Ridecamp: Re: [RC] OD (Long)

"C. Eyler" wrote:

> Ah, but wouldn't you like all the ride vets to at least be consistent?  That
> was the goal of the 'team' lameness check format at the pre-ride check.
> Many of the vets at OD this year had worked together before, but we also had
> a few who, while very experienced, had never worked OD before or worked with
> the other vets at this ride.
> 

Hmmm...let's consider now. The same group of vets checked Sunny twice at
vet-in. His trot is pretty standard, no funny gait, very vanila. The
first time the concensus was that he was off on the left rear. On the
recheck he was off on the right front. We pulled at Fitchett, where he
was judged off on the left front.  A few minues of exam and palpation at
that time did not disclose a probable cause, the pad was still on, and
he was not sensitive to any manipulation there. After having the
opportunity to observe him more closely on the ride home, (We take off
ever 3 hours or so)the problem is actually in the RIGHT REAR.  He was
tender either in the stifle area or hip. 

That said about "consistency", I will also say that it is not the
responsibity of the vet at a ride to determine the cause of the
lameness, but simply to determine if the horse is sound at a trot.  Any
other information is provided gratis, for which we are all grateful. The
help is always appreciated.

If more "consistency" was the desired result of the vet-in procedure at
OD, there were other things that, IMHO, would have produced a more fair
vet-in and make it easier on everyone.  

There were two vet groups when I vetted in. The two groups were not
running the same pattern at times, nor was the pattern being executed
the same way because of the cone layout. There were only two cones about
10 feet apart at the other end. I was asked to trot a cirle and a half
right (ending up at the far end) a cirle left, then straight back down
the middle. 

I think this was SUPPOSED to have been a trot to the other end (view
trotting away) circle to the right (right turn view) circle to the left
(left turn view) then trot straight back (view trotting toward) That
would have made more sense to me.

Afterwards, I watched the trot-outs through quite a few "gin and
tonics". <grin> There were all kinds of variations and inconsistencies
in the way riders trotted out their horses. Since the trot out circle
was not delineated very well, some people trotted almost straight out,
there were large circles, small circles, wrong patterns, etc. The result
was that the vets did not "see" each horse the same way. There should
have been at least 3 cones to define the cirle diameter, and 6 would
have been even better. 

It was also interesting, as Heidi pointed out in another post, how
different vets "see" things. I had one vet ask me while we were checking
Sunny to kneel down and watch the "uneven rhythm" of his feet as he
trotted away. Hmmm...he has better eyes than I do...all I could see was
dust and a blur of feet and tail.

I personally don't think "the 'team' lameness check format" at the
vet-in did anything to promote "consistency". In fact, I thought the
reverse was true. Just my opinion...I have no complaints.  I was treated
well by all the vets and enjoyed working with them.

 > > Just out of curiosity, do you know how many riders did not start
(in all
> > rides) this year and how that percentage compares with other years?
> 
> Have no idea.

Are you interested in finding out if the new 'team' lameness check
format"  procedure increased or decreased the number of non-starters?


Jim, Sun of Dimanche, and Mahada Magic


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