Re: Around the Campfire

[CMKSAGEHIL@aol.com]

In a message dated 98-10-26 12:01:36 EST, sshaw@pacbell.net writes:

<< I would say too though, that I believe that the two individuals on the 
 "team" be chosen, one by a national race and the other by popular vote. 
 Let's have something, some things, that portray the individualism and 
 different "pioneering" aspect of our sports. Let the selection committee 
 chose their own four.
  >>

Unfortunately, neither a national race nor a popular vote can determine which
horse got bumped in the crate flying over and bruised his hip, which horse was
off feed for two days before the race, etc., etc.  Nope, better to leave that
selection to the folks on site, the team vet and the chef d'equipe, who have
gotten to know these horses, can evaluate their vet-in for any last-minute
surprises, and have been working daily with all six squad members in person
for several days before the ride, monitoring  the horses, getting input from
the riders after workouts, etc.  These two are the ones who decide who is the
team and who are the individuals, and having been there, I can say that this
is the only way to do it.  When I was team vet for Denmark in Kansas, I had a
lot of pressure to "name" the squad within our own little group because so-
and-so had done so much for the squad, or so-and-so had more miles.  I flat
put my foot down and said we would see the vet-in first.  We had one horse
that concerned us, and we had drawn blood and submitted it to the nearby
University lab.   He was looking good, and we were actually standing in line
for the vet-in when we got the bloodwork back.  He had, indeed, suffered a
major tying-up episode on the trip to Kansas, and although he looked great and
had more experience than some of our other horses, his bloodwork was a
disaster.   We sent him straight back to the barn and did not even vet him in.
Things happen, and only the crew on site can call those last-minute shots.  At
this point, the selectors' job is done, and those on site will choose who is
team and who is not.  They have one hour after the vet-in to make their
decision and "declare" the team, and although they may have some ideas prior
to that, they will not make the final choice until that hour.

Heidi Smith, DVM