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How does farriery contribute to achieving ‘peak performance’
in an endurance horse?
Kelvin Lymer DipWCF ATF,
Sandpitt Forge, Worcester
,
Endurance GB International team farrier since 1992
Foot balance and comfort are paramount in
the endurance horse. Endurance horses may
cover as many miles in a day as many
horses cover in a month so even mild
imbalances can lead to injury and
lameness. We use video analysis to look at
how the feet land during exercise to ensure
they are ‘dynamically’ balanced.
Shoeing an endurance horse for competition
is a bit like fitting tyres to a formula one car;
the composition of the shoe depends on the
terrain at the competition; we look to keep
the shoe as light as possible and just
durable enough to have worn down by the
finish. If the terrain is very rocky we may
schedule reshoeing within the ride. Pads and
packing are also used to cushion the sole
and reduce concussion. Part of my role
ahead of team competitions is to visit and
assess the ground conditions; this allows me
to predict the optimum shoe, packing and
pad combination for the horses and then
plan the shoeings in the build-up to the
competition to allow the horse to adjust
gradually to changes.
Good regular shoeing and re-evaluating
the balance and shoe wear are key to
managing endurance horses but with a
three to five week recommended shoeing
interval and all the specialist materials there
are significant farriery costs to bear for
these top level horses.
E ND U R ANC E
SPRING 2013 ISSUE
●
Low intensity and long duration exercise
uses carbohydrates from fibre and fat
whereas high intensity and short
duration uses easily digestible sugars.
●
Endurance depends on carbohydrate
metabolism with an increasing
contribution from fat: the slower the
speed is, the fitter the horse is and the
longer the distance is.
●
During training
feed high fibre and high
fat. This trains the horse's metabolism to
use fat during race.
Prior to competition
feed fibre with high
water holding capacity e.g. good quality
hay. Avoid starch e.g. cereals 4-5 hours
before competition this leads to high
insulin and energy depletion.
During competition
feed long and short
chopped fibre e.g. alfalfa and sugar
beet this has good, easily available,
short term water holding capacity.
How can nutrition
influence performance
in endurance horses?
In the sport of endurance how do training
and talent influence ‘peak performance’?
Beccy Broughton,
North Lincolnshire
Professional fitness, training and competition coach and member of
Endurance GB squad
(www.beccybroughton.webs.com)
The beauty of Endurance riding is that at the
introductory levels any horse and any rider
can take part. At higher levels the training is
vital; but fitness can only get you so far.
With competitions of 100 miles taking nine
to twelve hours, only those horses and riders
with a tough mental attitude will succeed.
The distances can also take their toll in the
form of injuries so the other quality I look for
in a potential horse is straightness of
conformation and movement.
When designing the training programme it
is important to remember that all horses and
riders are individuals and the programme
should be tailored to the needs of the horse
and the commitments and lifestyle of the
rider. Training for these competitions is about
striking a balance of achieving fitness whilst
minimising the risk of injury. I believe training
is very much about quality not quantity
and my horses are rarely ridden for more
than one hour per day and never galloped;
but every training step is about quality,
balance and control. Rest is an equally
important component of the training
program to allow recovery from training
sessions and healing of minor damage.
As the intensity of the exercise increases
the frequency decreases providing more
time for the necessary rest and recovery.
It must be remembered that it is not just the
horses that need training the roles of fitness,
training and nutrition of the rider cannot be
underestimated. A fit rider can help a tired
horse home safely but even aboard a fit
horse a tired rider can make a mistake
risking injury.
EQUINE MATTERS
18
Matt Fernandez MRCVS,
608 Farm and Equine Veterinary
Surgeons