Wednesday Reader From Horse Quencher

A FEI spokesperson explained, “With all due respect, Horse Nation’s submission was the worst thing the FEI has ever seen.” [HN]

Good Morning Eventing Nation! Welcome to Wednesday. I didn’t think I would ever be saying these words in the middle of March, but it looks like it’s going to be a scorcher today, no matter where you are located. I almost feel bad for the snow birds that flocked south this winter, they left their perches up north to exchange the dredges of winter for a warmer climate, but it’s been more hot than warm this spring. I’m just hoping that this unseasonably warm winter doesn’t mean that we are in for a heat stroke of a summer. 

Now let’s get on to the news. 

Here’s the updated list of Rolex entries, we’re getting closerrrrrrrr 

Across the Pond, the Household Cavalry has launched a campaign called ‘Fashion for the Brave.’ According to the Horse and Hound, “The initiative will raise funds for the Household Cavalry Operational Casualties Fund, which provides financial support to injured soldiers and their families, and the British Forces Foundation, which aims to boost the morale of servicemen and women on the frontline through high quality entertainment.’ The Cavalry has enlisted the help of two supermodels to pose with the horses and officers at a photo shoot, the results of which will be unveiled at a Fashion show for the cause in a few months time. [Horse and Hound] 

Caroline Powell has had a good start to the season after winning two sections at her first event of 2012, the Isleham Horse Trials. Caroline won two Novice (Preliminary) sections, which seems to us like a pretty fair result, but to win two sections that’s forty or more horses deep at an event England is a pretty big deal. Congrats to Caroline, and hopefully we’ll be seeing her and the diminutive Lenamore out soon as they gear up for another go at Badminton. [Newmarket Journal]

The bones of Australia’s most famous race horse, Phar Lap, which have resided in the Melbourne museum for a number of years, have recently undergone reconstruction to showcase a better representation of the national icon.  According to the article, “There were a series of minor errors made during the [Original reconstruction] that collectively mean that the skeleton does not quite match the proud physique of Phar Lap in his prime.” When the skeleton was first arranged in the 1930’s, the withers were placed much to close together, making Phar Lap’s back look much too short, and further mistakes made him appear sickle hocked and made his head appear to droop. Dr. Alex Davies, an expert in both Taxidermy and equine anatomy, will head the reconstruction, which is estimated to take at least three months. Once complete however, Phar Lap will once again resemble the champion he always was. [Horsetalk]

When the USEF changed their drug rule last year to ban NSAID medications (Bute, Banamine, and the like) from being combined at a specific time, many were unsure of what the motivation was for the rule change. TheHorse put together a great article summarizing how the combination of the two really has no superior effect, but rather they have been proven to increase the risk of both gastrointestinal ulcers and renal toxicity when combined. The moral of the story is to not only know the rules, but the causes for their enactment and reasons why they should be abided by. [The Horse]

Over in England, researchers are compiling a study to test fitness levels in women riders at ranging age and skill levels. The study will be conducted at the University of Worchester, where riders interested in taking part will be asked to undertake a fitness test at the University of Worcester to assess aerobic fitness, core stability, lower and upper body strength, balance and reaction time. The hope is that by testing riders of different skill levels, they will be able to determine which physical fitness factors are more prevalent in upper level riders versus lower level ones, and ultimately will come up with a better formula to target the condition needed for riders to compete at the top. It seems like a nice idea, but I have to wonder how accurate the results will be. My initial feeling was that the Advanced riders would obviously be the most fit, but not necessarily because of the one or two Advanced horses they ride everyday, but because of the six or nine other ones they ride as a professional in the sport, versus an amateur rider with one horse. It will be an interesting study to follow nevertheless. [Horsetalk]

On HN: The Age Impaired Rider

PRO Blog: Lauren Lambert

Best of the Blogs: The Hills That Were Red

That’s all for
now, Eventing Nation! Have an excellent day, I’ll catch ya later!

From Horse Quencher: Water is a key ingredient to recover from, ward off or otherwise reduce the impact of illnesses (especially colic). But how to get them to drink when they’re feeling punky? Horse Quencher, of course! As David Scott, DVM says, “Excited and stressed horses do not usually choose to drink; as a veterinary surgeon and rider I usually find that this is when their fluid needs are at their highest, e.g. after strenuous exercise such as hunting or eventing; during long work such as endurance or long pleasure rides; after surgery, either under sedation or general anesthetic; during and after recovery from colic of almost all causes; during any management change e.g., staying at shows or sales; low grade exercise in extremely hot weather. Encouraging drinking during these periods can be frustrating and failure to achieve reasonable hydration status during periods of increased need can have severe health consequences. I was introduced to Horse Quencher by endurance rider Lucinda Stapleton as a product that could truly ‘make horses drink!’ I personally use it for my hunters before the long journey home, they would always refuse fluid before and then drink huge quantities at home; all surgical patients are introduced to it before surgery so that they will actively drink afterwards reducing the “bunging” effect of surgery as fluid intake increases gut motility; for colic patients especially those with colonic impactions where one of the classic problems is their refusal to drink. Horse Quencher can truly help in those situations where horses need fluid but for whatever reason will not drink.”