MARCH/APRIL 2010 THE RIDER /27

2010 Board of Directors

President: Teresa Finnerty, (905) 880-1745, email: teresa.finnerty@gmail.com Vice-President: Nancy Beacon, (519) 924-2347, email: rabbitrun1@me.com Secretary: Nancy Zukewich, (613) 728-9628, email: nancy.zukewich@rogers.com Membership Secretary: Misha Green, 41 Briarwood Rd., Unionville, ON L3R 2W7 (905) 475-9466, email: mishagreen@rogers.com

Treasurer: Kelly Corbyn, (705) 424-1600, email: octratreasurer@yahoo.com

Endurance Chair: Nancy Beacon, (519) 924-2347, email: rabbitrun1@me.com Competitive Trail Chair: Lynda Townsend, (450) 764-3589, email: ken.townsend@csur.ca

Ride & Tie Chair: Mike Downing, phone: (705) 428-5622, email: downingmichael.downing@yahoo.ca

website www.octra.on.ca

HOW FIT IS YOUR HORSE?? – PART THREE

In distance riding disciplines - Endurance, Competitive Trail Riding and Ride and Tie – you and your horse may cover anywhere from 10 to 100 miles in a day. The judges in our sport are veterinar- ians or lay judges who have been trained to assess horse health. Their job is to make sure your horse is “fit to continue”. The welfare of the horse is paramount. Riders take care of each other and keep an eye on the horses. Don’t be surprised if you are at a water stop on the trail and another rider asks you, “Is your horse drinking?”, or “Have you given your horse electrolytes?”

affects of electrolyte loss when your horse is working hard.

1. Make sure your horse has a balanced diet and has access to salt and fresh water at all times.

2. A couple hours before competition or a long trailer ride, give your horse some electrolytes. Be sure to use a product spe- cially formulated for horses that does NOT contain bicarbonate and does NOT list sugar or glucose as one of the first ingredients. Continue to give electrolytes during and after the event.

3. Feed your horse a mash or sloppy wet feed to replace fluids – add carrots or apples. Many dis- tance riders use soaked beet pulp. You can add elec- trolytes to this as well.

Replacing Electrolytes during competition apples.

Hydration – Equine and human!

Why is everyone so concerned about your horse drinking? What the heck are elec- trolytes?

In the February issue, we talked about one measure of being “fit to contin- ue”, temperature. As a horse (or human!) works, he gets hot and sweats to get rid of the extra heat. The sweat evap- orates and we feel cooler. Sweat is wet and salty, so we are losing not only flu- ids, but electrolytes or salts. This can be a cause for con- cern.

According to Dr. Art King, “the most commonly recog- nized problems associated with fluid and electrolyte changes during exercise are:

• Dehydration

• Synchronous Diaphrag- matic Flutter (SDF) - thumps

• Metabolic Myopathies - cramps, tying-up, azoturia • Laminitis - founder • Colic

• Exhausted Horse Syndrome • Post-exhaustion Syndrome”

(from Art B. King, DVM - Recognition and Management of Fluid and Electrolyte Changes in Equine Athletes, 2002). There are several things you can do to prevent dehydration and the adverse

Salt sweated out during competition

“If you are new to events which might require supplementation of elec- trolytes, discuss the needs with a knowl- edgeable veterinarian and with other rid- ers who have been competing successful- ly. Their routines will not be exactly what your horse needs, but it gives you a place to start and, by trial and error, you will learn to adjust the dosages to suit the needs of your horse.” (from Ecker - “Pre-

Using electrolytes is as much as art as a science. Learn to recognize the signs of dehydration in your horse (see below). Know what “normal” water intake is for him given the level of exertion, weather and humidity. Don’t be shy to ask if you have questions!

DATE RIDE NAME

24th April Adjala Trail Blazers Spring Ride

25th April Adjala Trail Blazers Spring Ride

8th May Lay Judge Clinic 9th May Stormont

9th May Queen's Bush 22nd May Aprilfest In May 23rd May Aprilfest In May

23rd May Aprilfest In May 23rd May Aprilfest In May 24th May Aprilfest In May 24th May Aprilfest In May 6th June Seouls Corners

19th Jun Summer Solstice Moonlit 20th Jun Summer Solstice

4. Everyone knows the old saying - You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink. You can, however, encour- age him to drink. Hot horses will not be harmed by drinking too much cold water! Tempt him to the trough with a carrot. Throw an apple in and watch him bob for

venting Dehydration in the Endurance Horse”, 2002). Many of these tips apply to riders as well. When we get dehydrated, we get confused and don’t always make good decisions. Sometimes we get a headache. We don’t urinate as often and the colour of our urine gets darker (this applies to horses too!).

In addition to drinking regularly before, during and after an event, riders can encourage hydration by eating “wet” foods - porridge, soups, fruit, or make your coffee a latté! We have a large concentration of sweat glands in our feet and on our heads. So anything you can do to cool off those areas also helps. Sit with your feet in a bucket of cold water at breaks or dunk your head in the water trough before putting on your helmet to head back out on trail!

How do I know if my horse is dehydrated?

Mucous Membranes/Capillary Refill

Lift the upper lip of the horse and look at the gums above the teeth (also called the mucous membranes). Mucous membranes should be a healthy pink, shiny, moist and slippery. If they are pale, dry or tacky this can indicate dehydration. Colours such as pale white, jaun- diced, brick red, bluish, purplish, or muddy are indica- tive of a serious problem.

Next, press your thumb or finger on the gum to “blanch” the area (push the blood out from under the fin- ger) to determine capillary refill time. Upon release of the pressure, count the seconds that elapse while the colour returns. Normal time is up to 1.5 seconds. Delays for 2 to 3 seconds are cause for concern. Delays beyond 4 seconds are serious. Delayed capillary refill time is an indication of reduced blood circulation due to reduced

Checking mucous membrane and capillary refill

volume (blood loss or dehydration) and/or decreased blood pressure (shock). (from King and Ecker, The Horse Health Check: A Systematic Method of Examina- tion)

For more information on how to do the Horse Health Check, see: http://www.equineguelph.ca/pdf/facts/Horse_Health_Ch eck_description.pdf

OCTRA – Come ride with us!

OCTRA Ride Dates

TYPE

Mileage

Ride 'n' Tie Endurance Mileage

Education Ride 'n' Tie

Mileage Training

DISTANCES

14 Miles

7 &14 Miles 50 Miles 25 Miles

Finch, Ont. 6 & 12 Miles

25 Miles 15 Miles

CONTACT

Nancy Blake - (905) 729-3001 j_nblake@porchlight.ca

Teresa Finnerty - nanjo@porchlight.ca Education/Vet Committee Chairpersons

Sue Wallis, 15947 Northfield, Lunenburg, ON K0C 1R0 (613) 346-2617 dessia@amberleaequestrian.com

Doug Price, RR4, Chatsworth ON N0H 1G0 (519) 376-2430 email dougieprice@yahoo.can

Competitive Trail 25 Mile Open & Novice Cathy Mezenberg 6922 7th Line, RR2, 2 Day 50 Mile (day 1) Belwood. ON N0B 1J0 (519) 787-1416

Competitive Trail 2 Day 50 Mile (day 2) email jcmezenberg@execulink.com Mileage

Endurance Mileage

Ride 'n' Tie Endurance

Mileage Mileage

12 & 25 Miles 50 Miles 12 Miles

6 & 12 Miles 50 Miles

15 & 25 Miles 12 Miles

Competitive Trail 20 Mile Novice

25, 37 & 50 Mile Open Ride Secretary -Donna Moore, 17 Edgewood Drive, Lindsay, ON. K9V 4W2

Mileage

1st Jul 2010 Canadian Championship FEI 2nd Jul 2010 Canadian Championship Ride 'n' Tie

4th Jul 1st Aug Seouls Corners 22-Aug Flesherton 5th Sep Stormont

2nd Oct Oktoberfest 3rd Oct Oktoberfest

12 Mile Endurance

100, 75 & 50 Miles 10 & 20 Miles

Competitive Trail 2 Day 80 Miles (day 2) 40 Mile Open

Competitive Trail 30 Mile Open Competitive Trail 25 Mile Novice Mileage

15 Miles

Competitive Trail 32 Mile Open Competitive Trail 25 Mile Novice Mileage

Endurance Mileage

Ride 'n' Tie Mileage

Endurance Mileage

15 Miles 50 Miles

13 & 27 Miles 6 & 12 Miles 12 & 25 Miles 50 Miles

12 & 25 Miles Ride Secretary-Sue Downing, 2011, 6/7 Sd Rd., Sunnidale, New Lowell

3rd Jul 2010 Canadian Championship Competitive Trail 2 Day 80 Miles (day 1) ON. L0M 1N0 (705) 428-5622 40 Mile Open

email Michael Downing@sympatico.ca Elaine Steele, 3964 Bell Line Rd. Mountain Grove, ON. K0H 2E0 (613) 335-2529 email lostcreekfarm@sympatico.ca Nancy Beacon (519) 924 2347 email rabbitrun1@me.com

Sue Wallis, 15947 Northfield, Lunenburg, ON K0C 1R0 (613) 346-2617 dessia@amberleaequestrian.com Cathy Mezenberg 6922 7th Line, RR2 Belwood, ON. N0B 1J0 (519) 787-1416 email jcmezenberg@execulink.com

Elaine Steele, 3964 Bell Line Rd. Mountain Grove, ON. K0H 2E0 (613) 335-2529 email lostcreekfarm@sympatico.ca

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