>><< How many people have ever seen a horse pulled at the post-ride vet
>>check?
>I have been pulled at the finish of a 50 twice in the last 3 years. At
>one, it was poor management on my part. It was a cold, rainy day & I
>allowed the horse to cramp while standing in line for P&R's. At the
>other, my mare cut her heel on a rock in the last mile to the finish
>line. When the adrenaline ran out, she was very sore on it/ Grade III
>lame.
>It DOES happen, and it was a deserved pull each time. (That didn't
>lessen the disappointment any, though.)
Yes, it does. I've seen it many times, and it's happened at rides I've
managed. It's always heartbreaking to tell a rider she didn't complete
after all that effort, but sometimes it's necessary.
--=20
Joe Long
jlong@mti.net
http://www.mti.net/jlong/home.html