How I Crew a CR Vet Gate - by Leslie Dunn
Basic Equipment.
I have a grooming tray/mounting block. I keep all the odds and ends in the tray and the mounting block is used for that purpose and is also useful as a seat and saddle stand.
Usual contents: Hoof pick, rope, spare sponge, towel, clean human towel, MSM cream, Arnica gel, a little bottle of shampoo, small pot of electrolyte. If hot, electrolyte solution + dosing syringe, wound powder, baler twine, press on pulse monitor.
Green recycle bag with rugs/clean girth/numnah. Usually a cooler rug/ a warm rug/ a rain sheet.
Coat for the rider.
Also: A covered bucket of feed. Drinking water, sugar beet water, a little haylage if no grazing available, wash bucket and sponge.
Drink and snack for rider.
Before the Vet gate:
Ease back on the pace over the last ½ mile before the Vet gate. Aim to have the horse in a steady relaxed trot, ideally on a long rein. Avoid riding competitively with another horse.
If you ride with a pulse monitor, the pulse should be dropping as the horse winds down.
You might choose to walk the last few yards to the time keeper, especially if there is a queue to collect the time card, although ideally your crew will do this for .
There is no need to rush as in an ER, but the clock is still ticking all the time before you present to the vet, and this is still part of your ride time. If the horse has been ridden sensibly you should be able to present to the vet within 5 minutes. If it takes you longer than this, question why. Maybe you have ridden the horse faster than it is fit enough to compete at?. Maybe the horse is just too hot and needed clipping?. Maybe it is too cold?. Maybe something has really spooked the horse and it is refusing to settle down?
Always analyse how you can improve on your performance.
Unless you are able to park close to the Vet gate area, ask your crew to have your basic kit somewhere near to the Vet gate. Dismount & quickly walk to your crew point. If it is warm, ask your crew to slosh your horse while you are walking. If possible loosen the girth and remove the bit (unless you ride a stallion). Always offer your horse a drink, and always offer the choice of plain water alongside a bucket of sugarbeet and/or electrolyte drink. While the horse is drinking remove the saddle and check the pulse rate. It is always difficult to decide how much water to put on the horse and which rugs to use. It is very difficult to get it right and we all make mistakes. But in my opinion, too many people put too much water on the horse, in the conditions that we normally compete in, in an effort to bring the pulse down. This can have the opposite effect and you end up with a shivering horse and a raised pulse rate! Very often in our climate, little more is needed than to wipe down the neck and shoulders and to clean an itchy face. Try to remember to do a quick check of the hooves . It would be very frustrating to be vetted out lame due to a flint wedged in a hoof.
If the pulse is a steady 60 - 62 present to the Vet, especially if there is a queue for vetting. But remember that you can't "crew" once you have presented. You usually need some sort of rug on the horse, but it can be useful to carry an extra rug incase the Vet area is draughty and there is a wait before vetting.
After a successful vetting, keep your horse's muscles warm (and yours) and offer him another drink. Then he can start on his feed ! I like Allen & Page's Calm & Condition mix with a little electrolyte as it has a high fibre and oil content and soaks up masses of water. Fussy horses may prefer someone else's feed or just some grass or hay. A few carrots and apples might also be enjoyed. However, don't let a greedy horse guts down too much hard feed in one go.
While your horse is enjoying his break, make sure that you, the rider also has something to eat and drink. Ideally you will have been drinking so much that you will need a trip to the loo.
Make sure that the horse's girth and saddle area, elbows and pasterns are really clean. Towel them dry if it is cold. Wash or replace the girth and fit a clean, dry numnah to the saddle. Occasionally take the horse for a wander to keep him loose. I find that it is very beneficial to rub MSM cream into the area between the girth and the horse's elbow and into the back of the pasterns. It really does help to prevent rubs and cracks.
Tack up in plenty of time, somehow it always takes longer than you expect and something essential - like the bit is hiding. Get back on a minute or 2 before the end of the hold time and start to gently warm up. Don't forget to take the time card to the time keeper. If it is hot, you can give the horse a quick slosh before leaving. Most importantly don't forget to thank your long suffering crew and the time keeper as you leave.