Sorry, But coming from the Event world. I must say that it seems that Hunters are pushed harder, used harder and jumped harder without the regular interval training, maintnance and time off, allowing their bodies to recover naturally. Spending alot of time on a lunge line, which puts extreme torque on joints, jumping every time out, and using ace as a matter of coarse instead of extra Slow hours of correct flat work. Having Evented for numerous years on a variety of horses @ upper levels. The last thing we look for is a needle. Although it is hard to put aside your own personal goals and ambitions, it is in the best interest of the horse.