> I thank you are right. If you spend that much time with a horse you should
> know it. At each vet check I know how fast Misty should come down. For
> example she takes longer at the first check than the second from pure
> excitment and nerves and the large number of horses that tend to be there.
> I know that she is always a "little runny" at the beginning of the ride.
> If she weren't I'd be worried. I know that when Misty hits 68 she starts
> to drop like a rock so if she hangs at about 64 to 68 then something may be
> wrong.
All riders need to remember that the vet checks are there to help
them evaluate their horse, and to protect the horses as much as we
can, but it is still the rider who is in the best position to catch
early signs of trouble.
I remember one 50 mile ride where Kahlil didn't drink on the trail
before the first vet check, and didn't drink much in the check (he
usually is a good drinker from the start). Although he passed the
check quickly, I commented to my crew that if he didn't start
drinking better I'd probably pull him at the halfway stop.
He didn't drink at all on the trail on the next leg, either, and his
attitude just didn't seem quite right, so even though he recovered
quickly I told the vet I was pulling him. I asked him to check
Kahlil anyway, and the vet found no sign of anything wrong.
Well, less than an hour later he came down with a painful gas colic
and had to be treated! I hate to think what might have happened if
we'd been out on the trail instead of in camp.
Listen to your horse ... if you pull when you don't really have to
there's always another ride. If you pull to late, there may not be.
--Joe Long Rainbow Connection Arabians PC/LAN Manager home of Kahlil Khai Calhoun Community College AERC Hall of Fame horse jlong@hiwaay.net 11,450 miles completed