Feeding is a complicated science — never more so than with a competition horse aiming for peak performance. Emily Bevan sorts the facts from the fiction

Myth: adding oats to my horse’s feed ahead of a competition will give him an energy boost.

One of the golden rules of feeding is to be consistent, so making any sudden changes to your horse’s diet, particularly ahead of a competition when you are wanting him to perform at his best, is never a good idea.

“An abrupt dietary change can increase the risk of colic, plus during exercise horses, like humans, use stored energy sources not energy directly from their previous meal,” says Yvonne Judith, an equine nutritionist with a focus on competition horses. “This ‘instant’ energy may also cause behavioural issues in some horses — the last thing you want before a competition.”

For a horse to safely receive the full energy benefits that oats provide, he would need to be consuming them daily, rather than just on or before competition day.

“Oats are a great way of adding quick-release energy into the diet for horses who can be lethargic or lacking in energy, but this should not be seen as a substitute for ensuring adequate fitness,” says Katie Grimwood, a nutrition advisor from Baileys Horse Feeds.

Myth: my horse shouldn’t drink after competing as he will get colic.

While all riders and owners are aware of the importance of hydration, many withhold water after exercise as they believe it’s not safe for a horse to drink if he’s hot and sweaty.

However, this isn’t true and a horse’s thirst instinct is at its highest after exercise so it’s important to make the most of this opportunity to rehydrate your horse as soon as he wants to drink.

“Exercise has a direct effect on thermoregulation and fluid balance,” explains Emma Nissler, Dodson & Horrell’s nutritional manager. “The water requirements of competitive horses are affected by several variables that can influence sweat and respiratory fluid losses. Water has a direct and indirect involvement in nearly every physiologic process within the body, and so it is really important to ensure they are rehydrated, especially post-exercise when their natural instinct is at its peak.”

Myth: I should avoid including molasses in my horse’s diet as it will make him excitable on competition day

Molasses is a byproduct of sugar cane or beet so naturally has a high sugar content. While sugar is fine in moderation, many riders and owners believe the high sugar levels in molasses will give their horse too much energy on competition day. However, what they don’t realise is that molasses is already included in most competition mixes in a diluted state to bind the ingredients and dampen the mixture to reduce dust.

“Molasses gets blamed for a myriad of problems, including hyperactivity,” says Saracen Horse Feeds’ senior nutritionist Lizzie Drury. “Molasses supplies the horse with digestible energy because it is composed entirely of sucrose, glucose and fructose. The amount of molasses in a typical helping of a concentrate feed cannot, however, induce hyperactivity.”

It’s important to look at the sugar content in your horse’s diet as a whole rather than singling out specific ingredients.

TopSpec’s nutrition director Nicola Tyler adds: “Molasses contains approximately 50% sugar and its contribution to the total level of sugar in the diet should be calculated before ruling it out.”

Myth: I don’t need to give my competition horse much forage as he gets all the calories and energy he needs from his hard feed

Horses are trickle feeders and need to have regular access to forage to keep their gut mobile. Forage also contains all the essential nutrients a horse requires and should form the basis of every horse’s diet. One of the main components of forage is fibre.

“Fibre supports the way that the horse has evolved to graze and provides a bulk to the feed to maintain and support digestive health,” says Katie Grimwood. “It can also allow the horse to better utilise the nutrients received through the concentrate feed.”

There is a common belief that forage shouldn’t be fed to a horse while travelling or before competition as it gives them colic or slows them down.

“The opposite is actually true,” says Yvonne Judith. “A lack of fibre can increase the risk of gastric ulcers and colic. Fibre does bind water in the gut but the slight increase in weight will not impact performance.”

Myth: if I feed a specific product it will help my horse’s physical development

It’s important to take advice from a nutritionist to ensure you are feeding a balanced diet and are not wasting money on fad products or supplements.

“There is a belief among lower level competitors that feeding a certain product or supplement can help your horse to gain topline without supporting the diet with a structured exercise plan. As a result, owners can be tempted to load the horse up on excess ingredients that he doesn’t actually need,” says Blue Chip Feed’s Emma Nicholls.

Protein is one of the key supplements owners often include, believing it helps condition muscle.

“While protein is required to build muscle tone and topline and is needed for the growth and repair of body tissues, feeding protein alone is not sufficient to promote topline and should be used in combination with correct training,” explains Katie Grimwood.

If your horse is consuming a balanced diet he should be receiving the nutritional support he needs for all areas of development.

“Topline develops from the correct working of the horses’ muscles along the spine to build a ‘top line’. Quality amino acids are required to help build muscle and feeding the correct diet according to the horses’ requirements should provide these amino acids, without the need for additional supplements,” says Anne Priestman.

Myth: we are moving up a level in competition so I’ll increase my horse’s food intake to ensure he has enough energy to cope

“Grassroots competitors are often naïve in what they are feeding their horses and think that when they step up a level they need to increase their horse’s feed intake,” says Emma Nicholls. “The overriding message is ‘my horse needs more energy so I will up his feed’ rather than looking at the type of feed he requires.”

Understanding your horse’s dietary requirements is essential if he is to perform to his best and maintain a healthy weight. Advice from a nutritionist can not only help to ensure your horse consumes the correct feed, but also that he receives the appropriate quantities.

“Another common misconception is that feeding ‘high energy’ feeds can help to improve energy levels without causing weight gain,” explains Katie Grimwood.

“Calories are just units of energy, so high energy feeds are also high in calories. Although feeds such as competition mixes or straight oats can work to an extent, if used they should be incorporated as part of a fully balanced diet and in combination with a suitable fitness regime.”

Myth: my horse performed well today in tough conditions. I’ll give him a bran mash when we get home as it’ll be good for him

While a bran mash may be considered a warm, comforting treat and it can help increase your horse’s water intake, if it is not a regular component of his diet it has no place in his feed bucket.

“Recovery is such an important part of any horse’s routine, especially competition horses that are in harder work,” explains Emma Nissler, Dodson & Horrell’s nutritional manager. “While ‘recovery’ feeds are tempting to add into their meals on a competition day, it is more likely to be effective as part of their regular concentrate ration.

“For horses in hard work, that sweat heavily during exercise and travel, the addition of electrolyte salts (sodium, chloride, potassium, magnesium and calcium) will ensure the nutrients lost through sweat are replenished efficiently and will positively influence recovery time. Performance feeds will sometimes contain added electrolytes already, but if not, electrolytes can be added to their meals a day before, the day of, and up to two days post-competition.”

“Abrupt dietary changes are never a good idea and bran is no exception. Bran is not balanced, especially in terms of calcium and phosphorus, and can actually be quite abrasive on the digestive system,” says Yvonne Judith. “Also be warned: some products marketed as mashes, especially within Europe, can be very high in starch which could contribute to colic, tying up or behavioural problems.”

The golden rules of feeding horses that all owners should know

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Competition horses are no strangers to life on the road — but the lifestyle can cause havoc with their routine. Find out how best to navigate feeding on the move

From March until October four-star eventer Georgie Spence and her string of horses will become accustomed to life on the lorry.

With early starts, late nights and long journeys to contend with, how does the Wiltshire-based 27-year-old — and other top riders like her — make sure her horses step off the lorry in peak condition?

“Feeding when we go to a competition is quite easy,” says Georgie, who has perfected her competition routine, having competed at her first Badminton in 2008 at the age of just 19.

“I always like to feed the horses at least an hour before they leave. This is quite straightforward as we normally need an hour to get ready in the mornings anyway,” she says.

“If the horse is a fussy eater, I would turn off the lights to let them eat in peace rather

than mucking out around them and potentially putting them off their feed.”

Sticking to a routine

While travelling can be stressful, keeping your horse’s feeding regime as consistent as possible will help keep anxiety levels to a minimum.

“The change in routine that is likely to come from competition travelling is the main concern [for horse owners],” says Saracen Horse Feeds’ Lizzie Drury. “This can include feeding times, the order of feeding when you’re in temporary stabling with lots of other horses as well as [different] exercise patterns — particularly an issue for showjumpers who can still be competing late at night.

“But you need to try to stick to your normal feeding regime,” adds Lizzie — a mantra that Georgie works to.

“Where possible the horses left at home wouldn’t be fed until the normal time even if we were going out with other horses early,” says Georgie.

“This does depend on where they are stabled as we have three separate barns, so in an ideal world the horses going out will all be together.”

But what happens when your departure times and regular feeding patterns don’t sync up for the horses leaving the yard?

“I’m afraid interruptions to your horse’s routine are unavoidable — especially if you’re travelling long distances,” says Clare Barfoot at Spillers.

“The simple answer is to try and keep as close as possible to your horse’s normal routine, but feeding a little earlier or later is OK.

“You ideally need to feed at least 1-1½hr prior to travelling,” says Briony Mitchell at Baileys.

Feeding when you get to your destination is also an option, says Clare, as long as there is sufficient time between finishing the meal and exercising (2-3hr).

Blue Chip’s Sarah Butler adds: “Feeding your horse breakfast will keep him in his morning routine, even if it is earlier than he would normally get it. And this ‘normality’ will help to keep him settled.”

Building up to a change in feeding time in the weeks before a competition is recommended. But Briony admits: “This might be unrealistic when horses are competing regularly, and most horses cope well enough with an early feed from time to time.”

Sticking to a routine shouldn’t stop at breakfast.

“Try to continue with the lunchtime feed, if this is the horse’s normal routine — and if the day’s timetable allows ample time to digest before further strenuous work or travelling,” says Briony.

Focus on forage

Once you’re on the move, providing sufficient forage — particularly on longer journeys —and offering water at least every 3-4hr is paramount.

“Not eating for three or more hours increases the risk of digestive problems like colic and gastric ulcers,” says Briony. “To maintain gut function horses must have access to good quality fibre.

“On long trips, replacing any scheduled feed during the journey with a high-fibre/oil equivalent — that has been introduced prior to the journey — can help to promote digestive health while keeping a routine.

“For good-doers you might consider using either low-calorie forage or a small-holed haynet to ensure it occupies the horse for as long as possible.

“And if you know your horse does not eat while in motion, ensure stops every 2-3hr to give him a chance.”

Lizzie Drury adds: “If your horse is a poor forage eater because of excitement and anticipation, it is really important that you explore other alternatives — such as soaked fibre pencils, chopped grass products or soaked beet pulp.

“These need to be introduced before you leave so the horse is accustomed to them.”

For most journeys hard feed isn’t necessary, but for sufficiently long journeys Clare at Spillers suggests small (about 1kg), frequent meals to help maintain your horse’s regime.

Globe-trotting dressage rider Amy Stovold says: “If I am on a long journey I try to stop around their normal lunchtime and let them put their heads down and eat from a bucket on the floor, and I offer a drink as well.”

Like this? You might also enjoy reading these:

H&H Feed Week: How to feed an underweight competition horse

The golden rules of feeding horses that all owners should know

H&H Feed Week: the right diet to help prevent horses tying up

Water worries

“Arguably the most essential component of a horse’s diet is water,” adds Baileys’ Briony Mitchell. “A loss of body water poses an immediate threat to performance. A 2% loss of water can be detrimental to performance, while a 10% loss would indicate severe dehydration.

“Horses travelling to an event can lose about 0.5% of their bodyweight every hour on the road by sweating — which shows the importance of offering water at regular intervals.”

This article was first published in the 12 February 2015 issue of Horse & Hound magazine

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No one is going to complain when the sun is shining and we’re out competing — but it’s more important than ever to make sure that our horses are kept hydrated when the temperatures soar.

Dengie senior nutritionist Katie Williams gives some top tips to keep your horse healthy and hydrated after competition.

5 ways to keep your horse hydrated

1. Intense activity during competition or training will cause your horse to sweat and lose electrolytes. For effective rehydration, both water and electrolytes are needed. Adding an electrolyte supplements to your horse’s water is one way to achieve this, but if they refuse to drink the solution then you may have to try an alternative method.

2. Alternatively make feed wet and slushy if this is the only way your horse will consume the electrolytes. Adding soaked sugar beet is an easy way to do this and has the added benefit of supplying highly digestible fibre.

3. Fibre and oil are great ways to provide slow-release energy – and the oil helps to promote improved stamina, which is particularly useful for horses competing in endurance competitions or if horses are doing several classes in a day. Feeds that combine alfalfa and oil can have a calorie or energy value equivalent to a conditioning mix, but without the same level of starch.

Continued below…

Competing with your horse alone? Take a look at our top tips for success

4. Fibre and oil feeds are ideal for maintaining or promoting weight gain in horses that can be over-excitable or prone to ERS (also known as tying-up). Adding a balancer or supplement designed for horses in hard work and feeding it at recommended rates will ensure essential nutrients are supplied at correct levels.

5. After competition, horses can remain very excited for a while and might be distracted from eating. It is important to try to tempt them to eat to promote good recovery. If the horse is having a rest the day after a competition, the emphasis should be on good levels of high-quality fibre sources (hay, haylage, alfalfa or sugar beet with oil) that will supply energy without significantly increasing the risk of digestive upsets. Essential vitamins and minerals are also vital to aid repair to tissues.

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Find out more about looking after horses at competitions

Looking for an equine vet?

Coping with snow

You probably won’t often have to compete in the snow, but it’s not unheard of. Follow these tips:

• “Putting Vaseline inside the horse’s hooves can prevent snow building up,” says BE100 competitor Katie Daniel
• Riding in hoof boots when warming up can also avoid snow condensing in the horse’s hooves
• Be careful as you cannot be sure of the ground underneath and there are likely to be icy patches
• Have a hoof pick on hand to remove any build-up of snow prior to entering the arena
• Your horse could be extra exuberant in snow so may need lungeing first

Coping with heat

• “Think about where you park at events. If you can park in some shade that is ideal, but you will be fighting for that with every other box in the place. So, if nothing else, try and work out which way the sun is going to go round and try not to have it shining directly into the back of the box,” says three-star rider Sam York
• Don’t forget fly repellent
• Keep your horse’s plaits in, even the forelock, to allow for maximum cooling
• Encourage fussy drinkers by putting an apple into their water bucket or adding some warm water
• Wear long sleeves to avoid applying suncream when you’re sweaty, dirty, tired and have limited time
• Drenching handkerchiefs in cold water and tying them around your wrist can help keep you cool and can be useful for wiping sweat off your face
• BE100 competitor Katie Daniel advocates the use of lavender wash after cross-country. “It removes sweat and grease easily and it calms, relaxes and refreshes their muscles,” she says
• “Fill your wash buckets before your round and sit them in a sunny area to take the chill off them as you don’t want to wash off your horse in ice cold water,” says Lorna Cameron

This is an extract from a feature on coping with adverse weather conditions at competitions, first published in the current issue of Horse & Hound (3 March, 2011)

Learn more about looking after horses at competitions

Find an equine vet

More articles on horse care at competitions

Find an equine vet

Q: My horse has arrived at a competition not feeling quite right, but I can’t find anything obviously wrong.

Should I approach the competition vet?

If you feel your horse is unwell for any reason, seek veterinary help.

He could be suffering from anything from dullness and lethargy, to lameness or colic — if there is something amiss, get an expert opinion.

Sometimes a problem doesn’t show up until you start riding.

For example, in eventing your horse may not feel quite level during a dressage test and you may wonder whether there is an underlying problem.

The dressage judge may refer you to the vet on site, who will assess whether your horse is fit to continue.

Equally, if the judge does not detect it or pass comment, it is still advisable to seek a second opinion if you are concerned.

Erring on the side of caution could prevent more serious damage being done.

Q: Do I have to pay for a competition vet’s services?

Yes, at most competitions a fee will be charged, but this will be influenced by the arrangement that has been made with the organisers.

Certainly all medicines and materials will need to be paid for at the time.

If treatment is required on site, the vet will complete a report detailing any procedures carried out and medication given for the rider to take home to give to their vet.

This report can also be used to make an insurance claim if necessary.

For the full article on using an on-site competition vet, see the current issue of Horse & Hound (4 March, ’10)

Looking for more articles on horse care at competitions?

Find an equine vet near you

The final horse inspection at Badminton — or any other three-day event — is so vital that it is often called the fourth phase. So what is the purpose of this process? What do the judges look for? And how do competitors prepare?

“We have the inspection because the FEI code says the welfare of the horse is paramount,” explains Paul Farrington MRCVS, the associate veterinary delegate at Badminton. “This is not a test of complete soundness. It’s a test of fitness to continue in the competition. On Sunday [compared with the first trot-up before the competition starts], we expect a little stiffness and soreness.”

The decision to pass each horse is taken by the three ground jury members, advised by a vet. A horse is rarely failed immediately — if the ground jury is unsure they normally send it to the holding box. There, another vet will talk to the rider and connections, can palpate the horse all over, use hoof testers and see the horse trot up on grass or another soft surface. The rider can withdraw from the holding box, or re-present to the ground jury, who will confer with the vet.

“We have to differentiate between post cross-country stiffness and a more severe injury,” says Paul. “Does the horse have an injury that by show jumping will make it worse? Is the horse so lame that it would bring the sport into disrepute if it continued?

“I might see a horse trot on grass in the holding box and say it’s only got a bruised foot and can show jump without any harm. But if in front of the ground jury it’s still very lame, in the interests of public perception they are bound to eliminate it.”

Saturday after cross-country

As a rider, presenting the horse well is one aspect of passing the trot-up; the other is the right post-cross-country care.

“You need to identify accurately areas of low-grade lameness. So if your horse’s feet are a weakness, get him well shod and then stand him in ice after the cross-country. If it’s his back, arrange for your massage therapist to be there. Have an organised plan,” says British senior team vet Jenny Hall MRCVS.

Most experienced three-day riders, grooms and vets routinely ice the horse’s legs.

“You’re trying to increase the blood flow and decrease the inflammatory response,” says Jenny, for whom whirlpool boots — where the horse stands in moving iced water — are the “gold option”.

Jackie Potts, William Fox-Pitt’s head girl, has her own system, using ice bags from the supermarket over wet all-purpose cleaning cloths and then boots on top.

“We take six icepacks to the finish, put two on the front legs while the horse is cooling off and one on each leg to walk back to the stable,” she says. “I’d carry on icing for 2hr, with ice on for 20min then off for 10min alternately.”

Jenny Hall is happy for riders to put their horse’s cold clay [Like Ice or similar product] and stable bandages on after a couple of hours of icing, and then to trot the horse up at around 5.30pm in its bandages. If there are no problems, she recommends a walk and a hand-graze, with another trot-up at 10pm.

Jackie Potts prefers to keep the cold clay off until after a 10pm trot-up and icing session, while Lucinda and Clayton Fredericks don’t use it at all, preferring dry bandages overnight.

Horses may also need attention to an injury. If it’s serious, it’s vital to get veterinary help, withdrawing if necessary.

Polly Taylor MRCVS, a vet and owner of Phoebe Buckley’s advanced ride Little Tiger, says: “You can work hard on things like cuts and bruises, but don’t try to cover up tendon injuries.”

Ice is very effective used intensively on bruises and cuts. If the problem is in the feet, you will need to get hoof testers on it and maybe remove the shoe. As well as standing the horse in buckets of iced water, feet can be packed with cold clay overnight.

Alternating hot and cold treatment works for some problems. Lucinda Fredericks used this method successfully on Headley Britannia when she had a haematoma on her shoulder at Luhmühlen last year. “Brit” also had acupuncture.

“Arnica can help, too,” says Lucinda. “And two other things that have really benefited our horses are using a chiropractor and Mirotec rugs [which use ‘space blanket’ technology for heat reflection].”

William Fox-Pitt’s horses often enjoy the attentions of physiotherapist Amanda Sutton, as well as magnetic rugs and the Equissage machine, while Jackie also recommends lasers for sore areas. She’s delighted if there’s a spa at the event, and will routinely give each horse one spa treatment — standing in cold water up to the knees and hocks — on Saturday evening and one on Sunday morning. “It gets the filling down really well, ” she says.

Sunday morning before the trot-up

On Sunday morning, it’s all about organisation and planning your time well. “Don’t leave things to the last minute,” says Lucinda. “What you saw on Saturday night may not be what you see on Sunday morning.”

Jackie Potts says grooms must always be one step ahead of their rider.

“By the time William arrives, I will have the cold clay off, the horses trotted up, iced once and plaited, as well as being fed, with water and hay,” she says.

Once the cold clay is off and the horse has been trotted up, you can make a plan.

“If the horse looks fine, I’d never recommend riding it in case something goes wrong,” says Jenny Hall. “But if it’s not happy, maybe ride it for 10-15min at 7am and if it looks better, again before the trot-up.

“Schedule things so you’re not walking round for hours — if the horse is tired, there are only so many minutes he can look his best. That needs to be when he’s in front of the ground jury.”

Riders and grooms all develop their own systems. For Polly Taylor, the most important thing is that the horse has a good rest and the chance to walk about. She doesn’t believe in icing the legs as a matter of course, and she and Phoebe Buckley often leave Little Tiger without bandages overnight.

“If there’s a serious problem, it’s better to find out. If not, stiffness will go with a good walk — on a long-rein for up to 1hr — in the morning.”

Jackie Potts emphasises that she’s not just trying to get the horse through one more day: “We’re preserving them for the future — that’s why William’s horses go on so long.”

And once you’ve passed the trot-up, that’s not the end of your responsibility to your horse’s welfare.

“Twice I’ve trotted horses up successfully and then withdrawn them before the show jumping,” says Lucinda Fredericks. “I managed to get them sound but I knew the horse wasn’t happy.”

This veterinary feature was first published in Horse & Hound (29 March, ’07)

An injured horse may be much more difficult to handle at a competition or in the hunting field than if the accident has happened at home.

Whatever the crisis, do not panic. With mobile phones, help can usually be rapidly summoned. Even if the worst happens and your horse is non-weight bearingly lame it will help if you can calmly hold and reassure him. Try to find a confined space to tend to him. If this is not possible, take great care. If the horse is not lame, keep him walking around to avoid a chill, and cover his back and quarters if you can.

Whether you call the vet or not will depend on the nature of the injury, and your own experience. Always have the vet’s telephone number close at hand, no matter where you are and if in doubt, do seek a vet’s advice. Comfort, warmth and food, if available, will help while reinforcements are on their way.

Puncture wound in the foot

Ulrike Kadritzke’s mare Spyder, an 11-year-old Thoroughbred, got a puncture wound when she was out hacking

Ulrike says: “I had just trotted along a byway when my horse suddenly went lame on her left hind. I got off to look and there was masses of blood coming out of her foot.

“I then saw an object sticking into the sole of the hoof that I could not remove. It was a total shock — and I was out by myself, at least 30min away from the yard. My horse couldn’t walk and I did not have any useful phone numbers stored in my mobile phone.

“Luckily another girl from my yard approached, she also had a phone and called the yard, who came to rescue us with a trailer. The vet arrived soon after we got back to the yard. He sedated my mare to pull out the stone, then disinfected the foot and poulticed it. She is now on box rest, will be poulticed for five days, but seems happier putting weight on the foot, so it is likely that the injury was not deep enough to affect her pedal bone.”

• If this happens to you: deep foot punctures should be taken seriously. Any penetrating wound in the middle third of the foot is potentially the most dangerous due to the close proximity of vital structures, such as the navicular bone.A horse with something stuck in the foot should not be walked further to stop the foreign body being pushed deeper into the foot, but this may be impractical. If you have to, remove the object with care, and try to remember exactly where it went into the foot, so you can show the vet. Karen CoumbeNosebleedCharlotte Risius was alarmed when her young event horse Una had a nosebleed soon after finishing her first cross-countryCharlotte says: “My mare, Una, had her first nose bleed after the cross-country phase at her first one-day event, when she was five years old. I was quite alarmed — it continued to bleed for a good hour afterwards.“Although it was only trickling out of one nostril, I was concerned because she was a laid-back mare and did not seem to get stressed at competitions, so I couldn’t understand why it was happening.“I got the vet on call at the event to check her out and he seemed unperturbed and said it was just a broken blood vessel. It did happen on a few more occasions, both at home and at competition, but it always stopped after a short while.”
• If this happens to you: a nosebleed is the classic example of an emergency where it is best to remain calm. In truth, there is very little you can do and panicking may just stress the horse further. The majority of nosebleeds will stop of their own accord.Never try to block the nostrils with anything, such as an icepack, as a horse needs to breathe through its nose. If a nosebleed persists or increases in severity, contact a vet. Recurrent nosebleeds may also need investigation. KCSudden lamenessKatie Bisson’s horse, Just Dan, suddenly went lame going across country. She feared it may be a tendon injuryKatie says: “I was competing in a Pony Club one-day event. On a sharp turn in the middle of a combination, Dan went lame.“I dismounted straight away and couldn’t see any obvious injuries. Dan was still weight-bearing but was far from sound, so I led him back to my lorry and washed off his leg. By then, there was some slight puffiness and heat around his tendon/splint bone area, so I used some cooling gel and bandaged him up. I took him back to the yard and called the vet, who advised me, if it was a tendon issue, to leave it a few days to allow swelling to subside, in order to assess what had happened.“I cold hosed him twice daily and left him on box rest. He was already more sound when the vet came to assess him, and it turned out Dan had a small splint forming which he must have knocked on that sharp turn, causing the sudden lameness.”
• If this happens to you: it is sensible to stop and dismount as soon as any horse goes lame. However, it can be difficult to make a diagnosis straight away unless there is major bone or tendon damage.Provided the horse can stand on the limb comfortably, apply a cold bandage or ice pack, if available. Then, when the leg is dry and comfortable, apply a support bandage and travel slowly home by lorry or trailer. If in doubt, speak to your vet at the time. KCTravel injurySara Oakley had to tend to her mare Moneypenny at the roadside after she was injured coming down in a trailerSara says: “Moneypenny fell in our trailer on the way home from a show. We unloaded her onto a roundabout, and she had deep cuts to two legs. The only first aid items we had with us were cotton wool, Hibiscrub and water. We poured cold water on to the cuts, and phoned the police and our vet who came straight away.“The police stopped the traffic and we were able to lead her to a petrol station and on to a grassy area, where our vet sedated her. He then nerve blocked one of her front legs to check the tendon sheath fluid — which fortunately was clear. The vet stitched her cuts and, after another three doses of sedative, we lifted her back into our trailer. She had fully recovered two weeks later.”
• If this happens to you: unloading a horse in traffic can make a bad situation worse, although sometimes it is the only option. If possible, continue to a safer destination. Your vet may be able to advise of a nearby equine hospital or yard where assistance can be safely provided. KCLeg woundDavid Hodgon’s horse Lisseygen Cruise Clover was wounded when jumping out of water during a hunter trialsDavid says: “I was competing at Milton Keynes earlier this year when my horse was injured. He’s an ex-Grade B show jumper and has always been actively discouraged from letting his feet touch water. He will jump into water, but it worries him, and he tends to lose impulsion.“This time, he’d lost so much momentum that we got the jump out of the water wrong. He tripped and dragged his hindlegs up the step. But he wasn’t at all lame and I was unaware he’d been wounded, so we continued.“When we got back to the horsebox, I saw a round wound on the inside of his hock. Getting near the cut on a 17hh Irish sport horse that had just come off the cross-country was fun!“I washed the cut with several sterile washes that come in a tube — these allow you to squirt the wound from a distance. Once clean, the cut was covered in Gold Label Wonder Gel, which is great for covering the wound but also washes off easily. It healed quite quickly — he’s a fairly resilient horse.”
• If this happens to you: wounds are common when competing. If the skin only is involved, they are unlikely to be very painful, yet they can be tricky to clean up, especially when they are on the inside of a hindlimb.Any wound should be considered dirty and will benefit from copious washing with sterile washes or by cold hosing.Applying a moist wound gel can really help clean and protect a wound. If a wound needs stitching it is best done within six to eight hours after the injury occurs. A vet should be contacted urgently if the wound is associated with severe lameness, especially if it is near any joint or other vital structure. KC
• This veterinary feature was first published in Horse & Hound (23 November, ’06)

Myth: “Don’t give horses water immediately after strenuous exercise”

Fact: Only true if given in bucketfuls

Nutritionist Katie Lugsden says: “People used to say don’t offer water straight after exercise. But now we know that immediate drinking helps repair and recovery and that dehydration, especially in endurance horses, can be critical. There is as high a risk of a horse getting colic from dehydration as from drinking water immediately after exercise.

“The rule now is generally to give water immediately, but in moderation and as part of the cooling process. If the horse will drink only during a limited window, such as straight after exercise, it’s important to get water into it then — any water is better than none.

“Don’t put lots of ice-cold water straight into the digestive system — tepid water is better, and may be more palatable to horses. If the horse won’t drink readily away from home, try other ways of rehydrating it, such as giving soaked sugar beet or wet hay.”

Nutritionist Ruth Bishop adds: “The best advice is to make water slightly tepid and slightly salty — an isotonic solution appears to enhance total fluid intake during the early recovery period.”

This formed part of a feature in Horse & Hound’s feeding special (13 October, ’05)

Q: I recently took my young horse to his first show. He travelled well, but was so excited when he arrived that taking off his travelling boots and putting on brushing boots was a nightmare.

I don’t want to warm him up without any leg protection because I’m worried he’ll strike into himself, but I don’t want to get knocked out of the way and jumped on next time I change his boots. Do you have any suggestions?

Lynn Russell replies: Anyone who has taken a young horse to his first show will sympathise with you.

I often have this problem with my four-year-old horses, so I travel them in bandages over padding rather than boots. If the bandages fasten with tie tapes, they should be tied with the knot on the side of leg and not at the back, where it can damage a tendon, or at the front, where it may press on the cannon bone.

For extra security, I then put tape over the bandages, making sure the tape is no tighter than the bandages. This means the horse can be brought off the lorry or trailer at the show and the bandages stay in place until he has been worked in.

Treat your first few shows as schooling outings and ride him around the quieter parts of the showground to get him used to the sights and sounds. You might want to find a quiet corner where you can lunge him for a few minutes before getting on.

Once he’s settled, you can remove the bandages and, if necessary, replace them with boots you need for the competition.

Whether it is a three-day event or a local agricultural show an owner should have everything they need to makethe vet’s job as straightforward as possible, should an injury occur.

First, make sure you have to hand any official documents that may be required: horse passport, vaccination record and height certificate.

A quick glance at your horse’s current vaccination record may avoid an unnecessary tetanus injection.

It is also important to bring written evidence of any previous allergies. These may be naturally-occurring illnesses, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or, more important, any known adverse reactions to drugs used in past medication.

An avoidable anaphylaxis (acute allergic reaction to an injection) is one less problem for the vet to cope with during a busy show day.

Make sure you have a comprehensive first aid kit, which includes an ample supply of stable and exercise bandages. A vet’s box of assorted dressings soon becomes depleted towards the end of a busy show day.

Should you require immediate assistance, make sure that your precise location on the showground is given clearly as well as the nature of the injury.

If your horse is capable of making it back to the horse box area, give a good description of your vehicle – make, colour and number – and its exact location.

Do not seek free, off-the-cuff second opinions about conditions that were apparent long before the show. This not only diverts resources from a possible emergency, butis unfair to the vet.

A bad fall may result in little more than winding. In the latter case, removing the saddle and giving your horse time to recover should allow him to participate later on.

Whatever clinical advice is given to the judge, it is his decision whether your horse is allowed further progress. The horse’s welfare is paramount, so you must accept the decision.

Veterinary cover at shows

Veterinary cover for the duration of the event is the competitor’s prime concern. There is usually no problem during the stated times of the competition, but at a two-day event there may be no on-site night cover available, so you need to check this with the organisers.

You will also expect cover to consist of sufficient personnel to monitor all aspects of the event. That will not be a problem in cross-country events, where cover is mandatory, but it may not be as straightforward at a small show.

You will expect the vets to have sufficient drugs, equipment and dressings available. This will not be difficult for a purely equine event, but can be a problem when loading the car for a local show where cattle, sheep and dogs may be entered.

You will want the vet to arrive as quickly as possible, but as this may involve using off-road vehicles and transferring the kit, you must allow time for that.

At point-to-points, team chases, hunter trials and cross-country phases, such vehicles will already be positioned at strategic points on the course, so saving delay.

Many organisers are reluctant to use the public address system to call for veterinary assistance, so you should find out where you can take a request for veterinary help.

If your horse’s injury turns out to be a potentially serious condition, you will be thankful for as much privacy and confidentiality as possible. This may involve putting screens around your horse if it is deemed unwise to move him, or to walk him quietly to the rear of the lorry park.

Your own vet should be informed of any treatment or procedure when you arrive home.

Q: When my horse competes away from home, he is reluctant to drink. I am worried about him becoming dehydrated. How can I encourage him to drink water?

Nutritionist Christine Smy replies: Horses have extremely sensitive taste buds and can detect slight changes in water, even between different parts of the country

The following suggestions may help you persuade him to drink away from home:

• If you are only away for a day or two, take some of your own water with you in large clean containers. Fill them up at the last moment and keep them out ofthe sun to ensure that the water stays as fresh as possible.
• If you are away from home for longer than two days, you will need to train your horse to accept a specific flavour.When at home, add the flavour, such as a little sugar beet water or a couple of drops of peppermint essence, into your horse’s water.It will take him a while to accept the change, but eventually you will be able to take the flavour with you when you are away competing, adding it to the water todisguise any strange tastes.This method can be quite labour intensive, but it only needs to be carried out during the competition season.
• It is possible to buy electrolytes which can be added to the water, and this is an ideal wayfor the horse to rehydrate himself once he has competed. Again, allow the horse to get used to the taste and smell well in advance of travelling.

Injuries can occur at any time, whatever discipline you compete in,so it pays to be prepared and know how to deal with them. When competing in horse trials, or any competition which involves jumping solid fences on undulating terrain, the horse’s stifle, tendons and ligaments are at risk.

Stifle injury

A thin covering of soft tissue is all that protects the horse’s vulnerable stifle area from damage. Injuries occur when a rider misjudges a fence, forcing the horse to drag its hind legs over.

Signs: Lameness is usually severe, often with marked swelling.

Action: Feel for obvious wounds and tenderness. Seek veterinary advice either on site or at the nearest equine hospital, or with your vet, depending on the severity of the injury.

Prevention: Horse must be fit and not overfaced. Don’t assume that greasing the legs will help your horse slide over fences.

Tendon and ligament strain

Tendon and ligament strains can result from one large ‘overstretch’ or recurring small stretches over a period of time. Competing in deep sticky going can result in these injuries.

Signs: These signs are variable, and canbe misleading, so if in doubt about lameness, whether severe or mild, or any signs of swelling and heat, ask your vet’s advice.

Action: “Any obvious pain, swelling, heat or change in the normal limb conformation – particularly a fetlock dropping or a toe coming up off the ground in severe cases – cannot be ignored,” warns Karen.

Apply cold treatment to reduce swelling and seek veterinary attention as soon as possible, if necessary, on the course. Put a support bandage on the other leg, as damage to one limb means your horse will put more weight on its pair.

Prevention: As before, ensure your horse is fit enough to cope with the challenges of the course. Know what your horse’s legs are normally like so you can spot danger signs.

Remember that, just because a horse with a tendon injury is sound, does not necessarily mean the injury has healed. Protect your horse’s legs with boots that are fully reinforced in the tendon area, or bandages over leg protectors.

Competitions, particularly race meetings and events which include cross-country, are always a major source of equine accidents. Many of these will be wounds but other types of injuries also occur.

Large events will always have a vet in attendance, but at smaller venues you may have to give first aid yourself until a vet arrives.

Sudden lameness

The adrenaline of performance means that horses injuring themselves during a competition often just carry on. Only at the end dothey suddenly realise that it hurts, and go lame.

At this very early stage there may be no swelling or heat to indicate the injured area. A seriously lame horse should never be made to walk or travel home until a vet has seen it.

Possible serious injuries include a damaged tendon or a fracture – these must be recognised before further damage occurs. Prompt treatment and support of the leg can make a big difference to the outcome.

Winded horse

A fall at the end of a cross-country event can leave a horse badly winded. If it does not get up straightaway, then remove the saddle.

Winded horses usually lie flat out and breathe very quickly. Just let them lie still until they’ve had time to recover. Within five minutesthey should be ready to get up.

Helping a horse to rise

Occasionally, it may be necessary to help a horse to rise. On steep ground face him downhill. Pull the front legs right out in front of him (rubber car mats under his hooves willhelp if it is slippery).

One person at the head and one holding the tail to steady and support the hindquarters are usually sufficient.

As you ride or box to the meet on a winter’s morning, your thoughts are full – not only of excitement and anticipation, but also the desire for both you and your horse to come home unscathed.

There is no surer way of suffering a strained tendon, suspensory ligament or check ligament than overexerting an unfit horse during the first meet of the season.

Your horsebox or car should contain a basic first-aid kit, including sterile dressings, gamgee, cushioned cohesive bandages and dilute antiseptic.

One example of false economy is turning out with well-worn or loose shoes.

Bruised soles are ten-a-penny out hunting and it is all too easy to canter for a few minutes on roughish going to find out just a little too late that the horse cast a shoe a long way back.

In such a case, stable the horse on its return home and, if it is slightly foot sore, apply a poultice and phone your vet for advice.

Booted up

While overreach boots can be invaluable out hunting, not only to prevent overreach injuries, but to lessen the chance of losing a front shoe, it is probably best not to apply boots to the limbs.

Although experts differ in their views, there is no doubt that boots or bandages can become caught in wire or collect mud and grit underneath them, causing abrasion, infection and sensitive skin.

A nasty overreach can put a horse out of action for a while. It will typically happen at a drop fence and you should be prepared to deal with it when you get back to the box.

Clip as much hair away from the wound as possible, wash it thoroughly and flush it out with weak antiseptic (such as hibitane), followed by saline.

These are most efficiently applied using a simple hand-held plant sprayer.Your vet will happily advise you on the type of solution to keep handy and a bag of sterile saline is relatively cheap.

Then apply some hydro-gel and a sterile dressing. In vogue are activated carbon dressings which absorb excess exudate, inhibitproud flesh and promote closure of the wound.

Cover a carbon dressing with padding such as gamgee or unravelled cotton wool and apply one of those coloured adhesive bandages, taking care, if the would is in the heel, to include the foot to prevent the bottom of the bandage riding up the leg.

Some wounds may need suturing and antibiotics may be necessary. Tetanus cover is essential.

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