ship has to sink to make an
experienced captain or a plane to crash before a pilots' qualified.
My letter was meant to inform riders about the "win-ego" button. I believe
that with information you have the power to make better decisions. Safety to
the rider and horse should always be paramount.
I had previously cleared my comments with approval by the ride manager of
this event. They were based on my opinion and experiences during the ride.
Yours,
M. Beeson