Re: RideCamp: Earlier vet checks

[Linda Cowles <linda_cowles@mentorg.com>]

Dbeverly4@aol.com wrote:
> truman.prevatt@netsrq.com writes:
> 
> <<  It is very difficult to amass sufficient qualified P&R people
>  to fairly manage 100 horses coming into a check in a 10 to 12 minute window.
>   >>
> 
> What about just a trot by type thing early on (10 miles or so).  

The point that Dr Loving made is that by stopping these horses and
having them settle down for few minutes, the teams (we riders are
usually part of the problem!) running on exhilaration and adrenaline
settle down, and developing problems become apparent. 

I barely slow down for most trot bys, so while they help, they don't
accomplish the objective of "mentally and physically regrouping". 

I'm not competitive compared to many in this group, and MY mind is
already riding in front of the people preceding me through an early trot
by!!! I'm not taking an inventory of my horse, and I should be. I'd
notice an obvious problem, but I'm excited and mentally counting coup on
riders I'm closing in on. In my own behavior, I'm a more conscientious
horse person after a stop... 

And Truman's point is a good one... easy to get a P&R clog if it's done
too early! 

One idea is to loop it back into camp for a trot through and very brief
hold - 5 minutes or less. A horse that's struggling through on chemistry
and herd pull will probably look a long time at that trailer...

Another is to have the vet at the trot-by have the authority / be
encouraged to pull a horse aside for a 3-5 minute break... would be
mentally hard on the horse unless many horses were pulled aside. 

Shatirr would fight to keep up for 10 or 15 miles no matter what. He
even ran through a serious tie up on the Western States 50 - *how* he
did it was beyond me!!! I always watched him because he tied up
chronically, and I'm over protective. 

I caught it after he passed the first vet with A's then peed red. An
early pause would have stopped him long enough for him to lose that race
brain energy and show the tie-up. The vet commended me on pulling him,
and said that he didn't have a clue. 

Linda Cowles

-- 


"When you think you're through changing, you're through..."


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