Endurance Basics: Training your horse to deal with a vet check

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They say that practice makes perfect, and in this case it certainly can’t hurt! The more you can do to prepare your horse ahead of time for what they are going to experience at an endurance ride, the better.

There are a lot of great books and websites that cover the basics for endurance riders.  There aren’t a lot of things (that I could find) that deal specifically with the finer points of exposing your horse to a real life simulation in advance of attending a ride. I can easily find a lot of information online that tells me what to expect, and that my horse must pass a pre-ride vet check, ect.

Let’s start with a horse that hasn’t been to an endurance ride before.  What does that horse need to be able to do in order to pass a vet check?  First off, he needs to be able to deal with standing in a line of horses.  Then, he needs to stand quietly and squarely in order to have his pulse and gut sounds taken.  He needs to be able to tolerate a vet opening up his mouth and pressing on his gums, and also doing a skin pinch test on his shoulder. Some vets do a much more thorough physical exam and may feel all four legs and pick up all four feet.  In addition to that, your horse needs to be able to trot out and back, stopping a safe distance from the vet and/or vet secretary.  Finally, if the horse passes he needs to be able to stand still long enough to have a grease number placed on his rump on either one or both sides.

I know it doesn’t sound all that difficult, and for those that have been doing it awhile – it’s second nature.  Yet, for a young, new or excited horse all of those things can be enough to cause the horse to get out of control, kick, bite, rear…..you name it.  Horse’s that riders can’t control in hand and that exhibit dangerous behavior are not ready to attend a public event.

The best place to start practicing vet check simulation training is after returning from a conditioning ride.  This way the horse learns that after you have finished riding, he is not yet done.  Here are some steps to practice:

1)  Pull tack (unless you ride in a region where that is seldom or never done).

2)  Check pulse rate.  You want your horse to be down to 60.  Some regions use a higher #, like 64.   If you are riding LD then stick with 60.

3)  Listen to gut sounds in more than one quadrant.  This is good to do anyway as you’ll learn what is ‘normal’ for your horse – something you should know about each horse prior to attending an endurance ride.  Here is a video showing how to check for gut sounds.

4)  Open your horse’s mouth and check for capillary refill.  Press your thumb into your horse’s gums and hold for a couple of seconds or until the skin turns pale.  Now count how long it takes for the color to come back.  It should come back quickly, in around 2 seconds or less.

5) Pinch your horse’s skin on the point of the shoulder.  Again, count how long it takes for it to go back.  It should be fairly elastic and snap back within 2 seconds.  If it takes 3, 4 or more seconds that could be a sign of dehydration.  In some older horses it  may take longer and that might be what is ‘normal’ for that horse.

6)  Start the physical exam now – use your hands to feel all four legs.  Pick up each hoof.  Use both hands to palpate your horse’s back and hindquarters.  Check both armpits and the girth area thoroughly.  Feel and look for any dings, rubs or wounds anywhere on the horse’s body paying particularly close attention to where tack goes.  Lift up your horse’s tail dock and check anal tone (or for any signs of rubbing or soreness if you ride with a crupper).  Check the back of the pasterns for signs of scratches of cracking.  This is a good way to get really acquainted with your horse’s body and to learn what is ‘normal’.

7)  Trot your horse out and back.  Work on a signal with your horse so he knows when you tug on the lead rope that it’s time to trot.  Practice stopping and standing quietly when you get back from the trot out.  Here is a previous post I did about teaching a horse how to trot out and back.

8)  Now check your horse’s pulse rate again with a stethoscope.  Even if you have a HRM of some sort, practice this part with a stethoscope.

9)  Use a carrot or something similar to simulate writing a number on both sides of your horse’s rump.

10)  Repeat having a friend do all of the above so your horse is used to being handled by somebody else.

For more details on what to expect at a ride, click here for a copy of the AERC Rider Handbook.

For those that want to cover all of the bases, also check your horse’s temperature.  This is seldom done at rides.  However, in light of the EHV-1 outbreak last summer we were required to log our horse’s temperatures twice a day while on the long XP ride.  While tedious to do that often for two months, it provided us with a good baseline of what ‘normal’ temperatures are pre and post ride both for the horse being ridden and the one being hauled in the trailer.

You can use a spreadsheet to write down all of your horse’s normal parameters.  While in the barn or out on the trail, index cards work really well.

When you are at an actual ride you’ll want to do a quick check over of your horse prior to presenting to the vet.   Remember that you, the rider are the one responsible for your horse.  If there is something wrong or that you notice that is not normal or that concerns you the vet will appreciate having you tell him or her, rather than the other way around.  Most ride vets are very helpful and want to work with you to get you and your horse safely through the ride. They are not the bad guy.

Most horses simply need the repetitiveness of a vet check simulation in order to handle it well when the time comes to do it ‘for real’.  Others may have problems such as trying to kick or bite and in those cases more training is required to work through those issues. Always be firm and consistent when doing this type of work with your horse.  He needs to learn that part of his job of being an endurance horse includes having good ground manners in the vet checks.

The following video was taken at the Tevis Cup one year and is of Suzanne Ford Huff’s horse Chase the Wind.  The vets at Tevis are generally more thorough when vetting horses compared to other rides.   This should give you a good idea though, of what to expect and how to approach the physical vet exam simulation with your own horse.

One other thing that may prove useful for a new horse is to practice what comes next at a vet check – the eating part.  Get together the same buckets and feed pans, crew bag and feed that you plan to use on an actual ride and set it up just like you would at a vet check.  It is best to do this after a ride, or perhaps even during one that way you won’t be feeding your horse more feed than he needs.  This way you and your horse will both get into a routine of sorts.  Learn what your horse’s favorite feeds are – does he like carrots or apples better?  What about mashes – is he a wheat bran kinda guy, or won’t touch it if it’s not rice bran?  My horse’s for example, won’t touch beet pulp at a vet check so I gave up even trying years ago and just pack the feed that I know they’ll eat.  Horse’s are a lot like us in that their preferences change, so prepare to offer an entire smorgasbord of choices.  I like to offer an Omolene 200/wheat bran mash, another feed pan of Strategy Healthy Edge, hay and usually an apple or a couple of carrots.  I add a little salt or electrolyte powder into the mashes as well.  If you choose to provide your electrolytes that way, this pre-practice training will allow your horse to get used to it.  And, if he refuses to eat it you’ll know that ahead of time and won’t be stuck at a vet check with a horse that refuses to eat!  Most horses will learn to eat feed with a little salt or electrolyte powder added if it’s provided that way to them all of the time.

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Endurance horse training basics: Trotting out for a vet check

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How many of us have ever had a horse embarrass us at a ride when we attempted to trot them out, and said horse wasn’t cooperating?  Yeah, me too!  It is something that we need to practice.  It’s not something that horses will automatically do well, though some do pick it up quicker than others.  Many horses need the repetition of practicing as well as learning how to trot out in public without making a scene.

Whenever I am starting a new horse, I include trotting out practice after every single ride.  I also like to practice a trot out and back while on the trail if I happen to dismount.  That reinforces to the horse the whole idea of being asked to trot out at various locations or times during the day.

To start with, lead your horse at a walk out and back in an area where you want to practice.  Try this first in an quiet area away from other horses, that way your horse can focus on you and what you are asking.  I like to give the horse a signal that I am about to ask him to trot.  Usually I will give a quick pull on the lead rope and tell the horse to come on as we take off.  Some horses may be reluctant to trot, especially if it is new to them and they aren’t sure what to do.

There are many ways to encourage a reluctant horse to trot out.  For training purposes, using a dressage or a longe whip works well.  Stand with the horse to your right shoulder, holding the lead rope with your right hand.  In your left hand, hold a whip (something longer than a crop is best) When you begin your trot out, encourage your horse by reaching around behind you with your left hand and tap the horse on the hind leg.  No need to hit hard, just tap with about the same force as you would pat your horse on the butt.  Another method is to use the end of your lead rope.  Hold the excess length of rope in your left hand and use the last two feet of it to swing around and tap the horse near the hindquarters area.  Be sure to keep a good hold on the horse’s head with your right hand.  You don’t want to give too much slack if the horse should jump forward then he can instantly be in a position to kick you, or get loose.

Riders trotting their horses out at Robinson's Flat/Tevis

If your horse doesn’t respond well to the gentle method of encouraging with taps on their hindquarters, enlist the help of a friend to provide some hazing.  Ask your friend to click, wave arms and clap – that often will do the trick.  Make sure your friend stays out of kicking range and that you continue to have a nice solid hold on your horse’s lead rope near the head.  Your helper can also use a whip (again, something longer than a crop) – to encourage the horse.  Tapping, similar to a slap is sufficient; no need to hit hard!

The length of trot out area for practice purposes should be roughly 100 feet.  That way your horse is familiar with going that far and won’t be affected by rides that have shorter or longer trot lanes.

I like to stop my horse at the end of the trot lane, ask the horse to turn at a walk and then pick up a trot again.  Be careful about pulling the horse around in a super tight circle as that can cause the horse to look lame.  Now trot back.  Stop a couple of feet prior to the end area so that your horse won’t knock the vet over!  This is also a good time to have a friend or helper stand and watch the trot out and ‘play vet’ for you.  Practice stopping and standing – it is just as important as learning to ‘trot out’.  If your horse is having trouble with stopping and standing from a trot, then practice it at a walk.

Keep practicing until your horse will trot out next to you without pushing into you, pulling away, kicking out or having to be hazed to move out.  Keep practicing the stopping, turning, coming back and stopping and standing quietly.  When your horse is doing reasonably well, ask another friend to trot your horse out for you.  It’s important that your horse be able to be trotted out and handled on the ground by others.  You never know when you may not be able to do it yourself.  Try not to let your horse fall in behind you, as that makes it hard for the vets to see your horse move and may result in you having to trot out again.  It’s never fun to be asked for a re-trot, so do what you can to reduce the chance of that happening by doing a nice trot out the first time!

As your horse progresses with his ability to do a trot out nicely, change the setting and situation.  Practice in the vicinity of other horses (making sure none can kick or get in the way), and in areas that are busy with activity.  This ensures that your horse can still do what you ask and will keep his focus on you, and not have his attention diverted.

For training purposes, I like to wear gloves and always prefer cotton ropes.  That way if your horse does pull the rope through your hands, you won’t get a rope burn.  Any type of halter will work, though it is a good idea to use whatever head gear your horse will be using on an actual endurance ride.   Using your reins as a lead for the trot out is a good idea too – maybe not at first if your are working with a green horse.  Work your way up to that, after you are comfortable that the horse will not yank the reins out of your hands and run off.

Some horses can be really stubborn about doing a trot out and can require a great deal more effort to train.  I know, I’ve had one!  The more you practice, the better.  Ride vets will appreciate having a horse that can not only trot out nicely, but doesn’t try to run over the top of them when they are finishing up the trot out.

At endurance ride tip:  If your horse is new to the sport, or is just high on adrenalin at a ride, take him off to a private area and practice your trot outs in advance.  Walk your horse around camp first to help get him acclimated to all of the goings-on.  Wait till the vet area is as quiet as possible before presenting to vet or check in.  Most horses get the ‘edge’ off once the ride starts and it is usually the pre-ride vet in where they have a problem being overly excited.  If you are forced to wait in a line and your horse is acting up, keep a tight, snug hold on the lead.  It only takes a foot or two of slack in a lead for a horse to back up or spin around and nail somebody with a well planted double barrel kick.  It is best to try an avoid that kind of situation all together and keep new, green, or difficult to control horses away from ‘groups’ or ‘lines’ as much as possible.  I kind of like the ride vets we have and don’t want to see them get hurt while vetting our horses for us.

Here is a video I made this weekend of Bo and I practicing on trotting out.  We did this out on the trail, while out for a walk.  It never hurts to practice with even experienced horses.  Plus it’s always nice to do just as a way to watch how the horse is moving and see what his general demeanor is like.  That way you learn to assess what is normal for your horse, and what is not.  None of my horses put a great deal of effort into trotting out; they know the real work is on the trail and save themselves.  I like not having a horse that has that “deer in the headlights” kind of look.

Next we’ll go over getting a horse used to dealing with an overall vet-check.  More practice, practice, practice!!

This is video of Bo trotting out with Chad (crew person) at Foresthill, last year when he did the Tevis.  In case anybody is interested, Bo is 13 years old and has approximately 4,700 AERC miles and has just started his sixth ride season.

Disclaimer: These lessons I am covering are meant to be for endurance horses or for horses that travel that already have some training and conditioning base on them.  They reflect my experience and opinions and are not guaranteed to be effective in the hands of others nor are they meant to be the only method or means of training a horse in order to accomplish the same things.  Working with horses can be incredibly risky and dangerous.  You should only try these methods with proper supervision or assistance from an experienced trainer or horse person that you trust, and at your own risk.  If you have any questions or comments feel free to email
me or comment in my blog.   Happy trails, Karen

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