Mounted search and rescue

[KKMoonshadowrnch@aol.com]

[Deleted HTML duplicate, added In-Reply-To header and ">" to
quote.  -Una]


In a message dated 10/26/2005 6:43:15 AM Pacific Standard Time,  
una.smith@att.net writes:

>The vet  check
>seems to be most necessary for inexperienced riders;  I  have
>the impression that the necessity for vet checking has more
>to do  with the emphasis in these sports on growing the sport
>as fast as possible,  hence the constant need to recruit  new
>competitors.




In endurance the vet check is there totaly to  protect the horses from the 
human hormones.  Unfortunately the horse will  usually give his all to the 
rider 
to the point of killing himself.  The  human that is consumed with the need 
to "win" is not able to  objectively evaluate his horse.  It is less 
noticeable 
in Competitive  Trail where there is no "race factor".  The vet or lay judges 
are there  first to evaluate performance and second to protect the horse. 
     I haven't really felt an emphasis to recruit  new competitors in 
endurance but a definite push to educate new competitors in  distance riding. 
Actually there is more of a feeling that they have grown  faster than they 
can 
reasonable handle.  That's from my short experience of  only about 4 years of 
competing in endurance.  More in Competitive Trail  which is my first love.  
Unfortuantely not many folks will subject  themselves to the discipline of 
Competitive Trail IMO and at least here in the  PNW we have very limited 
opportunities 
to compete and a definite need to recruit  new competitors.
      At all levels there is a need for the  veterinary control though but 
you'll actually see the most percentage  of veterinary pulls at the national 
and 
international levels of competition  because the stakes are higher even 
though the education and skill of the riders  is much higher than at just a 
local 
endurance ride.  It's just the  human condition.
    They have learned a lot in exercise physiology of  the horse over the 
last 50 years that endurance riding has been a  sport.  And some of the 
Competitive Trail Veterinary and Lay judges are a  wealth of information on 
how to 
cover miles on your horse and come away with  plenty of horse left at the end 
of 
the day and that can go on and do the miles  over a long career of distance 
riding.  This used to be in the realm of the  Calvary and they would compete 
in 
100 mile races to see who was best able to  take care of their horse and 
cover 
the miles.  Unfortunately it's a lost  art IMO among most other equestrian 
sports and even recreational  activities.  Consideration of the horse is at 
the 
bottom of the list  sometimes.  

Kathy &  Nick 
Moonshadow Ranch
McKenna, WA