Ridecamp: Re: [RC] practical suggestions re leaving early

Heidi,

I really appreciate your practical/common sense advice and reply to Ridecamp
issues.  Thanks for taking the time...  an Appreciative Rider

----- Original Message -----
From: Heidi Smith <heidi@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Saturday, June 22, 2002 6:43 AM
Subject: Re: [RC] practical suggestions re leaving early


>
> >Unless otherwise recommended by the treatment vet (ie, referring to a
> clinic), or barring unusual circumstances (home is VERY close by), then
IMO
> I wouldn't suggest loading up for home if any of the following criteria
are
> present:
>
> This was a good list of criteria for not hauling a horse within the few
> hours post-ride.  However, I'd add one more consideration to the "unusual
> circumstances" category--and that is the predicted ambient conditions
coming
> in in camp that night.  With our early spring and late fall rides here in
> the Far North, if there is likely to be a serious temperature drop
> (especially if accompanied by winds or other "chill factor" sorts of
> things), GET THAT STRESSED HORSE OUTTA THERE!  If home is a long way, ask
> around for a good stopping place (fellow endurance rider an hour away,
> fairgrounds, whatever) where there is shelter for your horse.  But if he
has
> the sorts of problems Susan named off, don't subject him to a central
Oregon
> high desert winter night tied to the trailer or stuck in a tiny makeshift
> corral.  I'm likely overly sensitive to this, having vetted rides under
such
> circumstances fairly routinely for 20 years, but it can be as much of a
> special challenge as dealing with heat and humidity in other parts of the
> country in the summer.
>
> The bottom line is always to weigh potential risks against potential
> benefits.  And if at all in doubt, corner one of the ride veterinarians
and
> ask advice.  This is a subject that a great many riders have come to me to
> discuss over the years, prior to loading up and heading out, to make sure
> they are making a safe and sane choice.  (The very fact that they come and
> ask the ride vets if it is ok to trailer home now is indicative of the
fact
> that the vast majority of riders are NOT uncaring about the condition of
> their horses, and indeed DO want to do right by them.)  The majority of
> horses come into camp and hoover down everything in sight that is edible,
> drain their water buckets, and temporarily sated, have a snooze in the
sun.
> Most are, indeed, "fit to continue"--so after a few hours of what amounts
to
> a king-sized hold after the final vet check in which they can do the above
> to their heart's content, they simply go out on the "next loop" which is
the
> ride home.  I think of it as if the horse is not "fit to continue" then he
> shouldn't be going out on that "next loop" in the trailer, either, until
> he's had more time to repair himself, and possibly some veterinary
> attention.
>
> And to Susan's list of no-no's, I'd add the horse that is a chronic poor
> trailerer (if there is such a word).  Most of my own horses will sleep in
> the trailer, eat in the trailer, drink in the trailer, pee in the trailer,
> etc., but I worry about the ones that get wall-eyed and stand there rigid
> and fretting.  And of course, that may well be a training issue to deal
with
> at home--most likely by the driver learning how to tow a trailer so that
the
> horse doesn't have to anticipate getting slapped up alongside the
partition
> on every turn or stop.
>
> Heidi
>
>
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 Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net.
 Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp
 Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp
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