I don't approve of trying to hide any *relevant* factor of a horse's
condition from a ride vet. However, I approve of any legal "tricks"
used to lower respiration on a panting horse, if the ride has a
respiration requirement. This is because I believe that such
requirements do little if anything to protect horses, but unfairly
penalize fit, panting horses.
So, I'll offer another legal "trick" to lower respiration artifically.
That is to push a couple handfuls of ice up the horse's anus. I did
that once -- in full view of the ride vet -- because the ride had a
requirement for respiration to be down in 20 minutes or you were
pulled, the vet had no discretion to use his own judgement. It was a
hot, humid Midwest ride in July.
Someone asked the vet what I was doing, and he explained that I was
bringing my horse's respiration down. In two minutes he was taking
slow, deep breaths. We passed the check and went on to finish in
great shape.
If you use this trick, you've got to time it right, the reduction may
only be temporary.
--Joe Long AERC Hall of Fame Kahlil Khai AERC Hall of Fame 11,475 miles completed jlong@hiwaay.net http://fly.hiwaay.net/~jlong/home.shtml