Re: horses in trouble at vet checks

[Samm C Bartee <bartesc@mail.auburn.edu>]

Hi Anita...thanks for the opportunity for such dialogue!

> I wonder if it would be safe to say that in the central and SE regions
> esp. , there is more opportunity for a horse to quickly get into serious
> metabolic trouble with our heat/humidity than in some other locations
> that are drier and/or cooler.  So someone from the western part of the
> nation might not be aware of these factors.  A good, experienced P&R
> person (such as Bo Parrish) willl pick up on more subtle signs than
> others - but all in all, I think we're more accustomed to _looking and
> waiting_ for these signs when we're doing P&Rs.  
> 
This could very well be.  however, since I have yet to ride out of my
region, I can't say for sure.  I'm looking forward to heading West to the
Tevis and seeing what low humidity riding is all about!!:-))  
I do know that on especially hot and humid days, we all sit around
worrying about metabolic troubles.  Biltmore was a prime example.  None
were that bad, but some sure looked scary as rip when they happened.  This
past weekend at Liberty Run, we were worried about metabolics and mainly
we saw lameness troubles, so..go figure!:-)  

I do know that as a P&R volunteer, I look at horses hard as they come in
off the trail and walk into the box.  I try to be alert to problems that
tired riders may not be seeing.  



> This could be a gross generalization, but when I ride out of my area, in
> the SW for instance, I am aware of much less metabolic distress in the
> horses overal, as compared to my own central region.  One of the reasons
> we're so intent on fairly heavy electrolyting.

Lets see...Other regions?   

samm--team coujur