There’s nothing like a good stretch -when you wake up in the morning, during breaks at work, or before and after your workout. In human physiology, we know about stretching and its benefits for the athlete. Many practitioners and physical therapists recommend stretching for their equine clients. Are the techniques really helpful, and if so, why? Or are we endangering our horses’ health with some of the stretches we make them do?
Navicular disease once was called ‘the last resort of the diagnostically destitute (practitioner),’ based on the syndrome’s ambiguous symptoms and the practitioner’s inability to isolate definitely the source of the horse’s pain. In the 1980s, navicular disease was believed to be the most over-diagnosed lameness in American horses. The reason? You could never really be sure what was causing the lameness. Symptoms were lumped together; owners demanded a name to put on the lameness. This article provides an update on where things are at with research and prevention, read to the end to the “Big Picture” paragraph.
The corer at work preparing the ground to make the going better for the horses. With 39 degrees Celsius predicted for dressage and 34 for Crosscountry day the course has been shortened to about 8 minutes from 11.
Show jumping day and it is predicted to be 40 again. Course walking.
Stuart Tinney riding Vettori ended up winning the Australian International 3-Day Event in a tight finish with less than one time penalty separating from second place getter Megan Jones who took out second and third positions on Kirby Park Allofasudden and Kirby Park Irish Jester. The Australian team has emerged victorious against New Zealand in the Trans Tasman competition.
Complete pictures will be published soon at www.horseoz.com/adelaide and www.australianhorsetrials.com.au.