- To: ridecamp@endurance.net
- Subject: Light a Match, See What Happens
- From: DVeritas@aol.com
- Date: Wed, 16 Sep 1998 10:54:13 EDT
- Resent-Date: Wed, 16 Sep 1998 08:05:42 -0700 (PDT)
- Resent-From: ridecamp@endurance.net
- Resent-Message-ID: <"L4dMF1.0.hG3.hAz_r"@starfish>
- Resent-Sender: ridecamp-request@endurance.net
This is to no on in particular, but since I have a few minutes and this
computer I thought I would see what comes out.
I hate that someone's horse was kicked and severely injured. Thank God no
one was killed.
Now, am I talking about the incident in the NW. Probably. But what's
starting to show itself in some of the posts is, "Is there a movement to "bar"
that stallion or that rider?"
This, in my uneducated opinion, is a risky fork in the road.
Barring participation to dangerous horses is one thing, singling out a
member of the AERC and barring their participation is another.
If (and I don't know P. Henslee) "we" start barring riders from
participating because they make bad decisions (at times) or illustrate an
inability to exhibit what is perceived as proper horsemanship at all rides,
how many of us would have to sell our endurance tack and take up some other
endeavor?
I know (hope) that barring riders from rides isn't going on here...I have
seen (made) many wrong decisions in the past, hell I remember a time when
someone would point to an "elite" rider and wonder how many horses had to be
crippled for that elite rider to earn that really spiffy AERC jacket.
I know of a few riders I would love to see barred from participating in
endurance ever again, but who's to say I'm right about my perceptions.
Making a mistake is one thing, forgiveness is another. The world would be
a cold, cold place if one can't follow the other. (Is the temperature
dropping?)
We are all responsible for this sport, but who is responsible for us?
As Mr. King stated, "Can't we all just get along and race to the finish
line and see who wins?"...(won't be me, I guarantee.)
"To Finish is to win"...hell, sometimes just "To Play is to win".
Drop your stones, and pray the system works.
Frank.
Events