Pictured: Silver Lake In Line, “Silver.” Photo by Amy Severino. Candia, New Hampshire
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NEWSLETTER OF THE AMERICAN DRIVING SOCIETY, INC.
NL240
June 2017
Representing Carriage Driving in the United States and Canada
IN THIS ISSUE: NOTES
• A Few Of My Favorite Things ................ 1-2 ADS NEWS
• US Equestrian and ADS Reach Final Agreement that Reinstates Recognized
Affiliate Designation to ADS ................... 2
• New Employee ......................................... 2
• New location for Northeast Annual Recreational Drive .................................. 2 • A Tribute To a Champion of Sportsmanship....................................... 3 • A Successful BVDC Novice Driver Clinic ..................................................... 4 • Thank You Members ................................ 3 • Brandywine Valley Driving Club (BVDC) 2017 Junior Driving Program ................. 4 • ADS 2017 Annual Members Meeting Donation/Sponsorship Form .................. 8 • Southern Oregon Horse and Carriage Club’s (SOHACC) De-Spooking Clinic .....6 CHAPTER HAPPENINGS
• Gateway Harness Introduces New Member.......................................... 4 OPINIONS
• From Between My Blinders ...................... 6 FEATURE
• WATER ON, WATER OFF…Keeping Your (horses) Cool .................................. 10-12
Articles that appear in The Wheelhorse do not necessarily reflect the opinions or position of The American Driving Society, Inc. (ADS), its Board of Directors or staff, nor does publication of said articles constitute an endorsement of the view they may express. Accuracy of all material is the sole responsibility of the authors. Appearance of an advertisement in The Wheelhorse does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by the ADS of the goods and services therein.
NOtES
A Few of My Favorite Things
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e’re rounding the corner on summer, which means it’s time to get out of the office and into the field among the carriage driving faithful. I can’t wait to see you all at upcoming driving events! I am particularly excited to attend Walnut Hill–it will be my first experience at the iconic show. After spending many years sleeping in stalls at horse shows and looking forward to loading the trailer for the next event, the excitement of an upcoming show is infectious to me. I board my horses about 45 minutes from my home and don’t get to see them as much as I’d like. So when I do, I savor the smell of horse flesh that lingers on my clothing. Two weekends ago I made a special trip up to see my horses Carole Ann and Roxy. I’ll age myself if I tell you how many years I’ve owned Carole Ann, but I can say that while most of my friends hoped for a car for their 16th birthday, I was delighted to be gifted with my beautiful bay Morgan mare. My parents allowed me to select my own horse, and so I spent hours researching bloodlines and finding just the right one. I resided in the Central Valley of California–Davis to be exact–and my parents drove me up to Oregon to visit Mary Anne Morrison at her Aranaway Farm. I wanted to try out a stunning copper gelding as a Western pleasure prospect. I rode him around the indoor arena, and liked him fine. Mary Anne told me to hold on, and she came back a few minutes later with a young mare who was about as round as she was tall, wearing a Western saddle. The mare had been purchased, but never paid for, and it was a repossession situation. She had big, kind eyes and ears longer than a Morgan should have. She’d only been under saddle for a short time, but considering myself an experienced horsewoman at the age of 16, I climbed up on her back and began to put her through her gaits. As I was loping the second direction I felt my saddle start to slide off her meaty withers, and all of a sudden I was sitting in the dirt. I looked up and that sweet young mare had stopped and was looking at me as if to say, “What are you doing down there?” “SOLD!” I yelled, laughing as she nibbled on my helmet. Carole Ann and I had many adventures, and it was she who piqued my interest in driving. She’s 25 this year. I’ve included a picture of her and me, accompanied by my son Will, from our visit two weeks ago. Burying my face in her neck and breathing in her scent is one of my favorite things. Please indulge me if I ask to hug your horse or pony at an upcoming event. My computer, 1
though filled with images of carriage driving, just doesn’t have the same sensory effect on me as do the equines. I’m eager to get back out amongst the membership and horses– can you tell? You’ll notice that we’ve increased the page count in this issue of The Wheelhorse. That’s due to including more news from our clubs, participation in which is part of what makes the ADS so vibrant. I’d like to encourage you to send in news and pictures from your club events, whether it be field days, drives, shows, clinics, fundraisers, etc. Let’s keep the community informed of the carriage driving opportunities that abound with ADS chapters! I’d like to encourage our younger, junior members to send us submissions, as well. Materials sent in by the 15th of the month will have first consideration for publication. Cathy and I are working on the next issue of The Whip, which debuts in August. Please make sure to email me your event
coverage, columns, and any other submissions by June 15. The August Whip is a great place to advertise, as well. Email or call me if you’d like to discuss options. In addition to print advertising, we also offer two digital advertising options. You’ll notice a banner ad at the top of the ADS homepage, as well as the Omnibus homepage. We design these banners to the advertiser’s specifications, and they run for one year. Contact me for our special introductory price. Additionally, we offer email blasting to the membership. This is an efficient and affordable way to publicize your events–it is especially useful for when you’ve missed a print deadline. As always, please contact me with news, happenings, and article ideas. I always love to hear from the membership. abbie@americandrivingsociety.org
Abbie
ADS NEWS
US Equestrian and ADS Reach Final Agreement that Reinstates Recognized Affiliate Designation to ADS
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t a special called meeting of the ADS Board of Directors held May 10, 2017, the board approved the signing of the USEF/ADS Affiliate Agreement. This agreement, having been previously approved by the USEF Board and signed by their CEO, goes into effect immediately, reinstating the ADS as the USEF Recognized Affiliate for Combined Driving and for Carriage Pleasure Driving. This agreement best serves the driving community as well as the needs of both USEF and ADS organizations. Driving has long been an essential part of equestrian sport and recreation; a renewed connection between our organizations is a vital part of unifying the sport, providing ample opportunity to share the joy of our unique discipline throughout the entire equestrian community. Some notable items from the agreement (see the agreement for the exact wording): 1. The ADS is not required to drug test, though if we do decide to implement drug testing, we agree to establish terms acceptable to USEF. 2. Preliminary and Intermediate may be offered as ADS or USEF in combination with Advanced or not.
New Employee
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e’d like to welcome Chenelle Lavigne as part time administrative support in the ADS office. Director of Administration Stacy Carlson reports that Chenelle will be assisting with the membership database, processing mail and memberships/renewals, completing filing, assisting with projects and providing support to the Board’s administrative needs. Please make sure to welcome Chenelle if you speak with her on the phone.
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3. At USEF-licensed as well as joint USEF/ADS shows, the lower levels will be subject to drug testing, but if the lower levels are ADS, they will not be assessed a drug fee. 4. The ADS will continue to license its own officials, but USEF will be able to issue a USEF-only license without the requirement of an ADS license. 5. The ADS will continue to train all officials. There are various things that will need updating, such as our entry forms - with the addition of the notification of potential joint show drug testing as well as the addition of the nondiscrimination clause, among others. Links to the agreement, the joint announcement and a letter from Bill Moroney can be found on the ADS website at http://americandrivingsociety.org/MyADS/ADSMatters.aspx If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact ADS PresidentMikeArnoldatma@snowcamp.orgoruseADSMatters so that all can see the question/concern and any responses. http://americandrivingsociety.org/MyADS/ADSMatters.aspx
New location for Northeast Annual Recreational Drive September 28, 29, 30 & October 1st New location: Historic Myles Standish State Park, South Carver, MA.
A Tribute To a Champion of Sportsmanship
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he ADS would like to acknowledge Jennifer Hinkel of Franklin, Wisconsin for a recent superb act of sportsmanship. The ADS, due to a clerical error combined with a badly designed form, incorrectly listed Riley Schoenecke as the 2016 Recreational Youth Driving Champion, when in fact Jennifer Hinkel had accumulated more points and should have been named Champion. To further our error, this is the second time we made this mistake. We have now taken the steps necessary to make sure our forms are accurate and correct so that this will not ever happen again. Jennifer, after graciously pointing out our error, suggested that the Youth Championship be awarded jointly to herself and
Riley, not wanting to cause disappointment to her competitor (and friend). In her words, “I enjoy driving and the friendship of the other drivers far too much to see anyone get hurt as a result of what appears to be a mistake.” There are many professional athletes who could (and should) learn something from this young woman about true sportsmanship and generosity to others. Jennifer Hinkel, we salute you!
ThankYou Leader - ($1,000 - $2,499) Audrey Bostwick and Elaine Kendig Valerie Daidah Natasha Grigg Four-in-Hand - ($500-$999) John F. Cuneo Jr. and Desiree Herrmann - Prospect Stable Paula Knickerbocker Holliday Pulsifer Shanna S. Sullivan John P. White Tandem - ($250-$499) Walter Carlson Craig Kellogg Kirby Metoxin Valkyrie Ventures, LLC Pair - ($100-$249) Anonymous Gwenyth Bassetti Alice Baughman Ann and William Baughman Alyce Gilbertsen
ADS NEWS
- The American Driving Society, Inc
We gratefully acknowledge the donations to The American Driving Society, Inc., between Jan 1, 2017 and May 15, 2017. These generous individuals and groups are the backbone of our efforts.
Chester and Bonnie Halka Helen B. Holman Sheryl Lunz Bob and Dianne Koopman Janice Meszoely Wilma Sanderson Mary Sawyer Ann Sutherland Eliza Walbridge Daphne White Single - ($25 - $99) Laura Beller H. T. Brown Gretchen L. Burmeister Pat and Jim Conway Donna J. Crookston Betsy Dove Dorothy Edwards Friend of the ADS Lynne Fritz Kera Haldeman Vivian Hall - Millennium Acres Lore Homer Hopeton Kimball
Kristi Knight Jessica Holden-Leak Stephen and Eileen Leek Frank and Adrianna Leyendekker Susan Mallery Maggie McLaughlin Susan McLellan Ann M. Moore Cynthia and Michael Morris Martha O’Brien Wendy O’Neill Elfleda Powell Brenda and Charley Roberts Reva Seybolt Margaret Shenker Lydiann Spencer-Jones Judi and Chuck Tintera Cara Triebel Mr. and Mrs Jeffery M. Tock GladysAnn Wells Tasha Wilke Yosay Photography
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A Successful BVDC Novice Driver Clinic
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he novice driver clinic on April 22nd at Chapter One Farms with clinician Lore Homer went really well. Lore was at her finest and kept everybody at the clinic engaged and interested in the driving presentation! We had two pretty “hot” ponies participating in the clinic so it was perfect for auditors to see various situations with ground
driving a livelier equine. Had we had more horses in the clinic it might have gotten a little stressful for all! Later on, Helene Paxton put her lovely Morgan mare to a carriage and drove her in the clinic too. The food was delicious and everyone said they really enjoyed the day!
Brandywine Valley Driving Club (BVDC) 2017 Junior Driving Program
Our ever-vigilant members periodically report on Miss Happ’s activities. You wouldn’t believe the horrible things she’s done. And we’re not just talking about taking the bridle off the stillhooked horse! Driving her trailer into a flooded road (“It really wasn’t that deep.”), using a big, loose ring snaffle riding bridle that got hooked through the shaft (“A fly got on his ear, who would have thought?”), not to mention the rein, worn at the bit, that broke starting downhill (“I was going to put it on my Christmas wish list.”). You get the picture. Needless to say, before Miss Happ joined, we never had any mishaps in our club. Not even at home! Now that she’s joined, you would not believe the stories. Our members have a lot of fun discussing them on our Facebook page. Other chapters of the American Driving Society BE WARNED: Miss Happ may ask to join your club.
JUNE 19-23, 2017 Location: Yellow Pony Farm, 130 Fairview Road, Coatesville, PA 19320 ast year’s popular and successful JUNIOR DRIVING PROGRAM will be the model for the 2017 program. It will be held at the same location as last year. Experienced, reliable ponies will be provided, as well as suitable harness and carriages. Several top competitors, trainers and judges will share the instruction, which will include learning to harness, driving at a working walk and trot, halt, use of whip, reinback and emergency measures. Emphasis will be on safety. We are looking for eight girls and boys, ages 11 to 14, who have some previous equine experience to participate in the five-day program. Each day will begin at 11:00 am and conclude at 3:00 pm. Lunch will be provided. Members of BVDC will be on hand to help as needed. The American Driving Society has made it possible to use special listening devices in the program to improve communication with the instructors which will strengthen the program. The cost of the 5-day program is $150 per student. Juniors who have an interest in learning to drive and wish to register should call or email either:
L
Anne Hearn - Call (610) 469-1115 or email: pandacovert@gmail.com) OR Becky Pendlebury - Call (610) 942-3913 or email: rpendle2@verizon.net).
Chapter Happenings
Gateway Harness Introduces New Member
T
he Gateway Harness Club of St. Louis wishes to introduce Miss Happ, the newest member of the Gateway Harness Club. We were actually a bit worried about letting her join, truth be told. She has had her share of accidents, involuntary experiences, err.....mishaps! She has told us she is a “very experienced driver”. We, unfortunately, suspect that many of those experiences were negative. We have asked our members to help us (an educational institution) and let us know if they become aware of any of Miss Happ’s accidents or “Little Foo Foo’s”. 4
Join Us In Kentucky This Fall! Don’t miss the ADS Annual Members Meeting, held in conjunction with The National Drive.
ADS Annual Members Meeting October 10-15, 2017 Kentucky Horse Park, 4089 Iron Works Pkwy, Lexington, KY 40511 Visit americandrivingsociety.org/AboutUs/AnnualMeeting.aspx for more information as it becomes available.
h Us! C me D rive W it
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Southern Oregon Horse and Carriage Club’s (SOHACC) De-Spooking Clinic
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OHACC kicked the event season off right with our DeSpooking Clinic at Klamath Equestrian Center. The event was well-attended and the club got great feedback from participants who loved the venue, the obstacles, and the opportunity to get out (of the mud) with their horses ! Thank you to Judi Dunn and all who participated in planning and putting on this fun event. Debbie Adkins did a great job in her first event as outreach
coordinator for the club. She got the volunteers together and supervised our work day at the fairgrounds. Volunteers manned the doors for the event. This is the second year that SOHACC has worked this event as a fundraiser for the club. It went well, and hopefully they’ll have us back again next year. Thank you to Debbie and Doug Adkins and all the volunteers who made it a great event.
*Does your club have news to share? Email it to abbie@americandrivingsociety.org by the 15th of the month to be included in The Wheelhorse.
Opinions
From Between My Blinders
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By Hardy Zantke
s I write this I am delighted to just have received the notice that the ADS is reinstated as the official affiliate for driving of our National Federation, USEF. Let me just say that I am convinced it is the right way to go, both for the ADS and USEF, and with that ultimately the sport of driving, which is the goal we all share. So my congratulations to the people on both sides who made this happen with hard work, bridging our differences. Now it is up to all of us to continue in a positive spirit, putting any old problems behind us. I am just back home from my third time judging in Australia, having been there before in 2009 and 2011 to judge their National Championships. From my times there I have firsthand experience with what it means when the main driving organization, there it is the Australian Carriage Driving Society (ACDS) is not part of the National Federation, there Equestrian Australia (EA). Yes, the ACDS is doing quite well and carries the main part of the sport, yet having both organizations not affiliated with each other does split the sport and creates difficulties for drivers, organizers and officials. Among other things it also results in a bottleneck for drivers and officials who aspire to upper levels and to represent Australia on the international level. The event this year had both ACDS and EA sanctions and had also been planned as an FEI event. Unfortunately the FEI part had to be cancelled for lack of FEI entries - as the organizer could not see a way to make the FEI part financially viable with just five FEI entries. Doesn’t that sound familiar? I am glad to note that the recent Southern Pines CDE had a record number of overall entries, so could still do their FEI 1* despite also only having five entries for that part. Australia could not do so, as 6
they had a total of 24 entries, 20 of which were ACDS and just four were EA. Nevertheless we had six entries driving FEI tests with one of them even the new Singles test (FEI 3*B) with the diagonal yield resulting in the best dressage score of the event by all five judges with a score of 45.33. Well done, Lorraine Cairns! She would be ready to represent Australia well also on any event in Europe including a Singles World Championship. Alas, even though a few Australian drivers hope to one day compete in Europe along their star, Boyd Exell, to accomplish that goal is even harder for them than for our drivers, as shipping to Europe from Australia is even more expensive than shipping from the U.S. Also, on a National level they have many of the same problems that we are facing here. The country is just too big. Traveling long distance to the events is just too burdensome for many. But they cope and do the best they can, just as we do here. One nice feature they organized at this event was doing a team competition besides their regular individual scoring. They had a random draw of the 24 drivers assigning them into six teams of four each to come up with team scores. It worked out quite well as we had six FEI level, six open level, and 12 novice level drivers, so the teams were well balanced. Their first task was to get together and come up with a common name for each team, which resulted already in much shared and fun camaraderie at the evening get together party. The organizer shared with me that one of the goals of the team competition was also to bring the ACDS and EA drivers more together, as the four EA drivers were well included and mixed into the teams. I think they reached that goal very successfully. As is so often with drivers, once they were together with good food and drinks a good time was had by all with the great camaraderie which seems to come naturally for our friends from down under. Or perhaps it is that just a common feature of drivers everywhere. Happy driving,
Hardy
YouHave . . . It could be a big win, a new horse, your own training barn, a new business
Something special to Appreciate?
s
Think about your gator, your coach, your veterinarian, your spouse
A Significant Passing to Commemorate?
s
530.902.8065
Something to Celebrate?
s
Share it with the entire ADS community through an Appreciation Ad in The Whip. Call Abbie Trexler: today for rates and options to personalize your unique ad.
Give final recognition to a person or a critter whose life made a big difference in your own.
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ADS 2017 Annual Members Meeting Donation/Sponsorship Form Yes, I/we want to reach ADS members and help sustain and grow the carriage driving industry.
Please recognize my organization at the following level:
Coachman - ($1,500 +) • • • • • •
Introduction at Saturday night banquet Logo on all event signage - located at all official functions Logo and link on ADS Annual Meeting webpage Full-page ad in meeting program (8.375 x 11, trims to 8.125 x 10.75 high resolution pdf file) Your signage/banners at banquets and at barns Announcements throughout the weekend
Four-in-Hand - ($1,000 - $1,499) • • • • •
Introduction at Saturday night banquet Logo on all event signage - located at all official functions Logo and link on ADS Annual Meeting webpage Half-page ad in meeting program (6.375 x 4.75 high resolution pdf file) Announcements throughout the weekend
Tandem - ($500 - $999) • • • •
Name listed on all event signage - located at all official functions Link on ADS Annual Meeting webpage Half-page ad in meeting program (6.375 x 4.75 high resolution pdf file) Announcements throughout the weekend
Pair - ($250 - $499) • • • •
Name listed on all event signage - located at all official functions Link on ADS Annual Meeting webpage Quarter-page ad in meeting program (3.875 x 4.75 high resolution pdf file) Announcements throughout the weekend
Single - ($100 - $249) • • • •
Name listed on all event signage - located at all official functions Link on ADS Annual Meeting webpage Listing in meeting program Announcements throughout the weekend
Meal Function/Hospitality Sponsor (Actual Cost) • • • • •
Exclusive signage rights to meal function Introduction and reserved seating at meal function “Sponsored by” designation in all printed schedules, registration materials Advertisement on back Four representatives at meal function
I’ve enclosed a check (made payable to the The American Driving Society, Inc.) in the amount of $_____________ Please charge $_____________ to my
VISA
MasterCard
Account #___________________________________________ Expiration Date______________ Security code (3 digits that appear on the back of most cards) :____________ Name as it appears on your card:__________________________________________________________________ Signature of cardholder:_ ________________________________________________________________________ Your Name:___________________________________________________________________________________ Organization:__________________________________________________________________________________ (as you want listed on sponsor recognition lists)
Billing address:_ ______________________________________ City:______________ State____ Zip___________ Phone:_____________________________ Email:__________________________________________________
Send this form and payment to:
ADS
PO Box 278, Cross Plains, WI 53528 or fax: (608) 237-6468. Questions? Please contact Stacy Carlson at stacy@americandrivingsociety.org, or call (608) 237-7382. 8
The ADS is a 501(c)3 charitable organization. Donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by your business or personal tax situation.
Attention
O rganizers!
The Whip is in the business of covering your shows, events, and recreational drives. Please send us written coverage, along with high resolution images, from your events to be published in the upcoming issues. Email: abbie@americandrivingsociety.org Upcoming deadlines: August 2017 Whip deadlines June 15 • November 2017 Whip deadlines September 15
Send us your pictures.
Submit your high resolution images for consideration in ADS publications and the website. We’d love to have a collection of images from all aspects of the carriage driving community to use when we are in need of art. They can be casual or posed. Professional photographs must be accompanied by a photo release.
Please email your submissions to: abbie@americandrivingsociety.org
FEATURE
WATER ON, WATER OFF…Keeping Your (horses) Cool A timely reminder to keep cool during the summer months.
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Reprinted from www.americandrivingsociety.org, Safety Tips for New Drivers. By Esther “Boots” Wright, Chairman Events Standards Committee
ou’ve just finished your marathon, you’re in the vet check after section E and the vet says “Your horse’s temp is 104 and his P&R’s are 80 and 100. What does that mean? What those numbers are is a description of how your horse is dealing with and recuperating from the stresses of the marathon. Here, I’ll talk about the temperature. Let’s backtrack…You’ve decided to move up a competitive level. (I say this because at the Training level, fewer hazards are driven with fewer gates and the time in the hazards is not taken.) You’ve put all those endless hours of going around and around in circles of varying sizes to good use. You really thought you were perfecting your dressage and your accuracy in the cones, huh? Well, you were doing those, but you were also putting what the race horse people call “bottom” on your horse. What is “bottom”? It’s the increased stamina your horse develops from the long, slow work. It’s the ability the horse develops to recover from stress. Part of that recovery is dissipating the heat his body makes through pushing the breastplate. (A physics teachable moment here: the horse responds to your stimulus asking him to move forward by pushing against the ground with his feet and against the breastplate with his chest. He is doing this because he is kind, well-trained and doing what you have asked him to do. He is also avoiding falling on his face by putting one foot in front of the other. The carriage is merely an afterthought following along behind. Yes, it is being pulled by the horse but only because he is PUSHING on the breastplate.) Anyway, when your horse works, he gets hot, his temperature goes up and he sweats. His pulse (heart beats per minute) and respiration (breaths per minute) will go up as well. It’s not necessarily how hot he gets, although that decides how you deal with him, it’s how quickly the horse can recover from the heat. Vet taking pulse and respiration as Judge looks on. When a horse works, he inhales air to feed oxygen to his muscles. It also cools his blood because his heart is pumping blood through the vessels surrounding his lungs and just under his skin. The veins and arteries are acting like your car’s radiator does. By exposing blood to cooler temperatures (the air) or sweat evaporating (another physics moment: the coldest temperature water achieves is just as it evaporates, not the temperature of ice which produces heat by melting… go figure) the blood is cooled and when it is circulated back into the body, it cools it, too. When your horse has worked really hard, he sweats and his blood vessels expand. You can see them standing out on his neck, the insides of his legs and his under belly. Your job as a horseman 10
is to help him cool himself by applying cold water and ice, sponging or scraping the water off and putting more on again and again. Give him sips of water every 4-5 minutes or so. Water on, water off (sponges, scrapers and baggies of ice are good) and sips of water. After his temp comes down, walking is a great idea. Practice this at home before you come to an event. That way you will know how your horse will react to liniment, and ice water sponges under between their hind legs.
So, before the marathon, you check the weather. Hot, humid? Cool, dry? You will have picked up several bags of ice, collected at least one sponge and scraper and two buckets- one for drinking, one for washing (alcohol or liniment may be added to the wash water, but beware of cuts and scrapes…) and taken these to the vet check areas. If the one after Section D is not in the same place or near to the one after Section E, you will have to double up on the supplies. If you drive multiples, the numbers of buckets, sponges, etc. escalates. (as will the number of helpers…) Get electrolytes into your horse anyway you can. You must have a navigator, and before the marathon you should discuss with him or her what to do in the vet checks. At the end of D, you sit in your carriage and hold your horse.
You may not get out of the carriage unless your groom gets in to hold the horse. So, while you sit there thinking about your routes in the hazards, your hard-working groom is cooling out your equally hard-working horse. Cool or cold water is probably all you’ll need here as A and D are normally not too stressful. Your horse may come in with a temp of 102 or so. This is pretty normal but will require cooling before going out on E. If you horse doesn’t recover sufficiently, you may not be allowed to go out on E. It’s the vet’s call although the Judge in the vet check has the responsibility of sending you out or not. Here’s where the first bit of water on, water off is necessary. It’s the best way to cool out your horse and in 10 minutes will usually do the trick. Offering your horse water to drink is good. My ponies will usually tell whoever is sponging them that they would like a drink by sticking their noses in any bucket that gets remotely near them. Others may need to be offered the bucket and even then, may just rinse their mouths and not actually drink. Or they may play in the bucket. This is a good thing as it shows you the horse is not tired at all. It also gives your groom a refreshing bath. After the last hazard, assess your horse’s condition. Is he still lively? Is he listless and tired? Is he breathing very hard or panting? (Side note: horses who pant are trying to move vast
volumes of air quickly. It’s not a bad thing unless his panting doesn’t slow down.) A really hot, stressed horse behaves like a really sick one. He will “go inside himself” and not react to outside stimuli. He may act depressed with a lowered head and splayed legs. He may stagger. At the vet check, if the horse is very hot or stressed, immediate cooling is necessary. You will have the info from the vet and if his temp is above 104 or so, get to work fast. More water is a must; water on, water off, keep that cold water evaporating. If you have more than one person helping you, keep rubbing ice or cold
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a while. If he wants to pee, let him. Consider the fact that the urine is probably still 107 or 108 and the best thing you can do is to let him get rid of it. If he’ll roll, allow him, or better yet if there’s an area for turnout, you can let him go for a while under close supervision. Keep him moving and return to the water on water off until the water coming off his body is cool and the blood vessels have returned to their normal size. At this point, his temp should be close to normal. After you have cooled the horse and he is back in his stall, check on him every hour or so. Take his temperature as it can spike. Walk him several times during the afternoon and evening. Make sure he has clean water to drink and hay to munch. If his temp has spiked go back to cooling him and if he looks stressed, I would call the vet. A horse that has been very hot sometimes takes long hours to really recover. It is really to yours and your horse’s benefit to chat with your vet. He or she will have good info to pass along. There are also some really good books on conditioning a horse. Our sport asks many difficult questions of both horse and human. It is our responsibility to be the best horse keepers we can. Hear what your horse is telling you. You’ll both be the better for it.
Phone: 608-237-7382 • Fax: 608-237-6468 E-mail: info@americandrivingsociety.org www.americandrivingsociety.org RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED P.O. Box 278, Cross Plains, WI 53528
The American Driving Society, Inc.
water on the large blood vessels on the front legs, between his back legs and underbelly. It is helpful if the vet or another person can keep re-checking the horse’s temperature. One of the things I love about driving people is that they will pitch right in and help another driver to help his horse. In the case of a really hot horse-107 or 108- three or four folks per horse is the best; one to hold him, one on each side of him cooling and one to get his boots or bandages off and help with un-hooking, un-harnessing, thermometer and to get more ice or water. In this case do not ask the horse to pull the carriage. Not one step! Start cooling the horse before you even try to unhook or un-harness. Only when the horse has started to stabilize and his temp has come down a degree or more, should you get his harness off. Body temps of 106 or above are very serious conditions. Temps of 107 or 108 are potentially fatal. If a horse with these temperatures isn’t cooled out very rapidly, brain damage can occur and his organs can start shutting down. When a horse this hot comes in to the end of E, the more people available to cool him the better. Cool him and let him stand still. You’ll notice when he starts to become himself again. He’ll look for some grass to nibble and for a drink. At this point you can walk him