I was very interested in Dr. Deb Eldredge?s article in August 2012. The information regarding golf courses and their toxicity really caught ?my attention. After his retirement, my father spent much of each day on the golf course, and he later developed Parkinson’s Syndrome. I believe that farmers and other agricultural workers have a higher incidence of Parkinson’s than the general population. (Parkinson’s is the hidden epidemic in our society.)
This made me wonder if there are any studies on the coincidence of time spent with high levels of fertilizers and pesticides (like on large farms and on golf courses) and the incidence of Parkinson?s Syndrome.?Joan McColly, California
MOUNTING SAFETY
As a dressage rider and instructor of 50 years, I ?object to your July Safety Thought about how a horse should stand while being mounted.? The photo showed the rider mounting with the reins essentially on the buckle, and the copy suggested that this was how a horse ?should? stand. But what if he doesn’t’
As with flying, take off and landing are potentially the most dangerous moments, therefore, the horse should be kept under immediate impulse control throughout the process.
My training was with British Horse Society instructors, and they were strict about how to mount and dismount correctly. The reins are to be taken up without slack in the left hand. Not pulling or tight, but with light contact so that the slightest move forward by the horse can be instantly discouraged by closure of the hand. Your intelligent and responsible publication should be advocating such an approach. ??Jan Macafee,?Michigan
