This
article came across the wires tonight at work and just wondering what all my horse blogging friends think about it. There is a local Portland Company,
Mercy Corp, known for aiding disaster victims that is getting a lot of criticism from
"The Long Riders Guild" about its involvement in the 534 mile race across Mongolia. The Guild is billing the race as "the biggest, baddest equine affair on the planet." Horse and riders will be exposed to wolf attacks, bubonic plague, rabies, flash floods, foul water, poisoned food, theft, assault, and no vet care. Apparently there are 26 riders from all over the world taking part....and get this...800 horses if that is any indications of how many horses they plan on having to use to complete the race. The Long Riders Guild is rallying the equestrian world...they have already
drafted letters to all those involved. They are concerned that riders will be too heavy for the Mongolian horses, that not enough water is available, and basically citing it as "an ill-advised equestrian misadventure."
Here is a link to all the
contact numbers of those involved if you care to pass on your two cents. I think for me, the idea of 800 horses to 25 riders just shows how dangerous this is for the horses....and the fact that they are non-native riders makes it even worse. It is now about competition and horses always finish last when there is money and prestige involved.
This article came across the wires tonight at work and just wondering what all my horse blogging friends think about it. There is a local Portland Company, Mercy Corp, known for aiding disaster victims that is getting a lot of criticism from "The Long Riders Guild" about its involvement in the 534 mile race across Mongolia. The Guild is billing the race as "the biggest, baddest equine affair on the planet." Horse and riders will be exposed to wolf attacks, bubonic plague, rabies, flash floods, foul water, poisoned food, theft, assault, and no vet care. Apparently there are 26 riders from all over the world taking part....and get this...800 horses if that is any indications of how many horses they plan on having to use to complete the race. The Long Riders Guild is rallying the equestrian world...they have already drafted letters to all those involved. They are concerned that riders will be too heavy for the Mongolian horses, that not enough water is available, and basically citing it as "an ill-advised equestrian misadventure." 
Here is a link to all the contact numbers of those involved if you care to pass on your two cents. I think for me, the idea of 800 horses to 25 riders just shows how dangerous this is for the horses....and the fact that they are non-native riders makes it even worse. It is now about competition and horses always finish last when there is money and prestige involved.
5 comments:
It does sound like the ratio of horses to riders is slightly off kilter. I think this race is ridiculous and am glad someone is speaking out against it.
I follow another blog that has information about this race also:
http://fuglyhorseoftheday.blogspot.com/
From their website, they state they will have vet care available, but my problem is how do you condition that many horses? Of course, you know their won't be any conditioning involved prior to the actual race!
I just volunteered for an endurance race in Idaho. They had vet checks for ALL horses and the horse was pulled if there was a problem. I highly doubt the vets are going to pull any horses. My opinion is the vets are probably only available to clean up the mess afterwards.
Oops... "their" should be "there"!
The Mongols can do whatever they want with their little horses, but Americans should not participate in that type of torture.
Mongolian horses are all conditioned allready. C´moon ppl. Thees little hores ride and travel many kilometers every day.
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