2021 AERC Convention Notes: Dr. Melissa Ribley on Riding in Different Conditions

I always enjoy presentations by Melissa Ribley, DVM. Her talk at the AERC Unconventional Convention on March 6, 2021, was especially effective in sharing her passion for traveling to endurance rides all across the country. My notes capture the highlights, but there's no substitute for the full video, now available from AERC through the end of the month.

Dr. Ribley is an extremely experienced endurance vet and rider. Not only does her AERC record span well over 20,000 miles, it also reflects her love of traveling with her horses. Competing in different regions means implementing good hauling practices and being prepared for all types of climate and terrain. Dr. Ribley shared tips on all counts.

Five Reasons to Ride Out-of-Region

Dr. Ribley started by sharing ​some enticing reasons to explore endurance rides in other regions:
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1. Meet interesting people
2. Improve your riding skills
3. See the country (Dr. Ribley recommends going early and staying late!)
4. Spend time with your horse
5. Challenge yourself

I've only made it to one out-of-region ride in the past, and it really was fun for all the reasons above. Dr. Ribley got me thinking about doing more, but I'm not sure how I can pull it off on a practical level. My vacation time doesn't go as far as I want to! Maybe in retirement. Stay tuned.

Tips for Traveling with Your Horse

Dr. Ribley provided excellent advice that can reduce stress for both horses and humans on cross-country treks with the trailer:
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• Plan your route ahead of time. Schedule to avoid high traffic areas during rush hour, and know where you’re going to stop overnight.

 

• Fairgrounds often have shower facilities, in addition to generous turnout space for the horses. Rodeo grounds and horse motels provide other options. 

• Riding in the trailer costs your horse about as much energy as walking. Stop every 3 hours to let him rest inside the trailer. Extra unloading and reloading in unfamiliar locations increases injury potential.  

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• Blowing hay particles can get into horses’ eyes and respiratory systems. Consider feeding hay only when the trailer is stopped, or providing wetted hay while driving.​

Dr. Ribley's Rule of Thumb

Allow 1 day of rest for each day of travel prior to an endurance event.

...with one exception: Horses are slow to adapt to high altitude, so if you’re making a dramatic change, plan to get there either the day before the ride or weeks​ early.​

• Tie horses in the trailer as needed for safety, but let them lower their heads below chest level as much as possible. This allows them to clear their tracheas of particulate and bacteria that would otherwise accumulate in the lungs.

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• Remember your paperwork. (Coggins, health certificates, brand inspections, etc.)

Tips for Riding in Diverse Terrain

Once you get to your destination and give your horse some rest, it’s time to ride! Dr. Ribley offered thoughts to bear in mind when riding in different types of terrain:

• Rocky terrain poses risk of sole bruising and collateral ligament strains, as well as trip-and-fall injuries. The easiest and most obvious preventative measure is to slow down. Pads or boots help protect soles. Pour-in pads may be preferable to nail-in pads, which loosen the shoe nails as they flex with each step.

 

• Sandy terrain fatigues muscles and can lead to strained suspensory ligaments and flexor tendons. Conditioning for sand before competing in it is extremely important.

 

• Hard-packed terrain is concussive to the horse, particularly his hooves. Pedal osteitis (inflammation of the coffin bone) causes soreness that may require treatment with rest and anti-inflammatories. Laminitis, or “road founder,” can occur as excessive concussion reduces blood flow to the laminae, which tear, resulting in downward rotation of the coffin bone. Due to long-term risk of degenerative joint disease, it’s wise to minimize conditioning on hard-packed terrain. At rides, look for softer footing off to the side and slow down to reduce concussion.

 

• Flat terrain looks easy, but looks are deceiving. Flat terrain requires use of the same muscle groups over long periods, leading to fatigue. Riders can help by varying the horse’s speed and gait. 

Tips for Riding in Diverse Climate Conditions

As both a vet and a rider, Dr. Ribley is well acquainted with the impact of climate on horses’ ability to perform. She shared some excellent advice for keeping our equine partners safe in all conditions:

• Cold and dry weather makes for lower risk of dehydration and hyperthermia (overheating). Endurance vets see fewer metabolic pulls at cool, dry rides – but more lameness pulls, presumably because the horses are moving faster. Riders should take care to avoid overtaxing their horses mechanically. Also, blankets should be on hand prevent horses from getting chilled when they stop moving.

 

• Cold and wet weather is often accompanied by challenging footing, making horses more injury prone. In chilly conditions, it’s best to let horses sweat and dry on their own instead of adding water, which can cool him too fast. (This reminds me of the time a vet actually thanked me for bringing a dry horse to show for BC on a crisp day ~ he said he'd seen too many that were hosed off and shivering.)

 

• ​Hot and dry weather makes evaporative cooling quite effective. In these conditions, a horse may be cooled using water that is at the ambient temperature.

 

• Hot and humid weather is metabolically challenging for horses. Evaporative cooling is less effective and hyperthermia risk goes up. In humid conditions, use water than is cooler than the air to bring down a horse’s temperature.

Dr. Ribley took some extra time to focus on hyperthermia. Horses whose temperatures exceed 103 degrees Fahrenheit are in danger! 

Cool Facts from Dr. Ribley

​A study of Olympic 3-day eventers showed no ill effects of wetting horses all over with ice water. 

​Cooling may be enhanced by adding rubbing alcohol to water at a rate of ½ pint of alcohol per gallon of water. Check for abrasions first – this stuff will sting!

Inability to dissipate enough heat through panting and movement of blood from hot muscles to cooler skin results in fatigue, increased heart and respiratory rates, and even central nervous system disruption.

To cool a hot horse, Dr. Ribley advised riders to remove the horse’s tack. Get the horse into the shade, ideally on a relatively cool surface (grass instead of blacktop). If possible, assist evaporative cooling with water and fans.

Do you ride out of region or in diverse conditions? Are there tips you'd add to Dr. Ribley's list? Share them in the comments.

You might also like:
Dr. Stephanie Seheult on How Your Body Works with your Horse
Dr. Langdon Fielding on Electrolyte Problems in Endurance Horses

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