In the lead up to the Sydney International Horse Trials I thought I’d talk a bit about what is involved in running a 3 Day Event from a veterinary perspective.
One of the first things that occur in the preparation for a 3 Day Event is the appointment of the Veterinary Services Manager and the Veterinary Delegate. The veterinary delegate is appointed by the FEI and works closely with the organising committee and vet services manager to ensure that veterinary standards, in accordance with the FEI Veterinary Regulations are maintained throughout the event. They are responsible for all veterinary inspections including on arrival and of course the “Trot-up”, as well as being responsible for appropriate medication control (“swabbing”). The veterinary delegate is often not a local vet as they are appointed on their credentials and experience, for example the vet delegate for Adelaide is Dr David Johnson from Coffs Harbour and the vet delegate for Sydney is Dr Josie Holmes from Tasmania.
Veterinary Delegate for Badminton Dr Tim Randle
The veterinary services manager is appointed by the organising committee and is the head treating vet for the competition. They are responsible for the provision of appropriate veterinary infrastructure and equipment, delivery of the veterinary services operation plan which includes preparation for, and the management of veterinary emergencies, as well as ensuring that sufficient numbers of treating veterinarians are present throughout the event. The veterinary services manager is usually a highly experience local veterinarian that is familiar with the area and has been associated with the event for many years, such Dr Derek Major of Agnes Banks for Sydney, Dr Kirsten Niel of Sporthorse Veterinary Specialist for Melbourne and Dr Holly Lewis of Morphetyville Equine for Adelaide.
One of the key veterinary aspects of any event, whether it be a 3 Day or 1 Day is management of cross country. One of the first things a vet does after arriving at an event is to walk the cross country course. The way a veterinarian walks the course is very different than a rider walking the course. Although you’ll often see us pacing out strides between combinations, and working out the best approach angles, that’s not really what we are out there doing. We are walking the course assessing each jump on an individual basis and planning the best way we can access it in the circumstance a horse being injured. This is often not as easy as you might think – we have to consider the terrain for our cars and horse ambulance and the access point in and out of a jump whilst trying not to drive on the course proper. We also need to consider that the access point for the take-off side may be different to the landing side of a jump, e.g. a coffin or trakehner jump. We are also assessing each jump for safety to the horse e.g. edges that may injure a leg, or abnormal angles of a brush that may inadvertently puncture a joint as the horse is jumping it.
Walking the course with Vet Delegate Dr David Johnson at Adelaide (above) and Dr Rachel Salz of the Randwick Equine Centre walking the course at Wallaby Hill (below)
We are also planning our approach to a situation in which a horse was to be stuck on, in or under a jump (it does happen). We have to also consider how the course may be roped off and where the crowds will be (not so much an issue in Australia but a major consideration when vetting at places like Badminton or at a major championship like WEG or the Olympics). We also need to plan the best way to escort an injured horse back to the stables either on foot or in a horse ambulance.
The Horse Ambulance at Sydney
After walking the course we will then look at the cross country map and divide the course up into vet sectors. The number of sectors and their location varies greatly between events due to the different terrain and course layouts as well as varying available veterinary resources. Mostly our vet sectors correlate with cross country steward sectors as each sector HQ is usually well located in a central position. Sector stewards are a vet’s best friend on cross country because they always instantly know where every jump is and know exactly the best way to get in and out.
The cross country finishing area is a major consideration for vets at any event, especially at a 3 Day. Availability of water and ice, shade and shelter (for vets and horses) primarily from heat but also from the rain and wind, as well as ease of access and proximity to stables and treatment areas are all things that need to be taken into account. Cross country finish is a fun place to be as it’s a hive of activity at any 3 Day Event with grooms and riders diligently caring for and cooling down their horses, and vets checking heart rates and temperatures whilst trying not to get absolutely soaked by icy cold water in the process… (ice cold water down your shirt is fine when your vetting at the Queensland 3 Day, but I can assure you that it’s less than fun when vetting at Blair Castle in Scotland… it’s a good thing I love the sport as much as I do)
Vet Check at Canberra Vet Check at Blair Castle
As you can imagine there is so much more that we as vets are responsible for and are involved in when it comes to an event, but hopefully this has given you a bit of an insight into what we do. So next time you see a vet out on cross country course seemingly not doing much, remember that first of all it’s a good thing he or she is not busy, it means that there currently aren’t any problems, and secondly, and most importantly, all the work has been done in preparation. “Failing to prepare is preparing to fail”. And please, when you do see a vet at an event, go and say hi – we are always up for a chat!
Vet Delegate Dr David Johnson teaching veterinary students at Adelaide
Best of luck to everyone out there on cross country, take care and bring yourself and your horse home safely.
Chris
