Page 1023 - Adams and Stashak's Lameness in Horses, 7th Edition

Occupational‐Related Lameness Conditions 989

The top level of international competition is the 3‐day
event or “Concours Complet International.” It is con­
VetBooks.ir the cross‐country, and 1 day for the stadium jumping.
ducted over 3–4 days: 1 or 2 days of dressage, 1 day for
The cross‐country use is divided in four phases (classic
form of the competition), including a trotting warm‐up
(phase A), the steeplechase (phase B), a cool down (phase
C), and finally the proper cross‐country course with
30–45 fixed obstacles (phase D). There is significant vet­
erinary involvement before and during each phase of the
competition because of how strenuous it is on the horse’s
physic.
The new format of the CCI competition eliminated
phases A, B, and C in an attempt to make this less stren­
uous on the horses starting in 2002. However, there is
still debate on the real effect on the horse by changing
the format. The difference between CCI and CIC became
only the number of jumps, distances, and level of
difficulty.
CCI competitions are rated with one to four (high­
est‐level) stars. There are very few CCI**** worldwide
every year: the Olympic games, the FEI World Equestrian
Games, the Burghley Horse Trials (UK), the Badminton
Horse Trials (UK), the Australian International Three‐
Day Event in Adelaide (Australia), the Rolex Kentucky
Three‐Day Event (USA), the Luhmuhlen Horse Trials
(Germany), and the Stars de Pau (France). A horse usu­
Figure 9.40. A show jumper. Note the hyperextension of the ally competes in only 1–2 CCI**** per year.
hind fetlocks. Horses competing at this higher level usually use 1‐
day events and lower‐level competitions for training and
as fitness indicators.
horses to show several weeks every month and often Overall, fences for the jumping and cross‐country
travel long distances in between shows. phase vary between 1 and 1.30 m in height and 1.40–2 m
At higher levels horses will be conditioned and in spread (Figure 9.41). The cross‐country distance
prepped for a few key events a year. At each show, varies from 2,500 to 7,200 m. The length and required
hunters will tend to be ridden in several classes every speed for these competitions, especially at high levels,
day for up to 4 days of the show week. Jumpers will pushes these horses close to their metabolic and muscu­
typically only be ridden in one to three classes that loskeletal limits.
week. The longevity of jumpers’ and hunters’ careers
and the particular strains placed by the jumping
(Figure 9.40) also contribute to the development of
occupational injuries.
TRAINING SURFACES AND SHOEING
Training surfaces between the three disciplines vary
Eventing considerably. Dressage training and competition arena
Event horses start their dressage and jumping train­ are relatively standardized, are most often made of arti­
ing at the age of 4. Some of them have had prior career ficial material, and provide great cushion. Three‐day
as a racehorse. The cross‐country training includes the event horses are at the other end of the spectrum as they
familiarization to the cross‐country obstacles but more have to tackle various surfaces from hard ground to wet
importantly the horse’s fitness. Horses start competing mud. Jumpers compete in a variety of surfaces, meant
at lower levels around the age of 5 and can reach inter­ to be somewhat controlled, varying from sandy rings to
national level by age 7–8. grass fields, with increasingly synthetic geotextile
Competitions start at the lower levels (pre‐novice and footings.
novice) with 1‐day events, during which all three tests Deep soft footing predisposes them to multitude of
are conducted. Different levels for the USEF‐regulated soft tissue lesions related to fatigue, including suspen­
competitions include in order of increasing difficulty, sory desmitis, superficial digital flexor tendonitis, infe­
pre‐novice, novice, training, preliminary, intermediate, rior check ligament desmitis, and gluteal myositis. Hard
and advanced levels. surfaces predispose to impact injury, such as foot sore­
International competitions are sanctioned by the FEI ness, and joint trauma, bony bruising, and also axial
and are divided between Concours International skeleton pain. Competition on grass fields promotes the
Combine (CIC) and the more advanced (more jumps use of studs. Studs are placed (one to three on each shoe)
and faster rate) Concours Complet International (CCI). on the shoes of the front or both front limb and hindlimb.
CIC competitions are further rated with one to three The use of only one stud per foot offsets the lateral
stars, increasing with the level of difficulty. medial balance and results in abnormal torque forces.