> Oddly, the Ridecamp folks, who tend to go overboard on criticism of any > discipline where horses get hurt (other than endurance of course) have had > no criticisms of this incident, describing it just as a tragic accident.
Teddy was not injured doing cross country. He was being ridden at his home, spooked, his rider came off, and he bolted back to the barn. On the way he tore open his leg on something, severing tendons and both branches of his artery. It really was simply a tragic accident. On that note a friend of mine went horse camping in Virginia last weekend with a large group. There was a place in the river where people take their horses to swim. One of the guys took his horse into the river, not intending to go into the deep part, he was fully saddled, no tie down though. The horse startled at something, stepped into the swimming hole, and panicked. the rider got off safely, a large group tried to rescue the horse but he was so panicked that they couldn't get near him, a couple of folks were injured. The horse eventually became exhausted and drowned. Right in front of their eyes and they couldn't do a thing about it. They are such fragile souls, and we have to be thankful for each day we have with them Jacki
