What is the eventing 'trot up' for?

[Molly'sMama]

Sorry for the possibly silly question .
Why are they doing it? Is it just to see if the horse is lame ? Why were so many held at Burghley then?
Basically, if you can give me a thorough grounding on the subject, I'd be much obliged
Thanks

 

[ihatework]

It's to check soundness.

At that kind of level there is a lot of wear and tear on the horses, often easily disguised under saddle on grass.

 

[PolarSkye]

To make sure the horses are sound . . . there's a trot up/inspection before each phase (dressage, XC and SJing). Eventing is a demanding sport so it's an important safeguard for the horses (and the riders - bit dangerous to be galloping at/jumping fixed fences on a horse that's not 100%).

Hope that helps.

P

 

[ester]

I don't think there is one before XC usually?

And yes to check horse sound enough to start, and then sound enough to jump after XC - some did look a little stiff but not unlevel and were passed- there is a little more leeway for them not to look quite so free moving as on day one, although the atmosphere at Sunday's trot up meant some were noticeably more free moving than on the wednesday!

Same for other sports such as endurance and driving.

 

[Supanova]

Interestinlg my vet was a volunteer at the London 2012 Olympics and she said she was amazed by the number of horses which weren't truly sound but still passed the trot up!

 

[Shazzababs]

You are also supposed to trot your own horse unless you have an exemption (there is someone who never does at Badminton as she has a disability), so that they can also see that you are 'sound'.

 

[Shazzababs]

Interestinlg my vet was a volunteer at the London 2012 Olympics and she said she was amazed by the number of horses which weren't truly sound but still passed the trot up!

I believe the main criteria is that they are a 'Happy Athelete'. I have one with some mechanical lameness caused by an old injury, but the vet at the local 2 Day was always happy to pass him after a chat. If we went affiliated I would have had to have a certificate for it though.

 

[rara007]

I know some FEI dressage and SJs trot up- is it all?

 

[star]

There's no trot up before XC. It's one at the start of the event and one before SJ. To check soundness and make sure they are ok to compete. Common for a few to be held at the second trot up as often a bit stiff after the rigours of XC. Always find it surprising when they fail the first trot up as you'd think you would check your horse was sound before travelling to your event but sometimes things happen during the journey.

 

[dianchi]

At horseball we have to trot up the morning of every competition day!

 

[Orangehorse]

I think it is more rigourous than in years gone by. It used to be that after the XC they would pass a horse that wouldn't come to any harm by jumping, if it had a slight knock for instance. Some of them are bound to be a bit stiff. But it is a welfare thing, so riders aren't competiting on a horse that is injured. It doesn't look good to the public to have lame horses. That is why they have the trot up before the competition starts.

I was with a friend many, many years ago at a 3 day event and the horse nearly demolished one the later fences and ended up with quite a bruise to its leg. The rider was very keen to finish the 3 days and the vet said that it wouldn't harm the horse to jump a round of fences, but to walk the horse for a good while before the vet's inspection - she passed. Then the rider got on to ride her in and in the collecting ring she stopped to have a chat with some other competitors and I was thinking "keep the horse on the move, for heaven's sake" but couldn't get to her to say. When she was called in to jump the horse was definitely not sound, and I thought the judges would call her in, but she jumped round OK and was sound by the end of the round, so she got away with it. Horse was fine after a few days rest and back into training again.

 

[oldvic]

Interestinlg my vet was a volunteer at the London 2012 Olympics and she said she was amazed by the number of horses which weren't truly sound but still passed the trot up!

It is to see if the horse is fit to compete. It is not a pre-purchase trot up so there might be some imperfections in the action. This is why some get held on the first day. If they have a slight roll to their action in hand (like Avebury) some ground juries like to check them out to be sure. Some horses don't trot well on the surface as there may be a slight camber/ gritty surface/ slippery/ sloping so are held for closer examination. They don't have to be perfect, just acceptable. On the last day they have to be sound enough to jump a round of show jumps without coming to any harm. This is why some slightly unsound horses are allowed through while others are not. It depends on the report that the holding vet gives. There is no trot up before XC unless the ground jury has a query about a horse in the dressage in which case the vet will check it out.

You are also supposed to trot your own horse unless you have an exemption (there is someone who never does at Badminton as she has a disability), so that they can also see that you are 'sound'.

It is normal to trot your own horse but not compulsory. Anyone can trot it. The rider is not vetted!!

I believe the main criteria is that they are a 'Happy Athelete'. I have one with some mechanical lameness caused by an old injury, but the vet at the local 2 Day was always happy to pass him after a chat. If we went affiliated I would have had to have a certificate for it though.

A certificate would make no difference. Either the horse is acceptable or not.

 

[Gamebird]

It is to see if the horse is fit to compete. It is not a pre-purchase trot up so there might be some imperfections in the action. This is why some get held on the first day. If they have a slight roll to their action in hand (like Avebury) some ground juries like to check them out to be sure. Some horses don't trot well on the surface as there may be a slight camber/ gritty surface/ slippery/ sloping so are held for closer examination. They don't have to be perfect, just acceptable. On the last day they have to be sound enough to jump a round of show jumps without coming to any harm. This is why some slightly unsound horses are allowed through while others are not. It depends on the report that the holding vet gives. There is no trot up before XC unless the ground jury has a query about a horse in the dressage in which case the vet will check it out.



It is normal to trot your own horse but not compulsory. Anyone can trot it. The rider is not vetted!!



A certificate would make no difference. Either the horse is acceptable or not.

Ditto. It is a totally different kettle of fish to trotting a horse for a pre-purchase exam and the criteria are totally different. I'm guessing your vet doesn't have much experience of FEI sport! (Referring to Supanova there, not OV).

 

[dianchi]

A certificate would make no difference. Either the horse is acceptable or not.

Actually incorrect, Tim Stockdales lovely grey Parcival had a vet note for his slighlty different length of legs Always got him passed with that and a trot up at FEI!

 

[oldvic]

Actually incorrect, Tim Stockdales lovely grey Parcival had a vet note for his slighlty different length of legs Always got him passed with that and a trot up at FEI!

It is not incorrect for eventing. The show jumping trot up is run differently and I can't give an informed comment on that.

 

[NZJenny]

Endurance horeses are trotted up pre-ride and at every vet check. They are either sound or not, there is no "just a little bit off". For FEI rides, one vet will check the horse, but if they want to see the horse trot again (allowed 3 maximum) they will call a panel, which is three vets. They all watch, put a cross or a tick on a piece of paper which is given to a member of the ground jury and majority rules.

The horse can be trotted by the rider or strapper, but doing it well is a real art. The horse needs to trot the same every time, and if the person running is a little bit wonky they can make the horse look uneven too. Nothing like having to run 60 m, when you have just ridden 80 km, your legs just don't work as well!

 

[Darremi]

I believe the main criteria is that they are a 'Happy Athelete'. I have one with some mechanical lameness caused by an old injury, but the vet at the local 2 Day was always happy to pass him after a chat. If we went affiliated I would have had to have a certificate for it though.

Emm... your horse would not pass an FEI eventing trot up certificate or not!

 

[ArcticFox]

perhaps there should be a vet box at the start of XC just before they set off just to check after warm up that the horse doesn't have an undetected irregular heart rate too. I know trot up is only before dressage and before SJ on the final day so perhaps HR would be a useful addition to the vet inspection?

 

[NZJenny]

perhaps there should be a vet box at the start of XC just before they set off just to check after warm up that the horse doesn't have an undetected irregular heart rate too. I know trot up is only before dressage and before SJ on the final day so perhaps HR would be a useful addition to the vet inspection?

Back in the good old days when they had roads and tracks and the steeple chase, wasn't there something called a "10 minute box" and from memory a heart rate was taken. I seem to remember something about the horse couldn't leave the box unless it's heart rate was 120 bpm or less (!!) or something like that.

 

[Supanova]

Ditto. It is a totally different kettle of fish to trotting a horse for a pre-purchase exam and the criteria are totally different. I'm guessing your vet doesn't have much experience of FEI sport! (Referring to Supanova there, not OV).

Yes you are right she won't have much experience of FEI sport. I guess the point i was making was not really about the mechanics of passing a trot up but the fact that there are a lot of horses competing at a high level that are not sound enough to pass a pre-purchase exam! Makes you think........

 

[TheSylv007]

I thought it was a fashion parade where the female riders wear impractical dresses and high heels and try to run....

 

[Tnavas]

A certificate would make no difference. Either the horse is acceptable or not.

A friend of mine has a horse that does not trot up even - he severely cut a tendon and the resulting scar tissue prevents the horse from trotting truly level. The lameness is not pain related - it is a mechanical unsoundness. My friend carries a vet certificate stating the reason for the horse not travelling level and that the horse is not in pain.

This is acceptable for competitions - she gets marked down quite heavily in dressage but the horse makes up for it in the jumping phases.

 

[oldvic]

perhaps there should be a vet box at the start of XC just before they set off just to check after warm up that the horse doesn't have an undetected irregular heart rate too. I know trot up is only before dressage and before SJ on the final day so perhaps HR would be a useful addition to the vet inspection?

All horses at a CCI have a health check before entering the stables. How thorough this is depends on the vet who is doing it but temperature and heart rate are among the things that should be checked.

A friend of mine has a horse that does not trot up even - he severely cut a tendon and the resulting scar tissue prevents the horse from trotting truly level. The lameness is not pain related - it is a mechanical unsoundness. My friend carries a vet certificate stating the reason for the horse not travelling level and that the horse is not in pain.

This is acceptable for competitions - she gets marked down quite heavily in dressage but the horse makes up for it in the jumping phases.

This may be acceptable for national competitions depending on the federation rules but for FEI competition the horse is either acceptable or not as it is seen on the day of competition. Any ground jury accepting a certificate of explanation is acting incorrectly.

 

[paisley]

I thought it was a fashion parade where the female riders wear impractical dresses and high heels and try to run....

Some of the men as well!

 

[Alec Swan]

I thought it was a fashion parade where the female riders wear impractical dresses and high heels and try to run....

I'm with you!! In part, it's a bit daft. 'Trotting up' should be before vets and their advisors, alone. It isn't a bloody catwalk, is it?!

Alec.

 

[TheSylv007]

Some of the men as well!

I'm with you!! In part, it's a bit daft. 'Trotting up' should be before vets and their advisors, alone. It isn't a bloody catwalk, is it?!

Alec.

It all looks a bit bonkers to me. You wouldn't prance around the yard dressed in a cocktail dress and high heels, why on earth would you try and run after a hyper fit event horse in a pair of Manolos and a pretty frock? Madness!

 

[oldvic]

I thought it was a fashion parade where the female riders wear impractical dresses and high heels and try to run....

Some of the men as well!

I'm with you!! In part, it's a bit daft. 'Trotting up' should be before vets and their advisors, alone. It isn't a bloody catwalk, is it?!

Alec.

It all looks a bit bonkers to me. You wouldn't prance around the yard dressed in a cocktail dress and high heels, why on earth would you try and run after a hyper fit event horse in a pair of Manolos and a pretty frock? Madness!

It has got ridiculous. They are even starting to wear Royal Ascot hats! It amazes me that more people haven't been trodden on in stupid little "ballet" shoes or fallen off their high heels! It certainly doesn't impress the ground juries who find it annoying when the handler can't run due to being badly shod! It might even lead to the horse being held if it can't be shown properly.

 

[paisley]

It has got ridiculous. They are even starting to wear Royal Ascot hats! It amazes me that more people haven't been trodden on in stupid little "ballet" shoes or fallen off their high heels! It certainly doesn't impress the ground juries who find it annoying when the handler can't run due to being badly shod! It might even lead to the horse being held if it can't be shown properly.

Back in the day, when people dressed normally for a 30 second trot up, you could spot the ladies who were obviously a bit worried about the horse's soundness, as they would appear wearing rather a short skirt or snug top!

 

[Tnavas]

It has got ridiculous. They are even starting to wear Royal Ascot hats! It amazes me that more people haven't been trodden on in stupid little "ballet" shoes or fallen off their high heels! It certainly doesn't impress the ground juries who find it annoying when the handler can't run due to being badly shod! It might even lead to the horse being held if it can't be shown properly.

Try showing a horse 'In Hand' in NZ, handlers look like they are about to attend a wedding. Totally inappropriate clothing. Shows have now had to add, no open toed shoes to the rules.

 

[spookypony]

To add to what NZJenny wrote, I spoke to an endurance vet once who had vetted at the WEG. He said that when the Eventing vets observed the Endurance trot-ups and vice versa, they said that the Endurance standards for soundness were so rigorous that many of the Eventers wouldn't pass...

Even at the final vetting in Endurance, your horse has to be passed as "fit to continue", both on soundness and metabolics.