Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

There are a lot of ways to to address the issue of risk. Some want much 
more management by the AERC, i.e., logbooks and punitive measures if a 
horse gets into trouble. Some don't think that the impact of this on the 
sport would be too great.

Clearly Bruce is right that a horse not on the top of his game should 
not be asked to perform as if he were. However, I think that a horse 
that has missed a few work outs and is not peaked can handle an LD or 
slow 50 - it is the responsibility of the rider to know when to do what.

I think every one has a responsibility in reducing risk. Clearly it is 
the riders responsibility to monitor his horse and make the right 
decisions. The RM has the responsibility to provide a safe venue for the 
event to take place. It is the AERC's responsibility since they sanction 
the event to provide guidance and even sanctions on both riders and ride 
managers for not living up to their responsibilities.

I think there are a few things the AERC can do that will make a big 
difference.

Rider education: They are doing much better at this lately. We can't 
expect new riders - no matter how many books they read to have the 
necessary experience. We need to provide the material for them to gain 
from the experience of others. Our understanding on how the stresses 
impact our horses changes and we acquire additional knowledge. We may 
find out some of what the thought yesterday turns out to be wrong when 
we learn more. Therefore, there needs to be a continuing education 
component to rider education.

Ride manager education: Just like anyone can show up at a ride - anyone 
can run a ride. Hopefully someone new who runs a ride will have some 
experience - but it is not necessary. Several years ago a new ride was 
started in Florida by a person that just joined the AERC so she could 
run the ride. She had never done an endurance ride prior. The ride 
offered a 25/50/100. My wife and I went but ended up not riding since 
the RM had no idea how to organize a ride and we pitched in helped her. 
We - the AERC - needs the same commitment to rider manager education as 
it does rider education.

No matter what we do or how good we are - from time to time a horse will 
get into trouble. In medicine - the faster the response the better the 
odds for full recovery. Could not some of the ruptured stomachs we have 
seen have been prevented if emergency treatment had been started on the 
ride site? I suspect so. Many years ago SERA started requiring at least 
two vets at a ride - one that could treat. I have seen many instances 
when rapid intervention to stabilize, i. e., draining the reflux, 
starting rehydration, etc. prior to shipping off site has probably meant 
the difference between a healthy happy horse going down the trail again 
and one 6 feet under.

I would like to see the AERC undertake an effort to come up with a 
series of recommendations for ride managers so they will be able to 
manage the issues associated with equine emergency medical issues that 
can arise at an endurance ride. Many moons ago at a ride I ran I had a 
local vet as treatment vet. She was an equine vet and a good one. She 
was my personal vet. She asked - what supplies should I have on hand? 
Fair question - right. I called the head of the AERC vet committee and 
asked if they had a list of emergency supplies and recommended 
quantities that a treatment vet for an endurance ride with approximately 
100 horses should have on hand. The didn't and no one seemed to want to 
give a suggestion.

We made a guess. The University of FL vet school being close and the 
head vet being on the UF staff saved my bacon (and maybe a few horses ) 
since we ended up going through a lot more fluids than we had budged.

I also think the AERC should develop a policy - regarding RM 
responsibility and emergency medical treatment for horses. When is a 
nearby clinic sufficient. When is a vet on call sufficient. When should 
a treatment vet be on site, etc.

There is two sides to the equation. One is keeping the horse out of 
trouble. The second is mitigation the risk to a horse that does get into 
trouble. Any horse at any ride can get into trouble. In might not matter 
to you today - but I will tell you it will matter if it is your horse.

Truman

Bruce Weary wrote:
> I'm going to suggest a little game. Let's show what we know to 
> ourselves, and more importantly, to any newbie lurkers (or veterans, 
> for that matter) about measures we take to reduce risk to our horses 
> in an endurance ride. This may end up being a fundamental review, but 
> there may be that one tidbit that someone offers that helps someone 
> else--or their horse. You can list as many strategies as you like.


--

“Since when have we Americans been expected to bow submissively to 
authority and speak with awe and reverence to those who represent us?” 
Justice William O. Douglas


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