Education & Training Manual

Queensland Endurance Riders Association - Education and Training Manual i

Education and Training Man-ual

www.aera.asn.au/qera

Education and

Training Manual

Queensland Endurance Riders Association - Education and Training Manualii

“Endurance Riding is perhaps the fastest growing equine sport in Australia and is popular worldwide.”

Queensland Endurance Riders Association - Education and Training Manual 1

We hope you find this publication a helpful and valuable resource as well as a future reference in helping you get started in Endurance Riding.

For further information on Endurance Riding including ride calendar and contacts, visit the Queensland Endurance webpage at www.aera.asn.au/qera

Many people have generously donated their time and experience to assist in developing this production. Thanks to Dick Collier, Dr Jo Hamilton-Brannigan (BVSc), Anne Barlow, Carol Layton, Jane Clothier and Chris Nichols.

Photo’s graciously supplied by Sue Crockett, Julie Kemp, Melissa Longhurst and Jo Weismann.

One of the most important aspects of endurance riding is to have FUN, look after yourself and your horse and to enjoy the spectacular country in which we ride in.

Regards

Melissa Longhurstfor Queensland Endurance Riders Association

Welcome to Queensland Endurance

Contents

Summary of Rules in Endurance ............ 2

Selecting a Horse for Endurance ............ 7

Training your Horse .................................. 8

Saddling the Endurance Horse .............10

Feeding the Endurance Athlete .............12

Track Etiquette .......................................19

Strapping ...............................................20

Riding to Speed .....................................23

Endurance Vetting Procedures ..............25

Code of Conduct .....................................34

Ride Check list ........................................35

Notes .......................................................36

Queensland Endurance Riders Association - Education and Training Manual2

A Summary of the Rules of Endurance RidingOriginal notes Anne Barlow. Revised by Melissa Longhurst (2011)


Getting Started, an IntroductionEndurance riding clubs affiliated with Queensland Endurance Riders Association Inc (QERA) hold events or ‘rides’ varying in length from the brief 5km Social Ride to the mammoth 400km multi day Marathon Rides. In between these distances are the 20km Intro (Introductory) Ride, Training Rides between 40km & 50km, then Open Rides which are defined as events of 80km or greater, the most popular being 80 to 100km, 120km and then the 100 “mile” ride or 160km event. Marathon Rides are held over several days and are generally 240km, 320km and up to 400km (80kms per day).

In brief, you may enter Social, Intro or Training Ride as a Day Member, which is not being a current member of QERA (or another State body). However a Day Membership Fee will be payable at each ride.

Similarly, your horse can also enter these shorter events or ‘rides’ if he does not have a logbook. If this is the case, a Vet Card is issued for the horse by the ride Secretary when you nominate for the ride.

To be eligible to enter a Social Ride or Introductory Ride your horse needs to be at least 3 years of age. For a Training Ride a horse must be four and a half years or over on the day of the ride with evidence of age being that the horse must have a full mouth of permanent teeth erupted, but the corner incisors need not be in wear. This is one of the ways in which our sport protects young, sometimes immature horses that may be of the determined age, but that are not sufficiently mature to compete safely and to be given the best chance of a long and successful Endurance career.

To enter an open ride - that is a competitive ride of 80kms and up to 120km - you are required to be a financial member of a State Association of the AERA Inc., and your horse must hold a Logbook. Novice Horses are issued with a BLUE logbook. All application forms for membership, logbooks, identification of endurance horses, etc. are available from the QERA Registrar or from the QERA webpage.

For the rider to be eligible to enter an open ride they must first successfully complete two Training Rides, however the horse is not required to do this. Both horses and riders are deemed to be “Novice” until they have successfully completed the minimum requirement of 240 km of Open Rides. Novice horses and riders must compete at restricted speeds. Once the 240km (3 x 80 to 120km) of events have been successfully completed and an endurance horse log book has been issued, then horse and rider are deemed to be “Open” or “Endurance” status and may then enter longer distances together.

Becoming a member of the QERA Inc. is easy and along with your membership card and subscription to the state newsletter magazine you will be supplied with riding rules and the rules of incorporation. It’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with the rules relating to Novice Riders, and Novice Horses.

Once you join QERA, the type of membership and colour of card issued will be dependent on whether you have previously successfully completed 2 training rides, or if you are a complete Novice.


A PINK card is issued to total newcomers who have yet to enter any rides. This card remains effective until you have completed the Training Rides and limits you to entering these Training Rides only. Once you have successfully completed two Training Rides, proof of such, should be forwarded with the card to the Registrar, who will then send you a YELLOW Novice card.

The yellow card allows you to enter Open Rides of 80 to 120 kilometres, as well as still being able to enjoy the relative more social events such as Social, Intro and Training Rides.

Once you and the horse have successfully completed 240kms or more in endurance rides of distances between 80kms and 120kms, then you may apply for an Endurance Riders open card (THE WHITE CARD), and you may also apply for an Endurance Horse Logbook (THE YELLOW BOOK) for the horse.

At this time a qualified Veterinarian must identify the horse and have a microchip inserted if this is not already done.

There is a minimum period of 90 days that a horse is a Novice Horse. This time commences from the date the horse is first entered in an affiliated endurance ride (80 kms or more). Again, this is one of the regulations to protect young horses. This means that an Endurance Horse Logbook will not be issued for a horse in any less than 90 days from the date of the first open ride entered.

VettingIt is the rider’s responsibility to present their horse at the correct times at the vetting area. You may be disqualified if you are late. Pay attention to the time slips handed to you upon return from each leg and be sure that you know the time you must present. When presenting for vetting, your horse must be well behaved. It is necessary that you ensure your horse’s temperature can be taken safely, that the feet can be picked up, and that the mouth can be inspected.

The majority of our Vets and TPR’s are VOLUNTEERS and we don’t want them damaged or discouraged - a smile and thank you is always very well received and appreciated!

Chief StewardRefer any problem you may have immediately to the Chief Steward before you leave the vetting area if it is to do with vetting. The Chief Steward, who will be readily identifiable in the red Chief Steward vest, is there to ensure the smooth running of the event and will be happy to help you.

Ride SecretaryRide Secretaries are under a lot of pressure during a ride, but are also a wealth of information! Introduce yourself and ask any questions you are unsure of prior to entering the ride. Please be patient if they are busy.


Pre-RideFamiliarise yourself with the Horse Welfare rules of Endurance Riding. For example, no whips or spurs are allowed at any time. No mistreatment of horses is allowed. De-nerved horses are not allowed in this sport. No performance enhancing drugs are allowed, and random swabbing occurs at many events.

In the vetting area, the Head Veterinarian has the final say with regards to the health and welfare of the horse, which remains paramount at all times.

All ride organisers hold pre-ride talks and many will have an additional special pre-ride talk for any first-time entrants where you will be most welcome to ask as many questions as you need answered.

The pre-ride brief is when important information regarding the ride, including any potential track issues, vetting procedures or any other pertinent reminders, are shared. For example ,such things as any special marking of the track, any unusual locations of water for your horse to drink, any places on track that you will need to take particular care, are explained. The ride Vet may at this time bring riders’ attention to any special conditions which he/she believes may have an impact on the welfare of the horses: for example, the temperature, humidity, or expected speed. Listen to this advice and remember it as you ride the track.

Novice Horses and or Novice Riders must not complete the course in less time than the advertised minimum novice riding time for each leg, generally at a pace no quicker than 14km per hour. The ride organisers will notify riders of the novice times at the pre-ride talk, so it is most important to attend.

You may not remove a horse from the ride base (except for exercise) until the veterinarian releases the horse by signing the horse’s logbook, or vet card. Upon completion of your ride your horse may not be removed from the grounds until 2 hours post completion, unless permission has been given by the Head Vet and the Chief Steward.

What happens out on course?Social, Introductory and Training Rides are all non-competitive events and riders ride for completion awards or certificates of completion only. There are no weight or age divisions and all riders, irrespective of age, must wear an approved helmet. Any rider under the age of 10 years old will need to be escorted by a senior rider.

Sometimes during Training Rides the rules allow for a Pace Rider. This person will be introduced to you at the pre-ride brief or immediately prior to the ride start and you may not ride past this Pace Rider at any time during the ride. Training Rides between 41km and 60km in total distance will have two legs with a standard one-hour vet check and this is generally halfway along the course.

The procedure will be advised at the pre-ride talk, however the heart rate of every horse must fall to 55bpm or below at the completion of the first leg before the horse can proceed. You may present your horse at any time from the time of arrival at the heart gate. If you do not present, or if the horse’s heart rate does not drop to 55bpm or below within 30 minutes, the horse is disqualified. Disqualified horses will not be allowed to continue on any part of the ride course. The horse’s heart


rate must fall to 55 bpm or below within 30 minutes at the completion of the Training Ride (60bpm for an Endurance Ride). These heart rate regulations will be enforced.

You must complete the course as marked, on the horse nominated. Should you make an error in following the course (I hesitate to say “become lost”) you must “unwind”, without outside assistance, to the point where you left the course or face disqualification if you continue on to the finish.

Most rides have radio communications that provide monitoring of each rider’s position on the track. Each checkpoint keeps a record of horses passing through. If you have problems on track, don’t panic. Send a message on to the next checkpoint with other riders if you need assistance. Stay on the track.

Outside assistance on track is not allowed, except for the replacement of lost shoes, and any other assistance that is deemed by the Chief Steward to be within the bounds of common sense.

Your horse must be well behaved and not be a danger to other competitors, ride officials, or members of the public during the course of the ride, or you may be disqualified.

Stallions must be clearly identified at all times with a blue ribbon in its tail. Riders of stallions entered in all events must be at least eighteen years or age. Weight divisions in open rides are clearly defined, and it is the rider’s responsibility to maintain their weight within the division entered.

I want to do this, but things keep going wrong!If you are having problems with your horse, high heart rates, lameness or the horse’s metabolic’s are not quite right - don’t battle on your own. Ask for help in the interest of the health and safety of your friend, your horse. Nobody in the sport started out as an expert, and many very experienced riders will say they are still learning. It is the easiest thing in the world to call on the experience of others to help your progress. Despite that fact that we have first, second, and third place awards, an endurance ride is all about you and your horse successfully completing every ride you enter in the best possible condition, and going on to achieve many thousands of successful miles together. Endurance riding is a modern alternative to the regimented forms of equestrian disciplines, with a freedom in dress, behaviour and riding attitudes. However, horse welfare, and the maintaining of standards commensurate with this being a family sport are strictly governed by the members themselves, and by each of the State Management Committees.

Don’t be deterred by what may seem like endless rules and regulations, once you have completed a ride or two it will all fall into place and make more sense to you.

The members themselves determine our rules, and we have a democratic system of administration. Above all else, enjoy yourself and look after your horse!


A suitable horse to commence your endurance career may be sitting in your own paddock. It is advisable to check out your alternatives before rushing out and spending up big on a new horse. Most trail horses are capable of completing Training Rides to get you started.

If you decide to buy a horse, it needn’t be an Arabian or Arabian derivative although that may help. Not all Arabians make suitable endurance horses. There are thoroughbreds, stock horses, ponies, standardbreds, mules and a few quarter horses out there completing successfully. Look closely at the horse conformation. If you are looking for a long successful career together, a horse has to remain sound. Good legs and strong hooves are very important.

Heart Rates of known endurance lines are usually lower, giving you an advantage. Choose the horse that suits YOUR nature and riding ability. For example, if you like riding fast on a competitive horse you may not be interested in the slow steady completion horse. Alternatively, if you enjoy a relaxed ride, don’t choose a fiery competitive horse. Even the steady quiet horse will liven up at a ride. Sometimes much emphasis is placed on size, especially for heavyweight riders, but this should not be the sole factor in making your decision. Often the not so tall, short backed horses

are capable of carrying weight more so than the tall lanky individuals.

Get a Vet Check - a small price to pay for valuable information. You are going to invest a great deal of your time and money in your endurance prospect so he should be sound to start with. Always remember, “caveat emptor” – Let the Buyer Beware. Ask a friend who knows about the market to go with you to negotiate.

Selecting a Horse for Endurance By Anne Barlow


Training Your HorseBuilding a strong relationship with your new horse means spending a lot of time preparing him for your first rides. Practice and preparation prior to the day should include:

floating – have him floating well. Often rides are many hours away and your horse needs to travel comfortably to arrive in tiptop condition

shoeing – find a really good farrier or barefoot trimmer. If you can’t, contact someone on our contact list that may know of an experienced endurance person in your locality. It cannot be emphasized enough concerning the importance of good and regular shoeing and or trimming. Losing a shoe part way into a ride because of poor workmanship is costly and time consuming and may cause you to fail to complete in time. Other problems caused by poor shoeing or shoes being left on for too long can result in corns and lameness and these can put your horse out of work for long periods.

good horsemanship skills – have your horse listening to you before you climb on his back. Practice picking up his feet, taking his temperature, and trotting out freely BESIDE you before taking him to a ride. As we value our workers at rides (Vets & TPRs) please try to make their job as safe as possible.

rugging - if you are intending to rug your horse, get him used to it beforehand. Whilst at a ride is not a good time to try out new things. Also being used to plastic bags and tarps is important as at many

rides, camps are close together and it is sometimes windy!

changes in tack - should be made in training not at the ride.

It is a good idea to have your horse used to torch lights before attending a camp over.

Practice feeding him in the dark whilst using the torch. Many of the rides involve riding in the dark for short or longer periods with other horses and riders moving around your horse with headlamps and torches; your horse needs to have experienced this BEFORE arriving at a ride.

Set up a training course – find a track and measure it in your car (if possible). You could even put distance marks on your track (maybe a piece of white ribbon on a tree branch) or choose points of interest (such as a road intersection or building). It is extremely beneficial to find out about local endurance clubs as the members may live near you and can assist you with information concerning training tracks and be able to help you with any other questions you may have. It is also nice to know people when you arrive at rides.

Start training yourself to calculate how long and at which gait you used to reach these distance markers. You will soon learn to measure the speed that you and your horse are comfortable riding at and in training you should endeavor to travel at the same speed you intend to complete the ride at. Record the water points and check for accessibility and suitability. You need water every 10 kms or less. If you can find some varied tracks 12, 18, 25 and upward to 40 kms


this will help your horse. A horse soon becomes bored following the same trail on every outing. Also, the introduction to riding with other horses is helpful to the horse, although you are bound to spend a lot of time in training by yourselves.

First week you shouldn’t aim for long rides, just short trail riding tracks are best (10 to 12 kms). Take your time (1.5 to 2 hrs), three to four times in a week. Second week you could aim to increase the length and speed slightly, say 12 to 18 kms in 1.5 to 2 hrs several times a week.

The introduction of some small hills in the third week will increase fitness. Getting off to walk or run with your horse to give him a rest on the downhill will help you both. It may not be necessary to increase the length of your ride; just a slight increase in speed coupled with the hill work will be sufficient. By the fourth and fifth weeks you will be keen to tackle a longer ride (18 to 25 kms) over varied terrain in a shorter time (1.5 to 2 hrs). At the sixth week mark you and your horse will be ready to take on a longer track (up to 40 kms) over 3 hrs. Following this you should both be ready for your first Training Ride.

If your horse has some fitness from regular trail/stock work this training period can be reduced considerably. Whilst it is preferable (for your own knowledge) it is not necessary that a horse complete 40 kms before attending a ride if it is a mature reasonably fit individual.

Monitor Your TrainingMany riders have hints to assist in

training: keep a log at the stable; take your horse’s temperature and pulse each day before leaving home; always check his pulse again after training; it should reduce as he gets fitter. If your horse has an increased temperature or an abnormally high pulse (see Veterinary notes for guidance on temperature and pulse rates) he should stay at home. If his manure is not well formed and normal in color or he is urinating abnormally, you may need to refer to a veterinarian. Offer the horse water before you leave especially if you know that there is little water on your track. Sometimes sweetened with molasses is more acceptable although encouraging the horse to drink sweetened water can cause problems when on a ride where there will not be molasses in the water drums on track. Always carry a sponge to cool your horse at every opportune time on track. I have also seen riders carry a plastic milk bottle cut as a scoop leaving the lid on and handle tied to the saddle. If you are not permitted to sponge your horse at the water points (very important track etiquette) because of lack of clean drinking water, you may be able to pour water over your horse to cool him.

Remember always slick (using your hand or squeezed sponge) the excess water from the horse before riding on. Keep a log record of each day’s training in your diary; this will be especially helpful for reference when you re-commence training after a spell. Finally, before leaving, circle the horse in both directions and critically assess his gait. If he is showing any abnormality, it is only going to get worse following a ride. Don’t leave home. You should know your horse’s gait as well as your own.


Look around at any ride and you’ll see an unending variety of saddles: all purpose and dressage saddles, both leather and synthetic, swinging fender and stock saddles, military models, a range of specialist and sometimes highly innovative endurance designs, plus an array of treeless saddles.

How do you select a saddle for this sport? It’s not always easy. Ask any seasoned rider and they’ll most likely have been through the process of trying out saddle after saddle with at least one of their horses. No saddle fits every horse - not even treeless; and as everyone in endurance discovers, saddle fit involves a lot more than simply finding the right gullet width.

There are multiple reasons why saddles are such an issue in the sport. Unsurprisingly, these are topped by the nature of distance riding itself. Over even 40km, a minor saddle fit problem can escalate to the extent that the horse is vetted out due to back pain. Even if the horse passes the vetting, there may be a problem that worsens over months to come. This is complicated further by the fact that many horses lose weight over the course of a single ride, while its musculature changes over the course of the training and ride season.

As you probably know, the saddle should distribute the rider’s weight evenly across its contact area with the horse’s

back. This may be the case with your saddle, but it can change due to the way the horse moves during the event. If the gullet is a bit narrow, there will already be constriction on the trapezius and back muscles. In a fully extended trot, the rotating shoulder blade is more likely to be encountering restriction. The continued trotting also leads to long periods of exaggerated sideways movement at the back of the saddle, leading to rubs and sores.

Also, when a horse pulls during a ride, its head rises and its back flattens out or hollows. Where the underside of the saddle (the panels) previously made contact across their whole area, there are probably now large areas where there’s very little contact at all. Weight distribution is focused into small areas and pressure points rapidly occur.

Yet there’s more. A large percentage of endurance horses are Arabians and of these a significant number are both short-backed (17 ribs) and ‘dippy’ backed. Many saddles are either too long to fit without bridging (when there is a gap beneath the saddle’s centre) or are too straight through the panels to accommodate the horse’s profile lengthwise. The result is that the rider’s weight is focused into smaller areas, again causing undue pressure.

Arabians are strong enough to carry bigger riders than their size would

Saddling the Endurance Horse By Jane Clothier


suggest. However, the issue is where to place that weight. Saddles should distribute the riders’ weight to either side of the thoracic spine – i.e., over the rib cage, where the horse has greater support and deeper layers of muscles. At the same time, the shoulders should be unrestricted. Many saddles are too long, as this is what the rider requires, and this leads to weight being transferred to the weaker lumbar area, behind the ribcage.

What about the rider? It’s obviously impossible to separate yourself from this equation. Your position is important! If you sit well back in the saddle with your feet forward, you may be more comfortable riding long distances, but what about your horse? For many, the rider’s weight is being angled back onto that vulnerable area over the lumbar spine.

The consequences of poor fit can range from minor to career-ending. In the short term, you may get vetted out due to back soreness. Your horse may develop white patches under the saddle area, sometimes within days of a ride, but there again, it may not – some of the most serious issues don’t present clearly visible signs. Indeed, signs of many emerging problems fall outside the range of the ride vetting. Meanwhile, it becomes progressively harder for your horse to move effectively.

Some of the worst damage can come from the change in posture that happens when the horse is experiencing ongoing discomfort: back muscles tighten or atrophy, vertebral joints misalign, pelvises rotate and sacroiliac ligaments tear. To compound things, the more these problems progress, the harder it is to fit a saddle effectively.

So, what can you do? It’s impossible to test ride a saddle pre-purchase in a way that will give you warning of problems over distance – the only way is to borrow one to try out, or buy a saddle and sell on if it doesn’t work out.

Meanwhile, do your utmost to become ‘saddle fit aware’. By being conscious of the problems that can develop, you can do more to prevent them arising. Don’t just rely on others to tell you that your saddle is OK – learn to check your horse’s back yourself or get bodywork professional to do it.

Importantly, accept that you may have to save up for a new saddle (or two!) and that it’s your responsibility to help your equine athlete work comfortably, happily and to the best of his or her potential. Doing so can only be to your advantage!


Feeding the Endurance AthleteBy Carol Layton, independent nutritionist


The basic nutritional management for horses should be the same, whether you have a much loved member of the family in the back paddock or are feeding an athlete to win an endurance ride; the ultimate goal in feeding should be to have a healthy horse able to perform at the best of his ability at his level of fitness and conditioning with a robust immune system.

Endurance enthusiasts as a group are renowned for going the extra length to get the best fitting and comfortable saddle and tack, the best training regime for conditioning their horse, the best float or gooseneck the budget can provide to give themselves and their horses a comfortable ride but what about ensuring your equine athlete is fed an optimised, mineral balanced diet? An optimised balanced diet is one where the amounts of each nutrient are more than sufficient to cover the very high needs of an endurance horse in training and the minerals are in the right proportions to each other to prevent one mineral interfering with the absorption of another.

Dr. Eleanor Kellon VMD http://drkellon.com/, says “Healthy young to middle-aged adult horses will tolerate a wide range of minimal imbalances with no obvious outward signs, but many of the things we take for granted as ‘usual’ in horses, such as sun-bleaching, tendon/ligament/joint issues, immune system imbalances, poor fertility, muscle and nerve problems, bone problems can all have a nutritional component. All problems are a combination of genetics and outside influences.” Nutrition is one aspect we can control. Horses on pasture, not under any stress, may show no outward signs at all of mineral deficiencies - until their immune system

is stressed, they become ill or are in the type of training required to be successfully conditioned for endurance events.

To know if a nutrient is deficient or being prevented from being absorbed or interfered with in the digestive tract by another nutrient and therefore out of balance, it’s essential to know the amounts of nutrients in the whole diet; the main forage plus supplementary feeds and supplements. It’s not enough just to balance one small part of the intake.

A representative sample of pasture or hay can be sent to a laboratory for testing to see what kind of nutrient profile it has. The diet of an endurance horse should be predominantly made up of fibre as the horse’s digestive system evolved on high fibre vegetation – either grass or if no pasture available, then hay. Testing a representative sample of grass (or hay), is the best approach as it’s the foundation of the diet. The nutrient intake from supplementary feed can be calculated from the data provided by laboratories or feed companies.

When determining the amounts of nutrients needed, refer to the National Research Council (NRC) report Nutrient Requirements for Horses (2007). The NRC is part of the National Academy of Sciences in the USA, a private non-profit research institution that provides science, technology, and health information that helps officials build policy and industry guidelines. The NRC equine committee gathers, analyses, and publishes information about research in equine nutrition. http://sites.nationalacademies.org/nrc/index.htm.


The NRC provides the known nutrient requirements for horses by weight, age, workload and reproductive status. Tables are given which set out the minimum requirements to prevent deficiency state symptoms, discussions of each of the nutrients listed, and maximum tolerance levels and recommended ratios.

The beauty in knowing what your horse is getting in his whole diet means that you can supplementary feed what he is missing out on in the right amounts.

Nutrients in brief

FibreIdeally, what we feed a horse should be high in fermentable fibre as this is what a horse’s digestive system evolved on. Soluble fibre like cellulose (grass, hay) and pectin (beet pulp and soybean hulls) are digested slowly by microbes providing a horse with sustained energy that can be used over a long period of time. Both beet pulp and soybean hulls are low sugar and starch, low fat, high soluble fermentable fibre forage feeds with an energy level close to oats. The reason these feeds are so ideal for horses is that instead of sugars or starch supplying the energy, the fibre is broken down or fermented by microbes in the gut into acetate, a volatile fatty acid which can be used by cells, especially muscle cells to produce energy. It’s a great fuel. If not needed for energy, acetate will be converted into fat in the liver. Both beet pulp and soybean hulls are excellent for fuelling a horse in work and for putting condition on an underweight horse. Both when soaked are fantastic for gut sounds and hydration at endurance rides as both soak up so much water. For endurance

horses, a 50:50 mixture by weight of beet pulp/soybean hulls and whole oats for additional energy provide less of a glucose spike and less risk of ‘hot horse’ issues than plain grains alone.

ProteinsDietary protein is required for growth, muscle development, reproduction, lactation, repair of body tissues, and skin and hair development.

Protein is the structural component of all organ systems; the hoof wall is about 93% protein on a dry matter basis. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein, some like lysine and leucine are known as ‘essential’ which means that they have to come from the diet and others like alanine and glutamine are ‘non-essential’, they can be manufactured by the horse. Imagine a necklace of coloured beads; each bead would represent one amino acid. A string of coloured beads would represent a protein with each combination of colours representing a specific protein.

Essential amino acids can be limiting amino acids. For example, a strong smell of ammonia can indicate too much protein in the diet OR a sufficient amount but is deficient in one or more of the essential amino acids. If there wasn’t enough of lysine for example, the proteins that need lysine can’t be manufactured and the unused amino acids have to be excreted. It would be like the coloured beads, run out of one colour and you can’t finish making the necklace.

Bacteria in the environment break urea in the urine down to ammonia but it only becomes abnormal when there is a lot more urea than usual (a


byproduct of protein metabolism). This can occur when too much protein in the diet beyond what a horse needs has to be metabolised to be excreted, making more urea, more ammonia. Same thing can happen in spring as new growth of grass is far higher in protein than mature growth, sometimes bloating and even loose manure will result when switching rapidly to a higher protein feed.

In an endurance horse’s diet, there needs to be sufficient essential amino acids rather than protein overall. Unfortunately, other than lysine, there has been little research on amino acids in horses; the research is mostly extracted from pigs (with a reasonably similar digestive system).

CarbohydratesCarbohydrates are formed in plants as a result of photosynthesis. They include sugars, starches and cellulose. Simple sugars are monosaccharide’s such as glucose and fructose which can combine to make more complex sugars. Glucose is the main energy source and can be converted to glycogen, fat or amino acids. Glucose is the only calorie source that can be burned for energy efficiently, either with or without oxygen and is the preferred fuel for the brain and heart. Glucose is ready to use in the form it was absorbed and is the most versatile.

Sucrose, lactose and maltose are examples of disaccharides, made up of two monosaccharide’s combined together. Starch, glycogen and cellulose are polysaccharides, made up of long chains of glucose molecules. Starch is the storage form of glucose in plants, glycogen in animals.

FatsFats are combinations of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. The horse’s natural diet of vegetation/grass is low in fat (no more than 6% and usually less that 4%). Grass has an essential anti inflammatory omega-3 to inflammatory omega-6 fatty acid ratio of 4:1 or higher, can be as high as 20:1.

There is some digestion of fat in the stomach which continues in the small intestine. Bile from the liver emulsifies long chain fats with lipase from the pancreas does the rest. Medium and short chain fats VFAs, do not require bile to be digested and are absorbed through the gut wall to the blood supply.

There is no dietary requirement for fat as the body can convert nutrients from one form to another, with the exception of a few nutrients which are essential. Unfortunately the anti inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids are heat sensitive and mostly destroyed when grass is cured into hay. Anything fed out of a bag has little omega-3 fatty acids as they are so fragile. To make up the loss of omega-3’s the only sources with a similar ratio to grass is linseeds and to a lesser extent, chia seeds.

If you want a fat horse, feed fat though the extra weight is a disadvantage for an equine athlete. Excess energy or calories are stored either as glycogen or as adipose fat; however there is a limit on the available storage for glycogen. Once that limit is reached, carbohydrates are converted and stored as fat. The conversion process for turning carbohydrates into fat is far less efficient for storing excess fat into body fat. Furthermore, the horse is very efficient at absorbing fat from the diet.


If any fat escapes digestion in the small intestine and moves into the hindgut, it can negatively affect hindgut function by reducing the number of microbes, hence, impaired fibre digestion. Studies differ in their conclusions about how much is too much but horses with rapid small intestinal transport times are more vulnerable. Oil can suppress magnesium absorption by forming insoluble salts if it escapes to the large intestine, carrying bound magnesium with it. A high fat intake in foals was found to cause lower bone density/bone mineral content: http://jas.fass.org/cgi/content/abstract/77/12/3330

For more on this topic, read Duncan McLaughlin’s excellent article on Fats: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

http://blog.easycareinc.com/blog/duncs-diatribe/0/0/fats-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly and

Tom Ivers’ book Feeding optimised nutrition for the athletic horse.

MineralsThe major minerals are calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), magnesium (Mg), sodium (Na), potassium (K) and chloride (Cl). The trace minerals are iron (Fe), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), selenium (Se) and iodine (I). All are equally important but trace minerals are needed in very small amounts. Every cell in the body is like a tiny battery dependent on minerals to function. Minerals determine water balance and for every enzymatic reaction. Magnesium alone is essential for over 300 enzyme reactions in the body and deficiency implicated in a host of health problems. http://www.mgwater.com/

Most are absorbed in the small intestine

and hindgut with some in the stomach, both actively or passively. In active transportation, mineral chutes actively uptake minerals. Passive absorption is where minerals move along a concentration gradient from the gut, via gap junctions, into the intestinal lining and then the blood supply. There is competition between minerals.

A couple of analogies may help. All cakes require flour, but more than flour. If you leave out the baking soda and baking powder you won’t get a cake. However, just as important as the individual ingredients is the amount. If you double or halve the amount of baking soda and baking powder for the same amount of flour, your cake will not turn out as desired. That’s balance at the tissue level. With absorption, if you have a lottery machine with 50 balls bouncing around in it, 49 black and one white, it’s not difficult to predict what colour is most likely to reach the chute.

For example, a high calcium intake compared to phosphorus has been shown to depress the absorption of phosphorus and vice versa. Lucerne hay should never be the main forage for this reason, it’s impossible to balance the high calcium to phosphorus ratio. However, a small amount of lucerne can be very useful when there is a deficit of protein or calcium in the diet, for example, oxalate pastures. Low calcium compared to phosphorus can depress calcium uptake and lead to ‘big head’ disease, a deformity of the facial bones.

High levels of zinc is known to compete with copper, the NRC recommends the optimum ratio to be 1:4 though many nutritionists consider 1:3 to be


better due to the potential of sulphur to interact with copper. Sulphur can create precipitates of sulphates and sulphides and thus prevent absorption. In a study on growing foals excessive zinc, iron and cadmium intakes without also increasing copper intake caused copper deficiency symptoms of joint swelling, lameness, joint effusions and cartilage defects.

The phrase ‘mineral balance’ is used a lot in the horse industry. It may be written in big letters on a bagged feed or mineral supplement product but no matter how well the minerals are balanced, it can’t balance the rest of the diet. A bagged feed or a one size fits all mineral product in a tin is only a small part of the diet; most of a horse’s nutrition comes from pasture or hay. If the bulk of the intake is not balanced, neither is the whole diet.

ElectrolytesElectrolytes are unbound (not attached to a protein) ionised (charged, +ve, -ve) mineral. When we talk about electrolytes, we usually mean: sodium (Na), chloride (Cl), potassium (K) and bicarbonate (HCO3) and calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg). Electrolytes are very important and are utilised in many different ways by the body, such as the production and secretion of sweat, saliva, intestinal tract fluid, urine and mucous, hydration, heart contraction, involuntary/smooth (intestinal tract amongst others) and voluntary (skeletal) muscle contractions, nerve function. There are many, many others.

When a vet pinches the skin to form a tent they are getting an indication of sodium deficiency. Electrolyte levels in the blood are tightly regulated by hormones. A horse’s internal systems will

do everything to avoid the concentrations of electrolytes changing in the blood. If sodium is low, the body will draw the sodium ions from the extracellular spaces (outside the cells) and you get that tented look on a sodium deficient horse. After a workout, if the horse is sodium deficient (standard for a horse in heavy work from sweating) then sodium will be drawn out of the skeleton to maintain that all important concentration in the blood stream and this is likely to occur for 2 to 3 days depending on the electrolyte sources such as grass/hay/feed and salt added to a meal. The horse will urinate less and conserve sodium and water to maintain sodium concentration in the blood. To minimise having sodium pulled from the extracellular spaces and bones then it is very important to replenish electrolytes after a big workout. Sweat is in the composition of 2:1:3.8 for Na:K:Cl.

Sodium is involved in many, many cellular processes including muscle contraction and the movement of glucose into the cell where it becomes metabolised in the mitochondria to produce energy. If sodium is deficient because it has been drawn into the bloodstream to maintain concentration then it causes impaired performance. As little as 2 to 3% dehydration can lead to a 10% drop in performance.

All equine diets are low in sodium and usually chloride, forage provides around 0.2 g of sodium per kilogram where the requirement is almost 2 g/kg. If the sodium and chloride levels in the diet are unknown, 2 tablespoons of salt should be supplemented per day and double that for horses in hot/humid environments and even more if in work. All forages are a rich source of potassium so never


needs supplementing for maintenance needs. If the workout is less than 2 hours plain table salt is all your horse needs as potassium is so high in grass and hay. However sweating for more than 2 hours causes a deficiency in potassium. An electrolyte mixture must contain potassium.

Any excess in electrolytes is easily and efficiently excreted via the kidneys.

VitaminsThere are two types of vitamins, fat soluble and water soluble. Fat soluble include A, D, E and K. If sufficient fat is present at the site of absorption in the intestine, efficiency of absorption ranges from 40 to 90+% and is highest for vitamin K. All are present in forage and feeds.

Water soluble includes the B group (thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, biotin, folate, pantothenic acid, cyanocobalamin and pyridoxine) and vitamin C and are manufactured by microbes in the gut and come from the diet. Absorption of the water soluble vitamins has not been well studied in horses. In other species, they are primarily absorbed by active transport into the intestinal lining cells of the small intestine and/or large intestine. The same is likely true of the horse. When heavy exercise is combined with limited pasture in the diet, sub optimal intake of critical B vitamins could result.

For horses on a high forage diet, the main vitamin to be concerned about is vitamin E, a very important antioxidant. Add the heavy workload of an endurance horse and antioxidants become even more vital. A high level of oxidative stress is to be expected in endurance horses from the

mechanical work and having to generate energy. Antioxidants protect the tissues from the damage created by free radicals.

Another important antioxidant is selenium but it’s vital to get supplementation right as too much can be toxic, if not deadly. On the other hand selenium should not be ignored as muscle soreness can be a sign of too little in the diet.

Poor hoof growth, horn brittleness, inflammation, prevalence of infections like seedy toe, a weak immune system, poor fertility, tendon/ligament/joint/bone/muscle/nerve problems and a sun-bleached coat can all have a nutritional component. For some horse owners, any of these may be taken as the ‘norm’, the way their horse has always been.

Any of these signs can indicate that a horse’s intake either does not contain sufficient amounts of all the nutrients, or one or more minerals are blocking or competing with the absorption of another, creating what is known as a secondary deficiency. Getting the balance right is just as important as having sufficient amounts. When a horse has a dietary deficiency or imbalance, it very often will show up in the feet and/or hair coat first. This is because the horse’s body will conserve nutrients for more critical tissues like heart, brain, organs, and muscle if there is a nutrient shortage.


Be polite! Endurance is a sport that suits riders with vastly different goals. Some may ride to complete, some may ride to be first across the line. Some may have a personal goal of beating the time they took to complete the same course previously. Some may be bringing on a young horse. You ride at your own pace, and shouldn’t ever feel pressured to go faster or slower than you are comfortable riding. Common courtesy is the key. If you are riding by yourself, more than likely you will find someone who is riding at a pace that suits you, and you end up with good company.

Be mindful that you may have fast riders approaching you from the rear. They should call out to you that they wish to pass on a particular side, so if possible, move your horse over to allow them plenty of room, especially if your horse is

known to kick. About every 10km or so there should be a water point. Training Riders should give way to Endurance Riders at water points. Wait your turn, don’t let your horse push in for a drink, make him wait. If your horse disturbs a drinking horse, that horse could end up less than properly hydrated and may vet out. As soon as your horse finishes drinking, move away from the water trough so others can get in for a drink. Remember, some riders will be riding competitively, and may be a little impatient at water points. Just let them go, another minute on your overall time won’t make much difference if you are riding to complete.

Most importantly, say thank you to the ride volunteers for giving up their weekend and the opportunity to ride so we can enjoy our sport.

Track EtiquetteBy Chris NicholsPhoto :: Julie Kemp


Pre-Ride strapping set-up

Fill strapping buckets with water

Sponges, scraper and towels in empty bucket

Stethoscope or Heart rate monitor safely close by

Rug/s handy

Molasses ready to be added to water

Carrots and hay ready – optional

Ride Morning (before leaving)

Check gear is handy

Add molasses to water

Halter & lead with strapping gear

First Leg StrappingWalk horse quietly to camp/strapping area. Unsaddle and place a towel or rug (depending on weather) over hindquarters. Unbridle, offer lukewarm water – both molasses and plain. Depending on weather:

1. If cold• rug over hindquarters, take heart rate

• allow to drink water with chill taken off

• wipe down with damp sponge - saddle area

between hind legs

legs

under tail and belly

areas where tack is in contact

around head

• rug horse depending on conditions

• light rug/towel if cool

• heavy rug if cold/windy

• waterproof if raining and cold

• offer dampened hay

• walk around gently allowing horse to pick at grass

• continually monitor horse’s heart rate and skin temperature and adjust accordingly.

2. If hot• unsaddle, halter on, weigh-in

• take heart rate

• allow to drink water with chill taken off (offer both molasses and plain water)

• sponge with water with chill taken off

Strapping the Endurance HorseBy Melissa Longhurst


first, then hose if available or sponge with copious amounts of water, gradually using cooler water

• sponge or wash and then scrape off water quickly (water on a hot horse quickly heats up and insulates the horse without cooling it down. Once scraped off evaporative cooling can take place)

• light rug/towel over hindquarters if horse feels cool to touch

• avoid cool water over rump and loins, some horses may stiffen up in this area

• offer dampened hay

• walk around gently allowing horse to pick at grass

• Continually monitor horses heart rate and skin temperature and wash and walk again where required

Wash and Walk Technique• Horses ridden hard i.e. anaerobically

produce lactic acid as a waste product in muscles

• this process continues after a horse stops exercising

• if the horse is standing still the lactic acid builds up in the muscles

• when the horse moves again the muscles push lactic acid into the blood which causes the heart rate to increase

• as a result the heart rate may have dropped in camp but while walking to vetting the circulating lactic acid causes the heart rate to increase

• important to wash and scrape then walk slowly for several minutes then repeat

UrinatingFor most horses this will reduce the heart rate by a few beats as urinating reduces heat and sometimes anxiety. Some people believe that walking a horse in long grass encourages their horse to urinate while others may ‘whistle’. For some it may be as simple as allowing them into their yard and minute of privacy.

Check the color: most ideal is clear, yellow is marginally dehydrated and dark yellow indicates severe dehydration with a red/brown color is indicative of possible muscle and other damage. If the latter, it is wise to consult vet.

EatingAllowing horses to eat prior to vetting is a good idea however most horses heart rate will raise by a few beats.

• better to allow them to pick at hay/grass than worry about increasing heart rate, especially a novice horse

• if heart rate is that borderline the horse may have been overridden

• eating helps to relax the horse and promote gut sounds

• avoid grain and electrolytes until after vetting

ElectrolytesWe only give oral electrolytes if the horse is drinking well. If not, consider taking a tube of pre-made or mixed electrolyte paste out with you on track and administering once the horse is drinking. The use of electrolytes when a


horse is not drinking and hydrated can further dehydrate him by drawing fluids in the gut. For some horses, the salty taste of the electrolyte can put horses off further eating and drinking so the ideal time to administer is prior to leaving for the following leg.

Heart RateDependent on the ride entered, the heart rate recovery will vary but generally is 55 beats for the first leg and 60 beats thereafter. While it’s ideal to know the heart rate on arrival it’s the actual recovery rate which is more important. For example 100 bpm on arrival recovering to 60 in 15 minutes is better than 60 bpm on arrival and still 60 in 15 minutes.

Lack of heart rate recovery is a direct sign of stress – riding too fast, pain etc.

Once the horse’s heart rate is dropped he can be allowed into his yard where he may pee (sometimes helps to drop heart rate further), or he can be walked slowly and allowed to pick some fresh grass and or hay. Once you are satisfied with his heart rate you may opt to take advantage of the early vetting system – but be warned, you only get one chance!

Other ParametersIts good practice to know your horse’s normal metabolic parameters, and to be familiar with as many as possible, especially those dealing with hydration such as mucous membranes, skin recoil, gut sounds - take them at home regularly so you can understand and identify what is normal, and these will help you to more

accurately evaluate your horse’s recovery and will also help your horse get used to the vetting procedures.

VettingFor the standard half-hour vetting it’s a great idea to walk over to the vetting area about 5 minutes before your time slip indicates you are due. To be late will risk disqualification!

On a cool day walk slowly in the sun. Similarly, if it’s a hot day, find some shade. It’s a good idea to present ready in the TPR bay a minute or so prior to time as this allows your horse time to relax.

Pay attention to your horse as he is being TPR’d (and vetted), but allow him to stand quiet and relaxed. If there is a delay with being TPR’d, or vetting, keep your horse moving slowly to reduce the chance of him stiffening or becoming too cool.

After Vetting• feed, water and rug as necessary

• Electrolytes if drinking well

• leave horse to rest and recover

Rider

• replace your own fluids and electrolytes

• make sure you eat (you will need your energy )

• looking after your horse includes looking after yourself.

• a tired, dehydrated rider is a burden for the horse.


Riding to Speed – How to Ride to TimeA Guide for the Novice Horse & RiderBy Dr Jo Hamilton-Branigan (BVSc)

How do you judge YOUR SPEED?It is sensible to plan your ride before you ever get to the ride. You should try to work on the basis that you are to travel at the same speed at which you train. Approximate speeds for each pace are listed in Table 1. In my opinion, young horses and inexperienced riders should not be travelling faster than 14 kph in the first leg of a ride. I find 12 kph is fast enough for a second leg as the horse tires.

Pace (on flat ground) Speed - M/min KPh Heart RateStanding 0 0Walking 125 6-8 25-55Slow- Working Trot 250 12-14 50-90Working- Extended Trot 300 14-18 80-130Canter 350 <20 100-150

Table 1: A guide to Paces & Speed with Approximate Heart Rates

How do you rate yourself to 14kph?Firstly, you must wear a watch. There are 10 kilometers markers posted on most tracks. This has been a giant step forward in my mind. It is easier than ever before to work out exactly how fast you are going with the aid of these markers (Refer to Table 2).

Distance Marker Minutes per Leg Time per Leg Ride Time

First LegAvg. 14 kph

Medium working Trot

10 43 mins 43 mins20 86 mins 1 hr 26 mins30 128 mins 2 hrs 18 mins40 171 mins 2 hrs 51 mins 2 hrs 51 mins

Second LegAv 12 kphSteady Trot

50 50 mins 50 mins 3 hrs 40 mins60 100 mins 1 hr 40 mins 4 hrs 30 mins70 150 mins 2 hrs 30 mins 5 hrs 20 mins80 200 mins 3 hrs 20 mins 6 hrs 10 mins

Table 2: Pacing yourself on a Novice Horse- using the distance markers


Although a speed of 14 kph may look like it is a slow speed – remember that it is an average of all the paces that you use for a particular leg (refer to Table 3). Many courses have sections where it may be necessary to dismount and walk (or climb) i.e. sections which dictate your pace.

The times I try to average on Novice Horses are such that I am planning to ride roughly to around the 3-hour mark for the first 40 kilometers. I then aim for 3 ½ -4 hours for the second 40 kilometers. This gives me an overall time of around 6 ½ - 7 hours for a novice ride if everything goes according to plan. The first ride will usually be the slowest and I will endeavor to start in a non-hurried, non-excitable manner away from the more competitive horses. (Five minutes after - if your horse is hyped up.) We progressively improve times as we go…the horse settles, I get the gear sorted out (& that can take a while) and we develop confidence in each other as a team. I want to know my horse/s very well in competition BEFORE I go at speed.

If I get to the end of the ride and I feel I have plenty of horse left – that is its own reward! Some of my most memorable rides have been at the back of the field. When suddenly, I can see all the work paying off and a horse puts in a glorious second leg.

My horse is fit. Why do I need to go SLOW?Novice horses NEED TO ENJOY THE RIDE. You should never “flatten” a novice horse i.e. ride him right out. A horse that goes too fast too soon may be over-faced and psychologically never recover. As well, there may be musculo-skeletal problems associated with inadequate conditioning/ legging up. Bluntly, you run the risk of breaking them down!

What a waste of TIME, EFFORT and MONEY; not to mention many a good horse.

I prefer not to have any ride related swelling or filling the day after – I want to see my horses careering around the paddock bucking and cavorting as if they had nothing more than a walk in the park.

My AIM is to under-face my horses rather than over-face them. (This is true of a NOVICE RIDER as well – do not attempt too much, too soon.)

Hilary Clayton’s book “Conditioning Sport Horses” gives a comprehensive account of what you should be doing and what you should expect as the horse progresses. It also gives an excellent guide to progressive conditioning, mileage per week and explains how to eventually build to a competitive level. Most importantly, it stresses that IT WILL NOT HAPPEN OVERNIGHT. The best, most consistent results are the result of much homework and planning. I have bought three, young novice horses on during the last two seasons. Each has been a separate challenge – every horse is different. A single person cannot really do justice to more than one horse, maybe two, per season. The slow, quiet approach is working well – all three gained endurance status without fuss and their green badge (100% completion) as a bonus. All three are sound and progressing nicely.

Play by the Rules! I have a series of simple rules to ensure that my horses have every opportunity to COMPLETE each ride they start. These rules are equally applicable for both NOVICE and ENDURANCE horses. Simply - eliminate the risk factors.


1. My horses are shod every 4 weeks without fail when in competition.

2. Be careful not to over feed and under train coming up to the ride.

3. I will not take a horse to an event if it has suffered a systemic illness in the two weeks before an event, i.e. colic, diarrhea, fever, etc.

4. This also applies to all significant lameness or extreme muscle soreness.

5. This also applies to any other form of major stress (i.e. such as floating accident, ty-up, bogged in a water-way, flipped over a fence …etc)

6. A horse that is not training well does not get on the truck.

7. A horse that is not eating well does not get on the truck.

8. A horse with an abnormal temperature does not get on the truck.

My policy is that there will always be another ride.

The management of YOUR horse is YOUR responsibility. Barring accidents, the treasured GOLD LOG BOOK reflects your attention to detail. Your management skills, both GOOD & BAD practices, are there for all to see. The logbook reflects your level of horsemanship.

For me, the most important element of Endurance Riding is to have patience. This sport has taught me much that overflows into my everyday life. How to pace myself and get the best results in the end. If the odds seem overwhelming without an end in sight – slow down and don’t panic. Regroup. Breathe deeply. Work through the hardship. The finish is its own reward.

Endurance Vetting ProceduresBy Dr Jo Hamilton-Branigan (BVSc)

Australian Vetting Systems

1.1 Standard Veterinary Check

The standard veterinary check involves a one-hour rest period. The competitor’s time is recorded as the leg is completed and the ride team is given a time slip. The horse is “cooled out” and re-presented to the veterinary ring within a 30minute time frame. The horse then rests until just under the hour when re-saddling for the next leg commences. The Standard veterinary check is straightforward. TPR stewards usually record the heart and respiratory rates at exactly 30 minutes. The vet then conducts a brief, but thorough, examination and evaluates a short trot out.

Photo :: Julie Kemp


1.2 Vet-Gate Into Hold

“Vet-gate into hold” checks are used most commonly in international competitions. All International Championship rides use this system for veterinary checks. As Australian horse and rider combinations become increasingly interested in competing at an international level, so has the interest grown in this type of vetting.

This system is labor intensive and needs careful organization to run effectively. Under Australian conditions, this results in rides with smaller fields and a high ratio of veterinarians to competitors being workable. The longer, 160 kilometer rides, run very effectively under this system. Shorter eighty kilometer events tend to be less satisfactory. Unless the field is small the vetting area becomes quickly back-logged.

After arrival, the horse may be presented at any time within the first thirty minutes. If the heart rate is not below the required figure (usually 64bpm) the horse may be re-presented at 10 minute intervals until 30 minutes elapses. If the horse does not achieve the required heart rate in this time, they are eliminated. When the horse passes the heart rate criteria the “hold period” commences, and the remainder of the veterinary check is completed. The hold period varies from 20-50minutes, with the duration determined by the Head Veterinarian and being announced prior to the ride start. It is common for the Ridgeway Trot to be incorporated into this form of vetting instead of the more conventional trot out.

Theoretically, the Vet-Gate Into Hold system does not impede the progress of the horses with the better recoveries.

They are seen to be coping with the ride and conditions.

Many combinations can walk straight off the leg, pass the heart-rate gate and into vetting. The horses that are less well conditioned have to wait varying amounts of time to recover. These horses are judged the horses at most risk. They are therefore split from better conditioned companions and are less likely to be overridden.

1.3 Training Rides

Training Rides should have a mid-ride veterinary checkpoint. A pace rider or minimum time is utilized to restrict the speed of the field. The innovation of 10km markers has enabled novice riders to gauge their speed more consistently. A pace rider is an experienced endurance rider who sets an appropriate pace and is not passed by the field. Training Rides are usually conducted over distances of 40-60 km. The heart rate must be under 55 bpm at all times.

Intro Rides follow the same veterinary requirements as the Training Ride, except that they are one leg (up to 20ish km) and vetting occurs at the completion of the distance.


2. Pre-ride Veterinary Examination

Chief Steward Controls Veterinary Ring in conjunction with the Head Vet. Organise competitors in an orderly, systematic fashion. Checks horse’s identity and authenticity against Logbook. Liaises with everyone - especially any one with problems.

TPR Takes the Temperature, Pulse (Heart Rate) and Respiration. Veterinarian/s Detailed Examination of each competitor. This should be (with

practice) completed in around 3 -4 minutes.

Table 1: Guidelines to Vet Ring Personnel

The pre-ride examination is usually conducted the day prior to the ride in an area that is spacious and level enough to permit proper examination for lameness. The primary function of the pre-ride examination is to determine the fitness of the horse to compete; the secondary function of this examination is to establish a baseline for a particular horse against which changes which may occur during the ride can be assessed. This information is recorded in the appropriate section in the horse’s logbook (or card for a day member). Accurate values for temperature, pulse and respiration are obtained, and following the

Guidelines listed in Table 2, a thorough clinical examination of the horse is completed.

Heart Rate Rate is recorded by the TPR. Character is assessed by the Vet. • Optimally a low rate, with a regular and strong beat. • Common to hear 3 or 4 heart sounds and occasionally skip a beat – this is usually not significant. The rule of thumb is that the competitor should be healthy in every other aspect and any questionable irregularity should resolve with exercise. The Head Vet may refuse to a competitor with unsatisfactory heart sounds to start.

Respiratory Rate

Rate is recorded by the TPR. Character is asses by the Vet. • Many horses will have frequent, shallow respirations at pre-ride – this is generally not significant. • Soft, hard to hear respiratory sounds. • A light noise on respiration is normal. No Coughing.

Temperature Recorded by the TPR. Assessed by the Vet. • Normal range 37.0 – 38.0 deg • If above 38.5 deg ask Why? Is the horse excited or just unloaded? • Retake in 30-60 mins & if still above 38.5 deg consider not starting.

Table 2: Vital sign assessment by the Veterinarian


Horses may be shod, barefoot or booted either all round or partially. If a horse is intractable in the vetting ring and an examination is not possible then the horse is eliminated from competition. If a horse will not trot out without being chased or hunted then that horse may be eliminated on the basis of “failure to lead”.

All horses competing in Endurance Rides must be 5 years or older which is defined as having a full mouth with the permanent corner incisor teeth in wear. Horses which are between 4 ½ and 5 years, may participate in Training Rides only. These horses must have a full mouth but the corner incisors need not be in wear. The importance of advanced old age is left to the discretion of the veterinarian.

3. Metabolic Parameters

3.1 Grading Parameters

The difference between A and B grades is really not that important. It could be argued that this difference reflects the change in the horse before the ride to that after the ride. During the course of a competitive event, most horses can expect some degree of deterioration. In view of this fact a B is a perfectly acceptable grade. For example, horses typically cannot drink enough water to maintain perfect hydration over the course of a competitive event.

On the other had a grade of C indicates that in the eyes of the veterinarian, the competitor is showing signs of wear and tear. Horses with parameters in this range are carefully monitored. The rider is made aware of the veterinarian’s concern and must make adjustment/s to continue successfully. A horse with a grade of C may be asked to represent prior to leaving on the next leg. If the parameter in question shows further signs of deterioration, the veterinarian retains the right to downgrade that parameter to a D.

A grade of D results in elimination from the ride. When this grade refers to a metabolic parameter, the horse should be monitored carefully back at camp by the competitor. The veterinarian may elect to check the horse at intervals if he/she feels it is warranted. Lameness will also result in a D grade. The majority of ride lameness is minor (i.e. not life-threatening) and veterinarians rarely follow these up unless asked to diagnose and treat the individual after the ride is completed. An occasional lameness will be a serious injury and will be treated accordingly.

An example of logbook layout and the recording of the relevant vital signs and parameters is shown below.


3.2 Guide to Assessment

Parameter RequisiteEyes Check both eyes for vision – i.e menace reflexNasal Discharge

Should be minimal – not ‘snotty’ or running

Mucous Membrane

Should be free of blemishes, pink & moist. No unexplained bruises

Teeth Check lateral (corner) incisors for ageJugular Free of recent blemishes and good refillSkin Pinch Should be taken at the point of the shoulder. Elastic and crisp

without time delayHeart Sounds Evaluate as above Cardiac Recovery Index / CRI

Reflects the Cardiac reserve and level of fatigue on the individual (may not be used – generally Vet Gate Into Hold)

Respiratory Sounds

Evaluate as Above

Gut Sounds Gut noise is assessed in all four quadrants for rate and character. Gut noise can often be heard when listening to the chest; this may reduce the need for a lengthy abdominal evaluation.

Saddle/Girth area

Free from heat, swelling & pain. Check for fresh galling, assess old galls for activity.

Muscles and Back

Free from heat, swelling & pain. Check for tightness & tone

Body Condition Score / BCS

Assessed for overall condition

Joints & legs Free from heat, swelling & pain. Check for any fresh wounds, check old injuries for activity

Hooves & Feet

Shod horse to have all 4 shoes. Barefoot horse may present with or without boots

Gait Check for symmetry and even, consistent gait. Freeness of movement, loose rein with forward impulsion. A horse that does not trot out may not start the ride.

Table 3: Guidelines for Parameter at the Pre-Ride check.


3.3 The “Trot-Out”

Examination for lameness should include trotting the horse in hand on a loose rein in a pattern chosen by the Head Veterinarian. For consistency, all officiating veterinarians should use the same pattern. Unusual gaits should be noted at this stage on the horse’s veterinary card.

Where it is felt that circumstances warrant it, the veterinarian may request to examine a horse ridden.

The use of diagnostic aids such as flexion tests and hoof testers during the ride is not permitted. These tests may be used after the ride is completed, if the veterinarian is required to determine the cause of lameness.

4. Sectional and Final Veterinary Examination

If time permits, horses should be observed when entering a checkpoint and any adverse clinical signs or injuries noted.

Depending on the system of check, i.e. the “Standard” or “Vet-Gate-Into-Hold” checks, the horse may or may not have been checked by a TPR steward. The heart rate is taken initially – the rate is confirmed with character and rhythm assessed.

In the “Standard” veterinary check the rest of the clinical examination is then performed. It is best to work out a regular routine early on. The conventional method is to check the heart rate and respiration, then to check the rest of the parameters. This is usually done by beginning at the nose and working towards the tail. The top-line of the horse is completed first and then lastly the legs. The legs and shoes are usually checked just prior to the trot out.

The “Vet-Gate-Into-Hold” utilizes the Cardiac Recovery Index. The Ridgeway Trot system is another term to describe this system.


What is the Cardiac Recovery Index?

The heart rate is taken over 15 seconds and recorded.

At the end of this 15 seconds the time is recorded. The horse then has 60 seconds to trot out 40 meters and back 40 meters. This distance is marked clearly for the competitor to see. (This trot-out usually takes approximately 30 seconds.) At precisely 60 seconds the heart rate is once again taken over 15 seconds. The two values should be within 4 beats of each other.

The veterinarian may complete a check of the horse’s parameters before or after completing the CRI.

The CRI indicates the cardiac reserved of the horse’s heart. It is a measure of fatigue.

It gives a guide to whether or not a horse has the capacity to cope with the next leg. If the CRI is high and fails to consistently return to within 4-8 beats of the original score then there is cause for concern.

The CRI is viewed in conjunction with the overall assessment of the horse/s parameters – it is seldom used as a sole basis for the elimination of competitors.

A horse is eliminated from a ride if:

1. For all 80 km rides, the heart rate fails to recover by 30 minutes after arrival at a check point to a figure of 55 bpm or below at the first check point, and to 60 bpm*or below at subsequent check points, including the final check point.

There are a couple of exceptions to this rule.

Where the ride is less than 80km then the heart rate must be 55 bpm at every check.

Failure to pass a “Gate into Hold” examination within 30 minutes of arrival at the check point. a. The heart rate must fall below 55 bpm

during a Training Rideb. The heart rate must fall below 64 bpm

during an Endurance Ride.

The horse must not show any lameness.

At both check types the general clinical examination aims at careful evaluation for any signs of severe stress and possible impending exhaustion. The assessment of hydration status is particularly important.

Pay particular attention to loss of skin turgor, anal sphincter muscle tone, prolonged capillary refill time and reduced or absent gut sounds. The heart rate, rhythm and character are also important in the assessment of a potentially exhausted horse. The heart rate may increase in rate or become labile. (i.e. fluctuating rate and rhythm).

Evidence of lameness, stiffness, “tying up” and surface lesions such as fresh or aggravated pre-existing cuts, girth galls and saddle sores.

Any information that may be of use at a subsequent examination must be noted in the horse’s logbook and the examining veterinarian should sign it after each inspection.

Reasons for elimination should also be noted in the logbook.

Only those horses which are not lame, with heart rates that fall to the required level at the veterinary check, and which are considered “fit to continue” should be allowed to “vet through” any sectional of final veterinary examination.


5. Best Conditioned/Best Managed Horse

The veterinary team has the duty of selecting the winners of these awards. In recent years, the advent of standardized fittest horse criteria have led to this assessment being more consistent than it had been in the past. Only the 5 horses, to complete successfully, in each division are eligible for the Best Conditioned Award. The ride committee specifies the divisions included in each Award.

Criteria used include:Time taken to complete the courseHeart rate recoveries during and after the rideWeight carriedClinical status of the horse

Judging usually takes place a minimum of 1 hour after the ride finishes. In longer rides, it may even occur the next morning. (Usually between 1-12 hours post-ride). Horses should be examined both at rest and in motion, and move freely with minimal stiffness and no lameness. The attitude and action of the horse should be evaluated when being led at the trot on a loose rein and /or when being ridden under saddle. Contenders for these awards in rides of 160km or over must be paraded under saddle. The Head Veterinarian or a panel of officiating veterinarians may complete the judging, with the final decision being that of the Head Veterinarian.

A Best Managed Horse Award may also be awarded based on veterinary evaluation, the eligible competitors being all successful completers. This award is usually restricted to Marathon Rides, although it is up to the discretion of the Ride Committee.

6. Lameness

Lame vs Not Lame

“Lame” in the context of an Australian Endurance Ride is elimination from the event.

Lameness is an indication of a structural or functional disorder in one or more limbs that is manifested during movement or in the standing position.

The standard definition for lameness under Australian endurance conditions could be viewed as: “A consistent, inconsistency in gait which differs substantially from the pre-ride Trot-out. A horse will be given the benefit of the doubt if the veterinarian/s cannot judge the horse lame after two trot outs in front of a single vet, with the option of one additional trot out in front of a panel”

The degree of lameness is not often recorded in Australian logbooks. For the purposes of an endurance ride a horse is either lame or not lame. In clinical practice and in international competition grading systems are used to assess severity.

When a horse presents at a check with a lost shoe at the required 30 minute check I will perform a normal evaluation, including a trot out. If the horse is sound then I require the competitor to re-present and demonstrate that the hoof is re-shod before they leave base on the next leg. If the horse is unsound then the horse is eliminated.

It is the competitor’s responsibility to have the horse re-shod before the veterinary check if they wish it to be evaluated with all four shoes. If the horse has entered base with an E-Z boot in


place then I will trot the horse out with the boot in place if the competitor so wishes. I will also allow a horse with a well-fitted E-Z boot to continue on the next leg with the boot in place if conditions warrant.”

Endurance Riding – the equestrian sport

for all ages!


Code of ConductOne important factor of Endurance riding is our code of conduct.

You have all heard rules for horse welfare, strapping and riding, but one rule you don’t really hear much about is the code of conduct for the volunteers who make these ride events possible.

Our volunteers give of their time freely. They do it for the sport of endurance. They do it for you the rider and your horses, so you can spend your weekends enjoying your favorite pastime – Endurance Riding.

Some of them are riders, some have been riders, some not riders at all. They give of their valuable recreation time to foster our sport.

Bad and rude behavior towards volunteers and other officials can only be detrimental to our sport. If any QERA member is involved in such behavior a report will be sent to the SMC with a request that disciplinary action be taken and the result of the competitor involved be recorded as a disqualification.

All volunteers ask only for your respect, an occasional smile and maybe a thank you.

Photo :: Julie Kemp


For the horse

Portable yard / electric fence and energiser

Feed and hay

Buckets

Home water

Molasses

Electrolytes

Rugs: wet/cold/cool

Baby powder/Curash powder

Strapping Gear

Hoof pick

Brush/comb

Sponges

Towels

Scraper

Stopwatch

Stethoscope / Heart Rate Monitor

First Aid Kit

Sponge for saddle

Spare halter & lead

Tack

Saddle cloths

Brush boots

Spare shoes/boots

For the Rider

Membership Card!

Logbook

Ride entry fee money

Helmet

Riding torch/headlamp

Spare batteries

Hat

Watch

Sunscreen

Camel back or water bottles

Clothes

Spare jodhpurs

Extra night lantern/torch

Toiletry bag & towel

Camping

Cooking utensils

Food!

Water

Tarp/Tent

Swag/Bedding

Photo :: Julie Kemp

Don’t leave home without...Apart from your float/truck/gooseneck, this is a list of gear that you may find yourself needing at an endurance ride.


Notes



For more information on Endurance Riding in Queensland, contact the state [email protected]

www.aera.asn.au/qera

Documents

Education & Training Manual