Remounting

  • Please bear with us on the new site integration and fixing any known bugs over the coming days. If you can not log in please try resetting your password and check your spam box. If you have tried these steps and are still struggling email [email protected] with your username/registered email address
  • Log in now to remove adverts - no adverts at all to registered members!
<laugh>

I understand that view Cyc and its not one that I completely disagree with, however I do think the blanket ban is over the top. I think most (if not all) jockeys wouldn't remount a faller unless they were sure that the said horse was fine, and I do think that in sport you need to give responsibility to the participants and allow them to make the decisions be them right or wrong.

I am not saying that we should remount horses, rather what I am saying is that a blanket ban on it is unfair on those who unseat at the last fence and/or those who slip up etc and are fine to continue.

I think its the same as in the flat code where if you cross the finishing line in a false start you are not able to rerun. Its not flexible enough.
 
If a horse falls or slips there is always the chance that to continue running may cause a minor problem to become serious and I doubt very much if jockeys would be able to tell. Even a vet could say the horse is OK; but continued exertion may change that. I know that from experience and had we listened to the vet our horse would have been finished.

If the jockey has just fallen off then I can't see why they aren't allowed back on.

However, isn't it just a case of Rules are Rules. For instance, in show jumping 2 refusals (3 in some events) is elimination, falling off is elimination. It's not essential that Rules are the same in every country. Providing the rules are clear I don't see what the problem is.
 
This reminds me of dear old Lord Oaksey's famous remark that 'there are fools, bloody fools and men who remount in steeplechases!'.

I must admit that the act of remounting certainly used to make me wince as in no way is a cursory glance by a jockey (who himself may not be in his 'right mind' following a thunderous fall) at a horse enough to establish the animals true health and wellbeing. I don't agree with a lot of BHA decision but on the remounting issue I personally think they got it right.