Re: Getting Pulled

["Louise Burton" <firedancefarms@prodigy.net>]

This is something I feel very strongly about. Please bear with me, this has
taken some time to think out coherently,esp at 12am!
This is a situation that cannot be looked upon as good in any way.  First,
as you mention, the facts are not facts (depends on vet and area, etc), and
it does nothing positive to mention names.  I have heard reasons from "that
way we can blacklist people" to "see she doesn't know how to rate her
horse"...for reasons to list names.  NO POSITIVE reasons at all.  Basically
it's none of anyone's business if you want to pull!
I can see SOME  value in posting NUMBERS (though those aren't realistic
either..but better).
Some thoughts...
If you post names...here are some problems....
1.  "Sally-Jo" has a great endurance horse for sale.  She decides "he just
isn't right" after stepping on a stone, and pulls, telling the vet she
thinks he's a little off.  She's being honest and considerate of her
horse..doing everything right.  But BAM!  This horse is forever blacklisted
in AERC records as being PULLED FOR LAMENESS.  There goes a lot of sales
opportunity.
2.  "Sally-Jo" has a great endurance horse for sale.  The horse is slightly
off.  He stepped on a rock.  She decides to pull him.  She is considerate of
her horse, but she LIES to the mgmt.  says she's sick...doesn't want a
PULLED FOR LAMENESS on this horse's records.
3.  "Sally-Jo" has a great endurance horse for sale.  This horse is slightly
off from stepping on a rock.  She considers pulling.  No, she sure doesn't
want THAT listed next to his name...you know, PULLED FOR LAMENESS.  So,
against her better judgment, she finishes the ride, the horse passes the
completion check, but in pain, and now so sore he must have a month off from
a stone bruise.

If you don't think this will happen, I personally know of two cases where an
owner pulled (one was "not quite right" the other wasn't going to finish in
time..wanted to take a potential slow) and both show LAMENESS all over their
record though that is NOT the reason the riders pulled.

Whatever statistics AERC was trying to get become very unrealistic..so what
IS the point??

THERE IS NOTHING BUT NEGATIVE TO BE GAINED FROM LISTING NAMES!!!
1. LYING
2.  RIDING ON WHEN YOU KNOW YOU SHOULD QUIT
3.  HURTING THE HORSE IN THE LONGRUN

Now for the management headaches.  Do I list "Sally-Jo" as RO or L?  I
didn't see her horse, I didn't talk to her.  All I have is a vet card that
says rider pulled...lame.  I can see the day when riders call me months
later furious they have METABOLIC or LAMENESS on their horses' records, when
the vet did not PULL them, the CHOSE to pull (however you want to interpret
that).

As a ride manager of two rides, and also on the AERC ride management
committee, I am very much opposed to listing names (I don't care if they
list numbers...without names they would be much more valid).  I am
considering protesting this by listing all of my rider pulls as RIDER
OPTION...I feel this strongly about encouraging the three negatives listed
above.

Louise Burton
Firedance Farms Endurance Arabians
Oklahoma
http://pages.prodigy.net/firedancefarms