A recent straw poll of just a few members struck a chord with me. Several directors worked very hard to make certain the board of directors meeting was meticulously recorded and then converted and compressed that recording until it was available on the AERC website. Less than a handful of members listened to the recording.

This brings me to ask why members do not spend the time to see what their elected representatives are doing. I came up with several possibilities:

1. The membership did not know the recording was available.

2. The membership does want to listen in, but since it is summer, they are all out enjoying their horses as they should be.

3. The membership does not have any significant major problem with AERC at this time and as such knows the board will keep on going without anyone listening in.

Let me overcome the first possibility in that by reading this you now know the board minutes and recordings of all the conference calls are available on the official AERC website, www.aerc.org. I would be happy if either possibility two or three were the true case. I want every member out riding. That is what we are all here for and I never want AERC to get in the way of your being able to ride.

Even if the membership appears to be happy with the recent actions of the board and that therefore the board can stop working at warp speed (that is board-warp speed, quite a bit slower than impulse power), I am not going to let the board slow down one iota in driving the advances in improving the welfare of the horse.

The Veterinary Committee, the Veterinary Research Grants Committee, and the Welfare of the Horse Committee are all corresponding on a daily basis. These committees, together with the Education Committee and the Ride Managers Committee, and all the other AERC committees, have already been able to get the first of this very important new information out to the riders, ride managers, vets, and the general public in publications that are distributed not only in the USA, but also throughout the world.

I am glad the membership currently understands that the leadership of the AERC is working hard to do what the membership has directed. I will continue to do my best to make certain the board and committees continue to earn your trust.