YOUR FIRST VETGATE
Once you move up the distance a little and decide to do your first ride of around 65 km, the ride will be split into two loops, usually of about the same distance. The halfway stop is called a vetgate and it is there so that your horse can be checked by the vet and you can both have a short break.
The procedure is very simple, you ride in through the timing, collect a card with the time on it, when your horse is ready you take the horse and the card to the vet where your horse will have a vet check similar to the ones at the start and finish of the ride. You will be given your card back upon a successful vetting with the time you can leave for your second loop marked on it. From the time of successfully ‘presenting’ to the vet, you will have a ‘hold’ time, usually of 30 or 40 minutes, where you can both have a short rest, food, water and, very importantly, you can go to the loo!
Your riding time does not stop until you give your card into the steward at the vetgate entrance. In order to maximise your speed without effort, it is good to go to the vetting as soon as you possibly can, typically when your horse’s pulse falls below 65 beats per minute and, in any case, it is necessary to go within 20 minutes of arriving back through the timing at the end of the first loop.
Once you move up the distance a little and decide to do your first ride of around 65 km, the ride will be split into two loops, usually of about the same distance. The halfway stop is called a vetgate and it is there so that your horse can be checked by the vet and you can both have a short break.
The procedure is very simple, you ride in through the timing, collect a card with the time on it, when your horse is ready you take the horse and the card to the vet where your horse will have a vet check similar to the ones at the start and finish of the ride. You will be given your card back upon a successful vetting with the time you can leave for your second loop marked on it. From the time of successfully ‘presenting’ to the vet, you will have a ‘hold’ time, usually of 30 or 40 minutes, where you can both have a short rest, food, water and, very importantly, you can go to the loo!
Your riding time does not stop until you give your card into the steward at the vetgate entrance. In order to maximise your speed without effort, it is good to go to the vetting as soon as you possibly can, typically when your horse’s pulse falls below 65 beats per minute and, in any case, it is necessary to go within 20 minutes of arriving back through the timing at the end of the first loop.