We have so many threads about safety and humane treatment of animals, is it possible to keep this thread about Liz?
38 Likes
I mean, me. Sheās different after a trail ride than after a dressage test than after a jump school than after a cross-country school than after a cross-country round. Her body language is different, her state of mind is different. Of course Iām not saying itās only eventing that makes her happy - lots of things make her happy, most notably snacks. But she only exhibits that particular puffed-up strut after a cross country round (not a cross country school), and itās significant enough that onlookers who donāt know her as well have commented on it.
Can she have a good life without participating in that activity? Of course. But for me, that obvious enjoyment is a factor when Iām balancing risk (which is elevated by participating in that phase) with reward (which is also elevated by participating in that phase). Quantity is not the only factor that makes a life good. We all have to do that calculation for ourselves.
10 Likes
Was going to say the same thing. By some chance that her connections would happen to read this thread, I canāt imagine the discussion as it has evolved would be comforting to them.
11 Likes
unfortunately with some uncommon but glaring exceptions, such as the individual whose abuse of the horses in his care, is the subject of another thread.
3 Likes
See thatās how I feel about driving (carriage/horse, not cars) mishap videos. Like JFC.
2 Likes
Yes, those can be bad.
I still remember the day when I was a young kid and my mother was helping somebody break a horse to drive, and the horse took off with her in the cart.
That was an extremely long time ago by now, but I still remember how scary it was. She managed to get the horse back under control, thank goodness. But that has stuck with me all these years.
1 Like
One word Betting.
1 Like
Oh wow. I believe it. That is a beyond-awful reason for allowing horse injuries and deaths to continue in every race. 
Here in Ireland the revenue from race betting is enormous, off course alone bringing in 102 million a year approx. We are a tiny country, thereās no way the cruelty aspect will be allowed to stop that income rolling.
Social license to continue any and all equestrian activity is becoming an existential threat. In Eventing, it is horse and rider falls that attracts the negative (social) media. In horse racing, it is whip abuse in particular. Betting revenues cannot prevent change even in racing. .
1 Like
I believe what you say about your horseās need/opinion/interest in doing hard things so that she feels good about herself.
And if she needs to go to an actual event to get that high, so be it. (Because who would argue with a mare who wants nothing less than degrees from Harvard, Oxbridge (maybe the Sorbonne) and then a Nobel?).
But it seems to me that you could pull a Jimmy Wofford-- give her a technically-awesome ride around the XC course. Let her have the thrill of going around. Let you enjoy the prospect of doing it well, not doing it fast or at someone elseās optimum time. Also, if you are putting your emphasis on being a technician, not a git-r-done rider, your mare will enjoy the experience (I think this was one of Woffordās argument for caring a lot about technique, equitation and an educated horse, even outside the stadium), And you both will be safe.
Of course this depends on your course designers building well.
3 Likes
To be clear, this is what I do. Iām an amateur and I couldnāt care less about winning, so speed is not particularly important to me. We go just to enjoy ourselves as we enjoy the course, and we try to be as correct as we can while we do it. And we both usually have a wonderful day out and come home the happier for it.
But unfortunately, that does not guarantee the above to be true. Just because I am not pushing for time and am doing my best to ride well does not mean I wonāt make a mistake, or she wonāt make a mistake, or something unforeseen wonāt happen. It would be naive of me to think so.
The Olympic combinations listed above who changed hands due to accident were, I think we can all agree, top caliber jumpers - thatās how they ultimately ended up at the Olympics. The riders were all experienced riders, none of whom had their accidents at a level that was new to them. One was even in a schooling situation, so time was not a factor. There is such an instinct when tragedy strikes to find a reason for it, so you can point to that reason and avoid participating in it yourself and therefore feel safe in the assumption that it wonāt happen to you. But we must all understand that it absolutely can, however much we wish that were not true. Only then can we make informed choices about our participation moving forward.
21 Likes
According to Horse and Hound, Liz Halliday had a birthday last week. Sending her birthday wishes and good thoughts.
23 Likes
Jesus, you read a lot into what I wrote.
I didnāt suggest that you ride your horse technically well in order to diss some Olympian who had gotten really badly hurt.
I will say, however, that folks who are gunning for an Olympic berth (or are pros in the first place) and/or who choose this sport take on more risk than your average bear. So thereās that.
Iāll leave you mistress of the field.
5 Likes
ā¦whoa. My response was based on what I fully intended to be a good faith reading of your post, but Iāve clearly misunderstood something. I apologize.
Iām going to refrain from responding again on this one so as not to further derail the thread.
11 Likes
I thought your response was well though out and articulated.
7 Likes
Back to Liz - sending healing vibes her way!
14 Likes
I was told on Saturday (Dec 14) that THAT day was her birthday.
2 Likes
Yes, that was last week.
Not contradicting you, just narrowing it down to one day last week.
3 Likes
