Reprinted from Endurance News, April 2008, monthly publication of the American Endurance Ride Conference, www.aerc.org, 866-271-2372
I’ve just arrived home from the AERC convention in Reno, and both the Ride Managers Committee and Veterinary Committee meetings had a strong theme — communication.
Next month we’ll spend some time outlining AERC’s insurance policy and what it means to ride managers, but this month we want to focus on the ride manager/head vet relationship.
While we all understand that the ride manager’s job is to oversee all aspects of the management of the ride, and the head veterinarian oversees the health and welfare of the horses competing in the ride, there is much that the two must agree upon well in advance if the ride is to be run in a seamless manner.
This relationship ideally starts far in advance of the actual ride. With any luck, the ride manager sanctions the ride knowing who the head veterinarian will be. While sometimes a “TBA” is necessary until the services of a head vet can be contracted, ride managers are encouraged to pin down that qualified head vet as soon as is practical, as many of the decisions that the two must make together require much advanced planning.
During your first conversation
There are several things you should establish in your first conversation with your head vet:
— The date and location of the ride.
— The terms of the vet’s contract, including payment, accommodations, arrival and departure dates and times.
— How many riders you anticipate and what limits on entries will be established based on the number of veterinarians you plan to hire, or what triggers (i.e., entry numbers) may increase the number of ride vets required.
— What the course is like, including the length of the loops, planned locations of holds, availability of water, crewing locations, etc.
— What “typical” (yes, you can insert laughter here) weather is for the ride date and location.
— What level and number of volunteers you anticipate — an army of experienced pulse-takers? Perhaps some could benefit from a heart-rate-taking clinic during the quiet time prior to the horses coming in from the first loop of the trail? Or will you utilize a system where in-times are established and the ride vets take heart rates?
— How treatment can be provided to horses in need — will they be stabilized, and by whom, and can they be transported off-site? Are you hiring a treatment vet to be on site on ride day? How will information about treatment vet(s) be communicated? What sort of supplies will be on hand and who is responsible for supplying them?
— Location of the closest treatment hospital/clinic(s), and their ability to accept horses for treatment on the ride weekend.
Typically, ride managers do discuss such topics with their prospective head vets. If they don’t, the prospective head vet should ask! Communication is always a two-way street.
Planning for all possibilities
Of course, all ride managers and head vets know that the best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry.
Prudent ride managers and head vets will touch base about a week or so prior to the ride to ensure that everyone is still comfortable with the current plans, that adequate staffing has been established, and that last-minute vets are hired (or begged) to vet the ride if necessary. While the ride manager usually initiates this conversation, head vets can take the lead on “checking in” as well, especially if a ride has a reputation for understaffing, or there have been snafus in the past. (The sanctioning director for each region also acts as a touchstone to ensure that rides are conducted in a manner that will ensure the horses’ safety and welfare.)
No one likes to face the fact that there are great, adequate, and borderline ride managers, as well as great, adequate, and borderline head veterinarians, but unfortunately, this is the reality we must deal with. We are not all superstars, but we do have minimum expectations for both RMs and vets!
A ride manager who finds himself working with a borderline head veterinarian will often end up carrying a little more weight to ensure that the ride comes off seamlessly, but the reverse is also true; sometimes the head veterinarian ends up stepping up to help a ride manager who is in over his head. Sometimes we do what we have to do in order to get through the ride, but this should be an exception, not a rule, and certainly not an annual event.
If there is a pattern of difficulty or lack of expertise or preparation, the sanctioning director for the region should be informed long before the ride is sanctioned the following year.
Stuff happens
Trails require re-routing, weather becomes severe with little or no notice, vets and staff have medical or family or vehicle emergencies requiring cancellation, and unanticipated numbers of riders show up at a ride that doesn’t require pre-registration.
Part of being a successful ride manager or head vet is having the flexibility and creativity to ensure that “the show goes on.” Many times Murphy’s Law will force the ride manager and head vet to put their heads together and discover creative solutions to allow the ride to proceed under conditions that offer adequate safety for the horses and their mounts — perhaps a later start for the LD riders to shift the demands on the vets at various times, or a re-routing or repeat of the trail to keep the number of vet check locations minimized. A local veterinarian may be willing to work side-by-side with the experienced ride vets if a previously scheduled vet is unable to attend. (Perhaps we’ll recruit a new AERC vet!)
Some severe situations require difficult decisions. Most “old-timers” can remember rides cancelled due to severe and dangerous weather or, not so long ago, wildfires.
While no ride manager or head vet is happy under such circumstances, riders need to understand that such actions are only considered in cases when necessary to protect the welfare of the horses and/or riders. No one wants a ride to be cancelled; the least we can do is tread lightly on those who are charged with making the difficult call.
Ride managers and head vets alike share great responsibility in ensuring a ride is well run and safe for both riders and horses. It is easy and often tempting to point fingers indicating that one or the other failed on the job. Generally speaking, however, the system only fails when neither party takes a proactive role in communicating, touching base, and establishing a (flexible) plan well in advance. So, ride managers, call early and call often, and keep your head vet in the loop.
And, head vets, ask lots of questions, make sure your expectations are clear with regard to the ratio of vets to horses you think is reasonable well in advance, and be ready to jump in to help be a part of the solution.
When it works well, it’s a marriage made in heaven!
SIDEBAR: A note about off-site treatment . . .
Ride managers should work with their head veterinarians to ensure that information is readily available to competitors at the ride camp about local veterinary clinics/hospitals available for off-site treatment.
For many rides, the ride manager is more familiar with the local options than the head veterinarian (who may be traveling a long distance to come to the ride), but this is another topic to be discussed long before the actual ride.
There are various ways to communicate this information to riders, depending on the ride and camp logistics, but some common methods are:
— Including the contact information about local veterinarians/clinics right on the ride flyer: “For off-site treatment, contact Dr. Joe Smith, 555-555-5555, 65 miles from ride site, or Dr. Jane Jones, 333-333-3333, 35 miles from ride site.”
— If there is a bulletin board or information area at the ride camp, post this information a week or so prior to the ride (for early arrivers) and leave it up until the last riders leave camp, if possible. Sometimes horses require treatment before the ride manager even shows up at camp, or those who stay an extra day or two following the ride run into trouble long after the ride officially ends.
— Place information in the rider packet with the vet card and other critical informationÑand remind riders about it at the ride briefing. (Ride managers know that riders sometimes donÕt read the information in their rider packet!)
— A combination of all of the above is ideal — not everyone thinks clearly in an emergency, and the more places this information is available, the more likely a rider will find it in the heat of the moment.
— It is preferable to include more than one option for off-site treatment, even if one clinic is closest. Sometimes stuff happens and this provides riders with more than one option. It is important to call these veterinarians/clinics in advance to let them know that your ride is happening, the date, and that horses may be referred to their clinic. (Sometimes clinics close or veterinarians go on vacation!) -P.S.