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How to trot up for the vet, and when you might need to do so

Bethany Stone Bethany Stone

    • A veterinary professional may want to see your horse trot up for a number of reasons, but what’s the best way to do it?

    A good trot-up gives the observer a clear view of the horse moving in a straight line and in balance, so their gait can be assessed.

    Primarily, vets use trot-ups to check for soundness. Because the trot is an even gait, with legs moving in diagonal pairs, it’s easier to spot lameness or uneven loading of the limbs than in walk or canter.

    When are horses trotted up for vets?

    Vets might wish to see horses trotted up as part of:

    • a lameness examination, in which further tests, such as flexion tests, lungeing and a ridden exam might also be carried out
    • a pre-purchase examination, in which a vet is employed to assess the horse’s physically suitablity for a buyer
    • an FEI competition of any discipline to check the horses are fit to compete. At three-day events, there are two horse inspections: one before the dressage phase, and another following the cross-country phase. Horses have to pass both to be allowed to compete

    The holding box

    At an FEI event, the ground jury and veterinary delegate will pass a horse following a trot up or send him to a holding box for further examination.

    The vet in the holding box performs a more thorough examination, including palpation and assessment of the horse’s limbs, to help identify any injuries — such as tendon injuries — that would prevent him from continuing in the competition.

    A horse who has sustained a small overreach injury during the cross-country, for example, or who has pulled a shoe off, may appear slightly unlevel. After veterinary assessment, however, he may be deemed fit to complete a round of showjumping.

    Some horses are then represented at the trot-up, while others might withdraw from competition at the holding box.

    A vet performs a flexion test to the left hindlimb of a bay horse

    Vets may perform flexion tests before watching your horse trot up. Photo: Lucy Merrell

    Equipment to use to trot your horse up for the vet

    Be ready to trot your horse up with:

    A vet watching a horse trot up as part of a pre-purchase vetting

    Vets will watch your horse trot away and towards. Photo: Bex Pattenden

    How to trot up a horse for the vet

    Before considering how to trot up a horse, first select your surface. It should be level and not too loose, slippery or stony.

    1. Stand your horse square. This allows the vet to walk around and examine the horse’s posture from every angle. Hold the reins in your right hand as if you were riding one-handed.
    2. Trot the horse away as straight as you can, keeping an even rhythm and ensuring he has enough rein to move his head freely so the vet can see any abnormalities. Your horse should be active, but not too fast.
    3. The vet may signal when they want you to turn and trot towards them, or if you’re unsure you can ask them to call out.
    4. Ask your horse for a walk transition a few steps prior to turning. When you turn, your horse should always turn away from you to avoid being trodden on. Guide the horse towards you slightly before asking him to turn away. This will enable you to trot back on the same line.
    5. Keep the horse straight towards the vet, but ensure you have sufficient control so as not to run them over.

    It is worth clarifying whether the vet wants to see your horse walk first. If so, use the steps above in walk.

    Furthermore, it is good to clarify how to trot up for the vet in particular. Some want to see the transition from trot to walk in front of them. You should make this transition very obvious.

    If you have a young or inexperienced horse, practise the routine of trotting up so that when you need to do so you can produce a good, straight trot for your vet without any hassle. If you’re preparing to trot up at a competition, it’s worth you and your horse learning to trot correctly as a horse who is poorly presented may look uneven, even if he isn’t.

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