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[RC] RE : Leonard are yu there - Leonard.LiesensHi Bruce,
Here in France and Belgium the 56 pulse criteria has been enforced to try to
protect the young horses. Well, this was the primary goal. Does that work ?
well, difficult to answer without complete statistical data.
It protects from the crazyness of some riders, this is for sure. It has a side
effect on the selection of endurance horse : riders are looking more and more
for horses with exceptional recoveries as those horses are the best prospects
for winning 90Kms races in France. These big heart (as loing as big hearts are
linked with good recoveries... another debate :-) ) horses are also the best
prospect for campaigning on the european circuit where speed and vet-in times
are major issues. Not to speak about the business side : outstanding recovering
horses make good marketable horses (UAE, Bahreain, etc...).
France, in its young horses finals (6 years, 90Km races) encourages also the
process. Combination of speed and recoveries count for one third in the
evaluation criteria to judge the young horses.
And the list goes on...
Now to try to answer your question.
Going to a 72 threshold is going backward (i mean in terms of helping US to
prepare and campaign high class endurance horses). It will for sure increase
the speed and probably not help the veterinarian to detect early metabolic
problems. We use to question a horse's metabolic health that takes more than 15
min to recover to the 64. Picky vets would also in this case ask for a recheck
before allowing the horse to leave for the next stage, I mean during FEI rides.
I do really not understand why a '60 minutes' window would be necessary at the
end of a race (sorry, a ride...). For doing what ? We use to present the horse
asap as he has recovered to avoid cramping. Once the horse has been vetted we
have then all the time needed to care for him : icing the legs, letting graze
or eat, letting drink, letting roll and pee, etc...
Concerning treatment, I think that there was a study made by a french vet (an
FEI vet from Maison Alfort I think) during two seasons. Subject was to find
statistical data and make conclusions on the treated horses. Factors were
(experience of horse, of rider, distance travelled to come to the event, time
of crash). I can make a search.
It seems also that the FEI regulation 'no treatment in the 2 hours after
completion' will be changed. This will lead to a big debate at the Endurance
Forum in Paris in March!!!
Leonard, Belgium
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Hi Leonard-
Thank you for you recent input. I think it gives good perspective.
With regard to our current discussion about pulse criteria, you mentioned that
a 90 km race has a 20 minute window and a 56 pulse in some rides you have over
there. As a hypothetical, what do you think would happen if the pulse rates
were increased to 72, as one vet has suggested here, with a 30 minute window at
vet checks, and a 60 minute window at the finish line, traveling at those
speeds? Would it have any effect, in your opinion, on the speed of the racers,
horse health complications, or need for treatment? Thank you in advance for
your response. Bruce Weary, Horse Welfare Committee, Lip Service Division
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