Hot weather syndrome

["John & Sue Greenall" <greenall@vermontel.net>]

To answer Michelles questions.  This was a 100 mile CTR, no one 
was on their first ride.  Most of the horses had been competing all 
season, no one pulled one out of a pasture.  Most of the riders had 
thousands of miles of experience.  Everyone took advantage of 
sponging and despite the hot dry conditions, we had tons of water 
out there.  In 40 miles we had 10 tanks on trail, not including the 
hold which had two three hundred gallon tanks that the riders used. 
Interestingly, at the hold, 17 miles out, no one had a high pulse, 
most were 48 or lower in 10 minutes.  The second half was 20 
miles (we lie a little about it being a 40 mile day ;-} ) and we had 
pulses in the 60's, one in the 80's, and thumps after 20 minutes.  
The horses were all in the shade (they had stalls with overhangs) 
and plenty of water applied.  Our scoring system requires the horse 
to reach a 44 pulse in 20 minutes and we USUALLY have no 
problem seeing this.  And there were quite a few horses that did 
just that.

The time was 6:40 to 7:10 which included a 20 minute hold which 
comes to 5.8 to 6.3 mph.  Compared to a 50 mile endurance at the 
same speed, it would take 7:20 of ride time.  The difference is that 
in that 50 miles, the horse would have had 2-3 holds. 

Several of you have responded to this issue privately to me and had 
made some very good points.  Please post to the list so that 
others can comment.  One rider at a 30 mile CTR had a similar 
experience and attributed it to the brand of electrolytes used.  No 
doubt there is a great deal of difference between brands and 
consumer knowledge is very important.  But some of the brands I 
am hearing to blame are "endurance rated" and highly used by us.

To address another comment about this sport being a risk.  Yes, of 
course it is, but reducing the risk is our responsibility to our 
horses.  I cannot accept what I have seen this summer as being 
"part of the sport" because I think we can learn and manage better. 
 
The point I wish to point out again is that this "syndrome" is 
occuring at CTR as well as top level endurance rides.  We cannot 
blame it on rider ignorance, riding too fast or poor ride management 
like we have in the past.  There is more there to look at and we 
should do just that.
John and Sue Greenall
mailto:greenall@vermontel.net
http://www.vermontel.com/~greenall


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