Two Questions

[Trish Dowling <dowling@skyway.usask.ca>]

I have two questions for the group:

1) The AERC rules stipulate that the horses must be 48 months old to do Limited Distance and 60 months to do 
an endurance ride - which implies that we're supposed to go by the horse's actual birthdate. Are people doing this, 
or doing like most show  ring and racetrack rules and considering the horse's birthday to be Jan 1? If so, is anyone 
getting challenged on their horse's age at a ride? Aging horse's by their teeth is not an exact science and I'd argue 
with anyone trying to use this at a ride, but then again, I've never noticed anyone checking my horse's teeth to see 
if he was as old as I said he was.

2) How are the lightweight riders making weight for FEI rides? I had a terrible time at the Great Northern 
Connection, when I showed up with tack on the scale at 155 lbs. I had to find 10 lbs in a hurry and did it by 
cramming 4 liters of intravenous fluids in my cantle bag and putting my Aussie raincoat over my pommel. The 
fluids were dead weight behind the saddle on the sand dunes and did make my horse sore. Are people using the 
racehorse saddle pads with lead weights? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks!
Trisha

Trisha Dowling, DVM, MS, Diplomate ACVIM & ACVCP
Associate Professor, Veterinary Clinical Pharmacology
Western College of Veterinary Medicine
Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B4
306-966-7359/FAX 306-966-7376