Sheena McKeegan

Hi everyone! I hope winter has been treating you all OK. As I have been sitting here in the frigid north country contemplating my navel I just thought I would sound off a theory of mine to see if I can get a spirited (or not so spirited) discussion started. I have been involved with OCTRA for a long time and I'm wondering if we have lost sight of the purpose of our sport: to enjoy our horses and the friendship of others.

As you know I have had my fair share of success as well as some disappointments. I'm beginning to wonder if we are becoming guilty of the "win at all costs" syndrome and forgetting that "to finish is to win".

As with many of the veterans am now supplementing my horses with drugs (albeit natural) like vitamins, selenium, shark cartilage, potassium, giucosamine and herbal preparations. I've been using an electromagnetic machine to enhance the blood flow to their legs. I use electrolytes before, during and after the rides forcing them down my horse’s throats because their body doesn't know it needs them yet.

When/where does it stop? When is enough too much? I’m beginning to feel that if we are stressing the horses to this extent that maybe we have gone too far in the realm of science and technology. Were we just ignorant years ago when we rode the horses on what they would eat and drink? Because we can make them go further and faster - is it right? The rides have become faster and "more challenging" to sort the wheat from the chaff to determine the winners.

But what about the losers, the horses that are so stressed that they require treatment for metabolic disorders or lameness or need to rest for a week or more to be ready for the next challenge! Aren't we doing them and ourselves a disservice? I want to be able to enjoy my horses every day.

Remember the horses of the old west - they would work in the fields all day and then take their owners to town (often 20 miles or more) and be back working in the field the next day; or what about the horses travelling hundreds of miles on the cattle drives. Were those horses better or stronger? Have we selected horses that are not suitable for our sport and need chemical crutches or are we asking too much of even the good ones?

I enjoy the challenge and am just as guilty as anyone of wanting to win (heck, I even get nervous diarrhoea before a ride) difficult but I know it would make judging more ride) I know it would make Judging more difficult but I think it's time to reassess and maybe slow down and take time to smell the roses (or swamp water as the case may be!) Surely we can find a better way of determining a winner than increasing speed for stress.

Let's stress the people (read judges) rather than the horses. Another habit I would like to see us get back to spending more time around the campfire bragging a bit, lying a bit and bullshooting a lot. It's pretty bad when we re all in bed by 9 p.m. to be ready for the stress of the ride come on! Are we that old that we can't party!

We don't want to get too serious about ourselves. We are supposed to be enjoying this - it's a hobby (read fun activity that you spend lots of money doing). Let's get down and boogie baby!!!

I have a suggestion to help newcomers get to know all the old timers (old fogy’s in other words). Why don't we arrange to have someone at each ride take a head picture of each participant (pit crews too) at weigh in. These would be used to make up a "rogues gallery/yearbook" so we can put names to all the faces and can say ‘hi’ instead of universal "hi there!" because we can't remember someone’s name.

I would be willing to donate the camera to OCTRA to be used for this and other picture taking if everyone thought it was a good idea. I guess after all this gobbly gook what 1 want to say is let's get back to basics. Let's make OCTRA and competing fun again. Let's get off the technological treadmill we're on and start riding our horses and not a medicine chest.

Thanks for reading. I hope I've given you food for thought and hopefully we can discuss my ideas over a drink at one of-,the rides. Good riding - happy trails! "Jimmy as been given a clean bill of health to start training. I'm looking forward to riding my "silly bugger" again. See you on the trails.

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