Friday September 29, 2006

A Sunny Start of 2006 Dressage at Devon

Relocated Vet Inspection Pretty Sight for Spectators

Contrary to tradition, Dressage at Devon kicked off yesterday in the sunshine. This year, there were no sights of breed show handlers with mud up their teeth and white pants that got so artistically color stained as a black and white water color painting. Nor was the vet inspection this year a place where you regularly had to turn your back in fear for watching a horse slide down the dangerous concrete slope that is normally used as location for the jog. No, for once the weather gods looked down on the Devon horse show grounds, smiled and blessed the place... That is until 8 P.M. when the gaits of heaven opened and torrential rain poured down and messed up the entire footing for Friday morning. Fortunately, the show was for over at that time, for the day.

For the first time in a decade, the vet inspection moved to the south side of the Gold Ring. In between the white fences and outside the gold ring, a stretch was made with sand hardened by a tractor. For the first time, spectators could view the proceedings of an FEI regulated vet inspection and witness the procedure of a trot-up. Riders hand over the FEI passport of their horse which is then checked for the markings. An official sees if the markings of the horse on the passport correspond with those of the horse standing in front of him. Then vet Midge walks round the horse to see if there are any spur marks or signs of bruises on the horse and if it looks physically fit. The rider of the horse then has to walk the horse for 5 meters and then put him into trot for about 10 meters, he turns the horse round a flower pot and trots back with him in-hand. The vet and overlooking FEI judges then either say "accepted" or "held for re-inspection".