Eavesdropping on the show set

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From: CMNewell, DVM 
Email: reshan@deyr.ultranet.com

I am quite dismayed to wander over here and see  a post lifted from a mailing list for *children* without, I strongly suspect, the permission of either the original poster or the listowner. 
I am more dismayed to see this list inaccurately characterized as "eventors comparing how much bute they give their horses".
I am an adult "lurker" to the Junior Riders list, by invitation of the listowner. These kids discuss *far more* than buting thier event horses. Most of them are not eventers, a number of them ride western, some ride distances, lots of them don't even own a horse, and *all of them* are interested in learning. 
I get some damn good questions from them on a regular basis.

I did the appropriate thing--answered the post on the original forum, and told the kid she was way  off base regarding endurance riding. I strongly suspect her entire exposure to distance riding was some small amount of television footage. Many people draw erroneous conclusions about eventing and racing from the disasters that television so loves to show instead of an accurate picture. 

I have seen hot and heavy discussions about the use and abuse of drugs, various types of bits and other equipment, training techniques, and breeds of horses from these kids. There were several immediate responses to this kid *from the other kids* telling her she was way off base. 

That's a helluva lot more mature than bashing these kids around here without the courtesy of giving them  a chance to know about it, now isn't it?