I?m not sure if you really want me to comment or not, but, since I'm a well
versed poker player I'll play the odds that you want me to say something on
this, so I will (that "well versed poker player" is a joke, btw).
I won't talk of your situation specifically, because, you know better than
I, and if you really believe none of your horse's experience with colic at that
particular ride was endurance related I won't argue with you. I did happen
to witness a similar event, twice this year, with the same horse (not mine) at
two separate rides which might resemble what happened to you.
The horse was a mare and I knew the rider. We rode together at an
endurance ride, rough, mountainous terrain, difficult, and
challenging. About half way through the 50 mile ride, at a water stop, the
rider dismounted and her mare went down. No prior warning, no
nothing. The rider and I talked about it and thought the best thing would
be to have the horse trailered in. I went and got a volunteer and that's
what happened. The horse was definitely experiencing a colic episode, was
given a shot of banamine and was later, that night, OK, fine. Was this
endurance related? In my opinion, it was. The stress of the
ride, after 20 some miles, caused the colic (plus she was riding with me
and America which probably didn't help any).
A couple of months later this same horse was at another ride I happened to
attend. The rider vetted the horse in at the pre-ride check, passed the
exam and was getting everything ready to ride the next morning. That
night, the horse colic'd again. The rider didn't start the ride. Was
this endurance related? Not like it was in the first situation, but,
indirectly, the ride location might have had something to do with it. The
mare got so excited with all of the horses near her in Ridecamp it stressed
her to the point where the colic kicked in again.
Now, this is pure conjecture on my part and there might be more to
it. I do know the rider, who is up there in the horse knowledge
department, was going to have the horse scoped to see if the mare might have
ulcers (I find it a bit ironic that she and I sat together at that particular
seminar at the AERC Convention). I'm not sure what the results were
since I haven't seen or talked with her since that last colic episode.
IF the horse did end up having ulcers would either of the two situations be
endurance related? Probably not, but, I'd hate for us to get to the point
where we start blaming ulcers on everything. Like I said, I'm not sure how
the scope results turned out on this horse. But, if the Vet determines the
horse does not have ulcers I sure would be reluctant to bring it to another
endurance ride. Not every horse is endurance material, including some
Arabians, which this horse was. It's one of the reasons why I no longer
bring Dance Line with me to an endurance run even though he's still my favorite
horse to ride.
I'm sure there are exceptions to everything but I have witnessed enough in
our sport to surmise that not all of these deaths or serious metabolic incidents
are coincidences that just happen when the horse is competing at a
ride. But, ask John or Sue from Vermont if either of them thinks the
recent tragedy that happened there is endurance related. You already know
my answer to what happened to me with Dance Line and, even though I got lucky,
when War Cry went down at Big South Fork last month, there's no doubt in my
mind both incidents were endurance related. I hope Maggie doesn't get mad
at me, but, maybe, when the time is right, you might want to ask if her
experience at Nationals was endurance related. I won't ask her because I
kind of think I know how she's feeling right now and once you go through that
sort of thing not all folks want to talk about it like I did (I didn't really
want to but felt I needed to and now you're going to have a hard time getting me
to ever shut up about it).
I don't have a suggestion for you but I guess I definitely have an
opinion. Hope that I gambled correctly giving it to you.
cya,
Howard (Marlins will win tonight and Gators will beat FSU next month,
signed, the Wacky Gambler)
"Trust me,
when a vibrant, healthy, well conditioned horse gets into metabolic trouble at
a ride, especially if it has to be put on IV or dies, it is endurance
related. "
Howard I respectfully disagree with this
statement. I almost lost Ranger to a colic at a ride two years
ago. The circumstances were:
1. He was conditioned in the spring just as he
had been every spring.
2. He had almost 1000 miles on him
3. The weather was ideal.
4. Because I don't push in the spring I was going
slowly with a group of friends.
5. He was well hydrated before the
ride.
6. He had eaten and drank well at the first two
vet checks.
7. He had grazed (but not drank) on the last 12
mile loop.
8. The trail was flat.
9. He came in drank 4 Gal of water. Passed
the vet check fine. He was alert. Gut sounds B (not unusual for this vet
and horse combination)
10. 10 minutes later he exhibited mild
colic. I pulled him, and consulted the vets.
11. 5 hours later after 20 l of fluid we took him
to a vet hospital.
12. The next day he was much better.
13. I talked to the 3 ride vets, and another vet
later. No one can to this day figure out what could have been done to
prevent this serious colic.
If you have a suggestion, I am all ears.
this incident was endurance related, but only in the sense that it happened at
a ride. That same year Wendy had a pregnant mare die one day in the
pasture. I personally feel that this death was about as endurance
related as Ranger's problems. (the endurance connection was that the
foal was going to be a world class endurance horse.)
Ed
Ed and Wendy Hauser Sisu West 2994 Mittower
Road Victor, MT 59875
