Re: RC: Do I encourage her to go on?

["Nancy Mitts" <mitts_n@hotmail.com>]

Christian,
In my experience you did exactly the right thing. When an eager, competitive 
horse suddenly stops and demands to eat it can be a warning sign that 
they're heading for trouble. I'm not trying to be an alarmist, because as 
you saw, stopping to graze a while pulled her out of it with no bad effect. 
Had you encouraged her to continue without eating you may well have gotten 
to the check & crashed.  If you were following the thread about 
heat/humidity & how suddenly horses were getting in bad shape with "no" 
warning, what you got was a warning.
I somewhat agree with Heidi that since she had recovered by the time you 
reached the vet check, she may have been able to travel on slowly. But that 
would be a judgement call best made after lots of experience. Since you 
signed off as a "rookie" I commend you for doing the right thing. You and 
your horse should have years & miles of great fun ahead!! A horse that knows 
how to take care of itself by eating when it needs to is a great 100 mile 
prospect.

Nancy Mitts



>This is where my question comes in...Althea seemed to be a bit tired about 
>halfway up the hill and she REALLY wanted to eat.  So I let her.  We 
>stopped and ate... and ate... and ate - all of the other horses left us.  
>We were now in last place and all alone.  All Althea wanted to do was eat.  
>She did not want to trot very long before wanting to eat again.  So I let 
>her.  I let her eat and drink all that she wanted.  AND SHE DID.  We 
>arrived at the 2nd vet check at 4:15pm - her heart rate was 48, her gut 
>sounds were perfect (of course), she had no dehydration, and she was not at 
>all lame, but she did not have very much impulsion at the trot out.  Otis 
>knows Althea and knew that she could, under normal conditions, easily 
>finish the last 14 miles in enough time alloted.  But he and I knew that I 
>had been on (and off) my horse for over 8 hours already and that I would 
>have a tough time getting her to go fast enough to finish - so (I think 
>with releif from Otis) I pulled.
>
>Finally - here is my question:  should I have encouraged my very 
>competitive horse to GO and keep up with the other horses who left us?  
>Where her adrenaline and competitive spirit alone would have kept us 
>going...  Or did I do the right thing and let her eat all that she wanted 
>and knowingly taken the chance at not completing?  She is only 7 1/2 and I 
>really want to take it slow and do lots of miles for the next couple of 
>years and then, if she and I are cut out for it start trying to really 
>compete.
>
>ROOKIE ASKING THE PROS.
>
>Christian & Althea
>
>
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