Personal Insight on New Hardship and Measuring Place

[sfmini]

Just a few comments, the bylaw on measuring was passed.

Per the rule book, no bylaw can be changed until it has been in place for 2 years.

The requirement for 15 signatures on a bylaw change request is a new rule proposal that is just beginning the process, so it will go to the June meeting for the bylaw committee to review it and tweak, then will go to the 2009 Annual meeting in San Diego for a vote by the membership. It will take a 2/3's vote for it to pass, then will become a new rule in place in 2010.

All rule change proposals follow this process, so this was no sudden proposal, and was included as part of meeting minutes, and on the AMHA website before this meeting.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

I posted on the other thread and I stand by what I said there.

It makes up to 2 1/2" difference in some cases and there is NO "groove" at the base of the withers- that is risible, quite frankly.

You have only to look at an equine skeleton to see that such a thing is actually not possible!

 

[tinacvt]

There are multiple grooves in the withers they are the spaces between the vertabrae, the only "groove" that I can see what they are talking about is where the withers meet the back. I have been in the vet field for 16 years and have no clue to who came up with this anatomical reference.

 

[Dona]

[SIZE=14pt]

[/SIZE]

I have been reading every post on this subject with complete astonishment! And, I must say, I agree completely with the majority of them!

Why on earth AMHA passed this rediculous new method of measuring is beyond me! OH!

I believe this will do nothing but hurt AMHA.

It WILL allow taller miniatures into the gene pool.

It WILL create much MORE confusion on measuring...not only at shows, but at home as well.

It WILL create many disgruntled members!

It WON'T eliminate cheating on measuring at shows...in fact, it'll make it easier!

It WON'T help AMHA's credibility!

Believe me, it will only open up a VERY big can of worms!

Why or why doesn't AMHA just get smart & measure to the top of the withers like the rest of the horse world! There have been many excellent suggestions on how they could do this & still be fair. IMHO, this is the only way to establish credibility to our breed & prevent taller bloodlines from coming in!

 

[sfmini]

It was not passed by AMHA per se, it was passed by a 2/3 majority vote of the MEMBERS present at the annual meeting.

This was not composed of a majority of trainers, and rich owners, as a matter of fact only a handful of trainers attended.

 

[Dona]

It was not passed by AMHA per se, it was passed by a 2/3 majority vote of the MEMBERS present at the annual meeting.

This was not composed of a majority of trainers, and rich owners, as a matter of fact only a handful of trainers attended.

Yes Jody, I do realize it's not "AMHA" who passed it....that it was the members "present" at the meeting. (I should have worded my statement a little differently)

This is another reason why so many want on-line voting available to ALL members! I think this Forum shows a very good cross-section of AMHA members......and there has been PLENTY of discussion on this topic (pros & cons, if you will). If you read all the threads & posts regarding this new measuring method, it's easy to see the vast majority of members are NOT for it. I don't think there was anything discussed about this at the meeting that hasn't been discussed here, as people who were at the meeting have contributed what was discussed. So...I believe AMHA has the ability to enable members to be pretty well informed now, without having to physically be at the meeting. It can be done!

Not picking on you Jody...I know you are just one person. Just had to vent a little.

 

[Davie]

Here is another carrot to chew on. I have a gelding that I pulled papers on because he is a high withered short maned horse. He was over by the measurement rule of the "last mane hair".

By the rule that was changed Friday, I went out and measured him as he is ONE OF THE FEW that I could find the "Notch" everyone is talking about and measured him. He is not on a fresh trim (that was almost a month ago) and just standing tied at the fence. This horse will now measure in. What happens now--can I get his paper's back??????

This is a question that needs to be addressed as well.

If the measurement had been changed to the top of the withers--this horse would still have been over height, but since they are measuring at the base of the wither's he is under and I'd love to get his papers back.

If we were measuring at the top of the withers those horses that were over with the "last mane hair" would probably still be "Over"with the height at 34", but since we are now measuring lower that allows a lot of the boarderline horse that were "Pulled" back in.

Was this situation addressed--if not it sure needs to be because there are probably a lot of horses out there like this gelding.

 

[debbiesshelties]

Hi,

I have a newbie question. Have minatures always been measured at the last hair of the mane?

Debbie

 

[Al B]

Davie,

It was discussed briefly but no determination was made. I'm sure that will be a subject for future discussions.

IMHO, which carries absolutely no weight or authority I compare it to the legal system with absolutely no negative connotations or implications.

If you break a law in 1990 for which you are sent to jail and the law is later repealed or changed in 2000, you don't get out of jail. If your horse was over at that time under those rules he was over. If the rule/criteria is changed, it is not retroactive. Now a possible solution to this might be some sort of reapplication or other process. I don't know.

Other much more intelligent people than me will sort this out.

 

[Boinky]

I noticed on their fee schedual they have a "reinstatement of papers" fee. I dont' think it was for this particular instance but why couldn't they do somthing like that?

I also think this is sort of punishing the honest people as well if they didn't. Lets face it hudreds if not thousands of mini's go over and papers are never sent back in and revoked. the honest people sent those papers in knowing their horses were over. Now if they are under due to new rules, I think it should be rewarded if they fit the criteria now. It all boils down to dishonesty all the way around.

 

[sfmini]

I posted that question to the Board and will let you know what I hear. It may take a while, some are still traveling, many are getting caught up, I for one am wandering around in a fog recovering.

 

[R3]

bump