Refresh, Refuel And Recover

It takes a team to optimise a threeday-eventer’s recovery between the cross-country and showjumping phases, as Liz Brown MRCVS explains

- Liz Brown MRCVS

As soon as he is safely over the cross-country finish line, the three-day event horse is met by grooms, support crew, and vets. Their aim is to manage and monitor his recovery, maximizing his chances of passing the vet inspection the following morning and performing at his best in the showjumping phase.

As the rider dismounts, the grooms untack and check the horse over. Cooling is especially important in hot, humid weather. Heat produced by the muscles during cross-country will raise the horse’s body temperature unless it is dissipated. Core temperature usually rises within five to 10 minutes of finishing.

Heat is lost via the blood vessels in the skin, so applying large volumes of cooled water over the entire horse is the most efficient cooling method. A horse’s temperature, which is usually between 37ËšC and 38ËšC, can reach more than 40ËšC at the end of cross-country. If it rises above 41ËšC, he may be at risk of overheating, or hyperthermia, signs of which include staggering, kicking out and a groggy, uncoordinated appearance.

The competition vets observe the horse finishing, checking him for injury and monitoring his temperature, heart rate and rhythm, and respiratory rate.

While galloping around the course, a horse’s heart rate may have reached 180–220 beats per minute (bpm). This falls to around 100–140bpm after the finish, and with normal recovery will decrease gradually to 80–90bpm. The time this takes depends upon the horse’s level of fitness. It may not drop further until he is in a quiet environment; heart rate returns to resting levels only when the horse is truly resting. Any arrhythmias (abnormalities in rhythm), are noted and monitored.