Re: Two Questions

[Trish Dowling <dowling@skyway.usask.ca>]

On Tue, 14 Jul 1998 17:17:14 -0400 (EDT) CMKSAGEHIL@aol.com wrote:

> Hi, Trish--
> 
> Regarding age, yes, we go by 48 months and 60 months, but other than
> registration papers with birthdates, we have no other proof of actual age.
> Teeth are off by as much as half a year by that point in a horse's life, in my
> experience, so really, grade horses can be off considerably.  Unless there is
> quite a discrepancy, we take the rider's word for it, but in my experience,
> most don't try to get away with underage horses.
> 
> Regarding weight--many riders are using specially-made girths with weight
> pockets, and all sorts of other adaptations in various places on their saddles
> to put a little here, a little there, etc. and keep it as balanced, secure,
> and as low as possible.  A few are also wearing weight vests themselves, but
> some find that this is a difficult adaptation, too.
> 
> Heidi

Thanks for the reply Heidi. This age thing got me curious, as I've picked up an unregistered Arab/Standardbred 
yearling and was told she was a late summer baby. So even I'll be guessing when she's "legal". At the GNC, the 
age issue came up because FEI requires horses to be 6 years old at national rides and 7 years old at "named" 
events like World Cups and Pan Am Games. The Candian Equestrian Federation came out with rules two weeks 
before the ride, saying that horses had to be 7 years old (essentially requiring an older age than FEI). It's hard to 
keep up with all the different regulations and this could get real crazy if we're going by teeth.

On the weight issue, I asked the TD about wearing a fishing vest with weight in the pockets, and she told me that 
some rides enforce the rule with the weight having to be on the horse. Even if they let you wear the vest, you have 
to be sealed into it. They sealed my cantle bag and I found myself having without water for myself! On the positive 
side, FEI has dropped the weight requirement for the eventers and are considering dropping it for endurance 
horses.

Cheers,
Trisha
Trisha Dowling, DVM, MS, Diplomate ACVIM & ACVCP
Associate Professor, Veterinary Clinical Pharmacology
Western College of Veterinary Medicine
Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B4
306-966-7359/FAX 306-966-7376