[pippy]

Originally Posted by tbtrainer

I dont see a problem with frangible pins... I would rather see a jump collapse, than a horse....

I think a lot of people would have that point of view, but if we were to change to Frangible pins i think we are missing the point - we would lose a valuable backing point in the fact that riders and horses need to be more educated. If we were to have a change come about and frangible pins were mandatory the riders will keep riding like they do now - is this not what we want to change, the way a rider allows the horse to approach jumps, that they shoudl circle and make a safer approach in stride to the jump. While using the pins would definatly reduce some of the risks of the sport it doesn't address the root of the problem - and i feel that this is the education of the horse and rider and their approach mentally and physically towards jumping XC fences.

There is also the fact that having the pins would only work on some jumps, i can think a millions of jumps around the place that can not be modified to have them installed.

[naughtygirl]

Originally Posted by pippy

Another thought of mine and that has been repeated by others that i've talked this issue over with is the qualification of riders/horses wanting to move up the grades, whether its from training to novice or 2* to 4* international courses. Should the horses not have had suffucient runs at lower grades and not be moved up just because the rider has riden at that level and knows the horse can cope with the height. A horse cannot go from Novice to 3* in 6months in my opinion no matter how good the rider, i feel that some system must come in that proves the horse and rider has had sufficient runs at each level before moving up. This is very broad and doesn't address the whole of the system but a basis of my idea.

In saying that, we watched a rider at Kihikihi ride a horse around the advanced course that had only 6 months prior been doing Novice level... But i do agree, i think somesort of qualification system needs to be introduced.

[pippy]

Originally Posted by naughtygirl

In saying that, we watched a rider at Kihikihi ride a horse around the advanced course that had only 6 months prior been doing Novice level... .

I also know that that particular horse will never compete again, after last month at the bell 3DE where it competed in 3* again, it stuffed up in a combo fell/flipped over the 3rd part and severed the tendon directly below the knee with its hind foot...... now what do you think about a horse moving up that fast, if it had more experince with technical combo's the posibility is there that i might have know how to get himself out of the situation before damaging himself. Mathew was fine though - gutted about the horse as up to then it was doing brilliantly and may have been a replacement gordon.