Putting the horse 1st

["Cathy Adair" <cadair@prodigy.net>]

Karen wrote in her ride story:

>Saw the good and bad in people at this ride.  If I ever don't put my horse
> first, somebody shoot me.  

I met up with some pleasure riders this weekend while Moe (the Curly) and I
were 'sperimenting with stuff - you know, how fast can he trot before he
breaks into a canter; hey he doesn't shy; hmmm, he runs about the same
pulse as my Arab at the trot - you know, stuff. And tried riding him with
just the halter which we both loved.  And it was actually sunny.  Ahh,
bliss...

Saw these riders approaching on the narrow trail, pulled over and sat there
off the trail til they passed. Of course they have to stop and remark about
my odd horse. I am so used to people remarking about my weird tack that I
have to look again to make sure they mean the HORSE! One man asked what do
you do with that horse? I say, he's gonna do endurance. This man backs his
horse away from Moe as if he was afraid of contamination and said in a
vicious voice - oh, you'll kill him! I gulped and said, no. But he was
resistant and off that bunch went. Some giving poor Moe sympathetic looks
over their shoulders... Moe with his head down getting a few snacks, poor
Moe! Poor Moe with his saddle that fits him, his halter that fits him and
his shoes that fit him, poor Moe. Not to mention his diet.

Kinda took the light out of the day for a bit. Just a bit. 

I cheered myself up by imagining what I would change with endurance to make
it better. The first thing I would change is NO off/lame/unsound horses
allowed. Not even grade 1. The second thing would be to lower the criteria
to 60 - and the LDs have to meet that in 10 -15 minutes. Oh hey, so do the
longer distances. After all, those horses can do it when they are fit
anyway. Then check the pulses before they leave their holds - say below
50/48. The rest of the metabolic stuff such as done in OCER and others is
great now. 

And I thought, hey, let the vets PACK (so it's their lunch in their
holster, not everyone has to know that) and I wonder how many riders would
quit taking unfit, or unsound horses to the rides and would be more careful
with their pacing etc. And would not argue with the vets' decisions too. 

I thought, boy wouldn't it be nice if people automatically said instead,
you are crazy to ride that endurance stuff, but wow! your horse must really
be fit! 

As Moe and I picked back up our trot - I thought, next on the agenda is
ways to improve the pleasure riders but we can't do much about them, can
we? Except infiltrate them and lure them into distance riding where they
will learn horsemanship and conditioning and all the stuff we are aware
of... I am not sure I want to join a saddle club tho. Maybe it could be
worth it to promote our sport. More dues though.

Boy I was glad to get back to the trailer and forget all this stuff!

Cathy
Ash Grover
that's in MO