Re: FM50

[Lynn Kinsky <lkinsky@silcom.com>]

>>It is interesting to me to note that a ride that was restricted to 120
>>entries and "closed" the ride because it was full only started 105
>>horses.>What happened t the other 15 people??? Were there really that
>many >horses>that didn't pass the pre-ride vet check?
>
>Nope.  This is my argument against pre-entries, as a ride manager.
>It goes like this:
>
>Rider Number:
>1.  Planned to come but horse was off Fri. morn. with abcess.
>2.  Planned to come, but 5 year old child had a temp. of 103.
>3.  Planned to come, truck blew transmission.
>4.  Planned to come, but was riding with Rider #3.
>5.  Planned to come, but horse had mild colic Thurs.
>6.  Planned to come, but sprained her ankle......
>
>That's what happens.
>
>Angie

Right.  And so my position as  a manager who requires pre-entries, is to
overbook to the level of what could be handled if everyone, by some
miracle, all showed up (but usually there's a 10-15% attrition), and then
give refunds less some handling charge for those who notify that they
aren't coming.  Total no-shows:  too bad for them.

It is still easier to pull the entries/numbers of those who cancel at the
last minute, than to try to do all the paperwork the day of the ride and be
totally in the dark as to how many even *plan* on coming.  Making an entry
and sending a check requires more committment and a higher likelihood of
showing up,  than merely "thinking" about coming.

Lynn Kinsky (Santa Ynez, CA)
http://www.silcom.com/~lkinsky