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Post by rj on Apr 16, 2007 15:35:26 GMT 1
Just heard back from WCF - they're not sending acknowledgements for cheques sent, and the event is now fully subscribed. So if you haven't already sent your form, tough! However in view of the overwhelming interest they may well hold another later in the year. Good news innit?!
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Post by mandal on Apr 16, 2007 17:31:37 GMT 1
However in view of the overwhelming interest they may well hold another later in the year. Good news innit?! Right.......how can I blackmail them into having one when I can go!!!!! I'm really glad there's been a lot of interest........Yay Imo it's going to be a rather special occasion.
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Post by samwiththearabs on Apr 17, 2007 12:40:29 GMT 1
For anyone interested, I have just been informed by the Secretary that they have now booked a bigger hall - so those who didn't get in should be able to do so if they book straight away.
Sam
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Post by rj on Apr 17, 2007 13:24:20 GMT 1
Oh how good is that?! Come on folks, get yer fingers out!!!
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Post by june on Apr 17, 2007 15:03:06 GMT 1
Wow, being responsive to clients. There is hope after all!
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sundance
Olympic Poster
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Posts: 690
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Post by sundance on Apr 24, 2007 18:56:53 GMT 1
I have booked, relieved to see on here that they are not sending acknowledgements as I was worried I hadn't heard. I am looking forward to seeing you there, is it still baler twine on wrists to recognise each other?
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Post by rj on Apr 25, 2007 11:04:27 GMT 1
Yes, or anywhere else you fancy! I'm going to try & plait some up in the car on the way - no I won't be driving - while eating bacon butties. Really looking forward to it & meeting everyone there; see you soon!!
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Post by mandal on Apr 25, 2007 19:42:46 GMT 1
Have a fantastic time tomorrow you lucky things ...................I really hope it is a great day! I will look forward to hearing how it went.
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Post by mandal on Apr 26, 2007 17:17:56 GMT 1
Oooooooooooooo........can't wait for news of how it was......I'm so excited!!!!!!
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Post by june on Apr 26, 2007 22:36:55 GMT 1
Well, there was plenty of heckling from some of the less open minded farriers but the powers that be appear to have had a quiet word in their ears over lunch and they were a little less vocal in the afternoon. It went reasonably well although there was mutterings from some of the farriers as the barefoot trimmers seemed unwilling to discuss the actual trim. The trimmers made the point that the trim was only 10% of the equation with environment and diet being much more significant and they couldn't really talk about the trim itself without horses there since each horse is different and that appeared to satisfy most. All in all, it was a reasonably good start to getting the two sides talking.
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Post by mandal on Apr 26, 2007 22:54:40 GMT 1
I expected heckling ...............Good on the organisers. At least they all have food for thought and no one was harmed!!! ;D Well it's a start................ Mta.thanks june ..........was it interesting? I take it that it was aimed mainly at the farriers?
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Post by rj on Apr 27, 2007 10:12:55 GMT 1
The trimmers have organised 2 events in Devon & Cheshire, open to farriers vets & other professionals to attend, where there will be horses to demonstrate on, & they can discuss fully their trimming methods. A lot of the contributors were very scientific in their presentations, and it would have helped had we been able to see the slides on the screen. However, because there were over 200 people there, we were seated about 2/3 of the way back, & could only see the top half of the screen over the heads of the hordes in front of us, and I would have needed binoculars to read the text, so that was most frustrating. I can't remember how many farriers were there - praps 40 or 50, June? - Stella would've fainted clean away!!! Everything was interesting, some of the speakers were not particularly proficient, and had problems using the microphone properly, so we were straining to hear at times. But there was plenty of theory, scientific research, & suppositions put forward for consideration. The message was NOT 'you farriers are rubbish, our trim is better than yours & all horses should be barefoot' but just 'please consider the possibility of whether or not any particular horse can benefit from a trim that helps it perform to maximum ability, instead of shoeing it'. I think that's why they didn't go into their trimming method, & also because like all things there's good trimmming & bad trimming, whatever label you stick on it. A very small minority of the farriers we heard were affronted, and one put forward the comparison in training they do, the qualifications they have earnt & the legislation they work under, to the trimmers who are not regulated in any way, and as far as he could see have very minimal training, but still put letters after their name, which he felt smacked of fraudulent practice. I am glad he felt able to say it, but not sure if there was any possible response which would have made him any happier. The majority I would think were at least cautiously receptive - they paid their money, lost a days work to be there, they'd be daft not to. I hope the dialogue continues. I wore my baling twine with pride, but I didn't see anyone else similarly attired. Nor did I see Sundance. Thanks for doing the driving, June.
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Post by wendyihts on Apr 27, 2007 11:15:02 GMT 1
"...one put forward the comparison in training they do, the qualifications they have earnt & the legislation they work under, to the trimmers who are not regulated in any way, and as far as he could see have very minimal training, but still put letters after their name, which he felt smacked of fraudulent practice." And all this would be fine but the outcome, for some peculiar reason, is that there are not hundreds or even dozens of horses who are being trimmed by the likes of the EPs and UKNHCP's and ending up lame. Quite the reverse. So the whinge becomes about personal economics or pride rather than the real issue, which is horse welfare. And it's not strictly correct in saying that they're totally unregulated - trimmers are subject to the same laws on welfare and cruelty as everyone else, which is why the Strasser trimmers ended up with convictions. On the other hand, I read on the WCF website that farriers aren't 'struck off' by them for malpractise in terms of laming horses because the proper recourse for owners is to take out private prosecutions under civil law. Presumably owners could, therefore, take the same legal action against trimmers who hurt their horses. Good job I didn't go. I'd have got cross.
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Derek Clark
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Post by Derek Clark on Apr 27, 2007 11:49:56 GMT 1
Well said, Wendy.
We've been discussing something similar in another thread, funnily enough. It doesn't matter how much training or experience someone has had when it comes to riding an emotional horse - when it happens you either get good results, or not so good ones and that's when you find out what your true skill level really is. "The horse will throw a king to the floor as readily as a peasant".
I should declare a bit of an interest here actually, since my wife is a qualified EP. I know, though, that the only reason she ended up as an EP was that she couldn't find anyone at the time who could get her own horse's feet back to health without lots of pain but she was determined to do the best for him.
Someone once said that any significant step forward is firstly ignored, then ridiculed, then finally accepted as self-evident. I guess having healthy feet has reached stage two ;D
Derek
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Post by mandal on Apr 27, 2007 12:21:30 GMT 1
Thanks so much rj for that...........I'm especially glad to hear the trimmers are responding to requests for info on trimming by organising the events you describe rj..........imo this is the best way to go......................drip,drip and be willing to be open. I'm also glad that it appears the majority were willing to listen and learn which is very encouraging. In every field there will always be those who 'don't like it/can't accept it or simply wont listen'. Shame about the seating and sound system......perhaps this was because they changed to a larger venue at short notice to fit in all those interested? I'm sure loads has been learned by all involved.
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