Welfare of irish WEG eventing team

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cglen

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Rumour has it Michael Ryan has withdrawn from the irish WEG eventing team due to injury and is gonna be replaced by Geoff Curran on The Jump Jet who both have just completed burghley. With the travel involved does this seem a little crazy? 2 4*s in a month?
 
The article you refer to has Jayne Doherty and Geoff Curran as reserves but in no order. I heard that Michael Ryans horse has got injured and Geoff Curran and The Jump Jet are being taken in his place. That is the rumour circulating. I would be a bit worried about The Jump Jet doing 2 4*s in a month and flying to Kentucky having already made the journey in May.
 
It would be very very doubtful that Geoff Curan will go - he started burghley and finished it -I would think that the other reserve will go, Jayne Doherty.

If he does go it would be very unfair on Jayne, as the other reserve.
 
Apparently Jayne Doherty was asked but is not or not able to go not sure which. so her horse may also now have got a knock
 
FJ my most humble apologies. How could I forget the barbarians north of the border!

;)

Two 4* in a month? The horse could probably do it with out suffering too much if he is rested in between, as they are quite close he wouldn't need to do much fitness work perhaps just a gallop to keep him on his toes & 1 or 2 short schooling sessions...

It all depends on the horse and how much Burghley took out of him, some horses like people can bounce back quite quickly after a hard comp. How ever I think he would have well and truly earned a big break(with extra carrots) after that!

Of course not having ridden at that level I have no idea how taxing a 4* ism and the above is pure musings based on past experience competing at my lowly level.
 
That's us!
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I guess maybe some horses would cope, others wouldn't. I've no idea how long a recovery time they normal get after a 4*?
 
Yes but by bringing 6 riders they are bringing two travelling reserves and the four team members therefore even if geoff travels the horse will 3 others would have to get injured before he competes. He is fit and has done the journey before so presumably they know how much/little it takes out of him!
 
amage said:
Yes but by bringing 6 riders they are bringing two travelling reserves and the four team members therefore even if geoff travels the horse will 3 others would have to get injured before he competes. He is fit and has done the journey before so presumably they know how much/little it takes out of him!
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No, all six will compete, the other two as individuals.

I have no idea aobut the facts of this story but the Irish set up is pretty professional these days so I would imagine they are weighing all the facts carefully and will bear welfare in mind - it would do the sport no good at all if something went wrong with the horse in this situation.

Personally, I would worry. Matt Ryan always used to quote a stat from some research that showed that approximately 50% of horses had very mild heart strain following a big 3 day - undetectable unless you did the relevant tests and completely harmless if given sufficient time to recover (approx 6 weeks). Before you all jump in, this is some time ago, it referred to long format and I don't know the research he was referring to, but his Dad is a vet and very interested in the latest thinking on things like fitness so it probably exists. Obviously it's slightly different nowadays with shorter tracks, no chase etc but I would still worry. Carousel Quest did 2 in quick succession last year (Burghley/Pau) and it didn't work for him - Oli virtually carried him round the SJ and had something like 7 down.
 
Hmm I'd forgotten about OT and Caousel Quest, may it can't be done or may be it will be down to the horse. I think C.Quest had quite a 'hard' Burghley in terms of really pushing for time etc didn't he?

What ever happens it will be interesting! And we will all probably be proven wrong! :)
 
Burghley, with the excellent ground was only 3 minutes longer than a cic event, and you often see horses doing those a week apart. Grantevvka Prince won Blenheim last year, and then came in the top 10 at Pau, his first 4*, although there's 6 weeks rather than 4 weeks between those. Also, people will reroute a week later after problems on the XC, and I'm sure the ground jury in Kentucky will be on the lookout for any tired looking horses - they were certainly proactive at the Euros.

Presumably the army vets are doing bloods, scans and scopes to make sure he's fit for the journey and the event - the effort of the short format is substantially less than the long format.
 
The big thing is The Jump Jet isn't a blood horse, he finds it difficult to gte the time, so surely he was at maximum output at burghley?
I agree that it's only few minutes over CIC but burghley isn't a flat track the is some serious hills!!
I wish them the best of luck and hope the horse comes back safe and sound and we get to see him next year!!
 
hope we are not saying "I told you so", down the line......wish we could go back to long format and the days when it was considered wrong to do more than two or possibly three, 3-day-events in a year. Did our horses last longer? I do not know. I am one of the many thousands of people who are wishing all the horses going to WEG well.
 
I hope all horses go well too and that Geoff and The Jump Jet are well able for it. a nice combination. This will be the horses 3rd 4* in 6 months tho and the second time in Kentucky. Thats a lot of work for any horse. fingers crossed for him. I am still concerned but those who know more than me seem pretty sure everything is ok.

wonder are any other countries considering sending Burghley runners? Seacookie or maybe the Aussies send Clayton after a very good Burghley?
 
The Jump Jet is 12 yrs old so has a good balance of experience and maturity but is not an old horse. He isn't over competed and will have been well checked by the vets. Although hilly at Burghley, it is only just over 10 mins and not the same endurance test as the long format and the horse finished full of running. A week off would be fine after a 4* and he won't need to do a lot between the 2 competitions. Carousel Quest was different last year as he has soundness issues and the fitness work is the problem. Oli thought that it was less wear on him to keep going while fit as there is no telling whether he will stay sound each time he has to start again.
 
I agree with oldvic, and on the basis that horse went round Burghley relatively easily I can't see that it can be too detrimental. I think CQ and Oli are a completely different kettle of fish and the stakes are slightly different here.
And is a WEG track actually classed as 4*, I thought they were nearer 3* tracks? But I am not really up to speed anymore.
Good luck to everyone.
 
cglen said:
wonder are any other countries considering sending Burghley runners? Seacookie or maybe the Aussies send Clayton after a very good Burghley?
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WFP has got Cool Mountain who's already won in Kentucky...

And Clayton's not even a reserve for the Aussie team I don't think and they'd have to stand on some toes to suddenly change it
 
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Baggybreeches said:
I agree with oldvic, and on the basis that horse went round Burghley relatively easily I can't see that it can be too detrimental. I think CQ and Oli are a completely different kettle of fish and the stakes are slightly different here.
And is a WEG track actually classed as 4*, I thought they were nearer 3* tracks? But I am not really up to speed anymore.
Good luck to everyone.
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WEG's 4* for def as the creme de la creme, it's the Olympics that is 3* for all nations to have a go (after what happened in Sydney)
 
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