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[RC] Suitability to become an endurance horse (was: Calm & Cool) - k s swigartStacy Jones said: I would just like to explain myself a little better to all the people who got their panties in a bunch. I suspect that one of the reasons that a number of people got their nickers in a twist is that, one way of reading the question being asked was: "How can I give a tranquilizer to my horse without getting caught?" Once one understands that some people are reading the question that way, it should come as no surprise that these people will have a negative reaction to being asked how to get away with cheating. :) However, to answer Stacy's other question: How am I supposed to know if this is the "sport" for her, and train her for endurance, if I never bring her to one???? This question has a two-fold answer. The short, easy one is: If you have to tranquilize the horse for her to not be a danger to her self, her handlers, and the other participants, it ain't the sport for her. And this is true of all sports, not just endurance. The longer answer is: You need to take her to situations that are very much like endurance rides (such as trailering, camping, group event, long effort, trail rides, etc.) and subject her to them one or two at a time, NOT in a competitive environment until she learns how to deal with them, or until you learn that she isn't going to be able to deal with them. And then, when you are fairly sure that she will be able to handle the event (but you can't be 100% sure because you haven't taken her to one yet), you come prepared to excuse yourself from the event if she becomes a danger to herself, her handlers, and/or the other participants. What you are suggesting is putting the cart before the horse. You are pretty damn sure she isn't going to be able to handle the stress of the event and want to know if you can tranquilize her in order to make it easier/safer. And you are trying to justify doing this by saying you want to ensure the safety of everybody else at the event too. The way to best ensure the safety of the other participants is to not bring a horse that you are pretty damn sure can't handle the stress of the event. By all means, put the horse on Calm & Cool (since you say it works for her) in training situations so that you can take the edge off the horse so that she might learn that these situations aren't as stressful as she might first think. Then AFTER she has learned to handle the stress, you can take her off the drugs (that's what Calm & Cool is, its a drug, even according to the FDA). And AFTER she has learned to handled the stress without being drugged, THEN you bring her to a competitive event. I have brought plenty of horses to their first endurance rides (even the famed Santini that John Teeter mentioned :)), and I have taken plenty of horses to their first competitive events that are not endurance rides. My preferred solution with horses that might be a little wound up about it is not to give the horse a tranquilizer, but just to be prepared to "get the hell out of Dodge" if the horse demonstrates that it is in over its head. Oh yeah, and I don't take horses that I know aren't going to be able to handle it, because they can't even handle it at home. kat Orange County, Calif. p.s. Your other choice (and one I can't say that I haven't taken), is to take her to a multi-day ride for her first event. After having to go 50 miles a day for a few days in a row she will have learned not to be so stupid and save her effort for the important thing of going down the trail (assuming that she hasn't killed herself or you in the process). :) :) =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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