The Welfare of Our Endurance Horses

["Thomas, Barb" <thomas@amgen.com>]

This is something that I have had on my mind for several months now, have
discussed among friends, and now bring to ridecamp.  

Are we, as riders and ride management responsible enough for the welfare of
our horses at rides?  This is not meant as an insult to any particular
person or ride but to get people thinking and aware.  There are many
absolutely stellar riders, managers, and vets who do a caring and
outstanding job and anyone can find themselves in a critical situation
concerning the welfare of their horse that happened beyond their control
(like a metabolic crash without any warning).  But there are chronic
problems which should not be ignored.  To be honest, I've personally seen
more people over ride and use up their horses on 50's than at any other
distance.  You always get brain-dead folks at any distance who don't know
how or choose not to rate their horses, or just plain don't care about their
animals.  We can only do our best to make it clear to these folks that their
behavior is unacceptable.  I've ridden, crewed, worked on, or managed rides
in the northeast, southeast, and pacific south.  There's bad actors in every
region.  Some just need to be "whopped upside the head and set straight" by
being DQ'd from some rides and getting some hard education, then they get
the message.  The one's that cause me grief and really raise my hackles are
those who continue to over-ride their horses and people actually admire
them!!!  Some ride out front, to top ten or win at any price with their
horse on the ragged edge of exhaustion.  My question is why do some of these
abusive people get a following??  How can people actually admire someone
whose horse crosses the finish line in bad shape and do it time and time
again, often with a different horse every year??  There's a big difference
between using your horse and using up your horse.  I admire ride managers
and vets who take these people to task and stand up for the safety and
welfare of the horse. 

In the latest Endurance News, Dr. Beecher in the vet's forum put out a
charge to ride vets to take responsibility for the animals they are
evaluating.  I think this call needs serious consideration.  There's no
excuse for allowing a lame horse to start, thinking they'll work out of it
or not pulling a lame horse because a lameness isn't "life threatening".
It's a sad day in our sport when a pulled animal who is injured or
metabolically marginal doesn't get treatment.  But it happens.  We need to
take a hard look at what's happening at the rides we attend and be sure our
sport as a whole is looking out for the welfare of our horses.  If you see
what you perceive to be abuses or lapses in judgement of a vet or any part
of ride management, discuss the matter with the ride manager.  If you're not
satisfied with the response you get, talk to your regional directors or
members of the veterinary committee.  Public name calling and putting
specific people or rides in the public eye on the internet isn't the answer,
but working within the structure of AERC is.  We're all responsible for the
good of this sport and we're all accountable when things go wrong and we
turn the other way.   Making people aware that there is a problem may not
make you the most popular kid on the block, but frankly, the welfare of
every horse on a ride is far more important to me that who likes or doesn't
like me.  

Enough commentary, off my soapbox...whew, I feel better now!

Barb


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