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12 weeks before if the horse is only in light work, to ensure they will cope with the workload. If you have followed the above steps your horse should be fit and healthy and you can look forward to attending competitions and training sessions with him. Even if you are well prepared there are a number of things to think about when out and about competing to ensure you get the best from your horse, such as:
Get off your horse and loosen the girth/untack between classes to give them a break.
• Water – don’t forget to offer
your horse water at regular intervals, more frequently if it is hot. Use a product such as Horse Quencher if your horse is a fussy drinker. Reduced water intake can result in dehydration and can lead to colic. to eat little and often, so prolonged time without food causes acid to build u p in their stomach, causing discomfort and, in some cases, can lead to painful ulcers. Offering your horse a haynet or pick of grass at regular intervals during the day will prevent acid buildup. By offering food you will be making your horse more comfortable, and will also reduce the risk of colic. shown that when travelling horses use the same energy travelling as they do walking, so long journeys can be tiring for them. Take your journey time into account when planning your day out to allow horses to rest after the journey. supplementing your horse’s feed can be beneficial to improve performance and health. Bakewell Equine Clinic stocks a range of own brand supplements including those for joint mobility, gut function and hoof growth. For more details contact us at the clinic on 01629 810351 and we can send you a brochure.
• Food – horses are designed
• Don’t enter too many classes
– although it may be tempting to do lots of classes to make the most of the day out, remember it is hard work for your horse. Even just doing two jumping classes and two jump-offs means many jumping efforts for your horse – 10-15 jumps in each round equals 20-30 jumps, then 6-10 jumps in each jump-off equals 20-32, which equals possibly up to 62 jumping efforts for just two rounds and two jump offs! If you then do a couple of showing classes too that is a lot of work for your horse. Think about what each class entails before entering to ensure you don’t do too much. By doing too much your horse may get tired and careless, increasing the risk of injury and not performing to his best. There is always another day, but there may not be if doing too many classes results in an injured horse. between classes. Everyone has seen riders using their horse as an armchair from which to watch other classes at competitions. Our horses are expected to perform when we enter the ring and it is unfair to expect them to do this if they have been standing with us on their backs all day.
• Travelling – studies have
• Supplements –
• Rest - don’t sit on your horse
If you would like any advice or would like to arrange for our vets to see your horse, please contact us at Bakewell Equine Clinic on 01629 810351.
www.equestrianlifemagazine.co.uk
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