TPR Steward Manual. TPR Stewards for Endurance Events. Please use this manual in conjunction with the current rules for Endurance Events.

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1 TPR Steward Manual 2013 To assist with the accreditation & re-accreditation of TPR Stewards for CDE. Please use this manual in conjunction with the current International Rules for Driving Events and the ACDS Variations Booklet. & To assist with the accreditation & re-accreditation of TPR Stewards for Endurance Events. Please use this manual in conjunction with the current rules for Endurance Events. Published in Dec 2012 by the ACDS Federal CDE & Endurance Committees. Please forward queries and suggestions to your State Convenor ACDS 2013 TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1 - TPR STEWARD GUIDELINES FOR CDE & ENDURANCE... 2 CHAPTER 2 - TPR STEWARD CDE COURSE NOTES... 5 CHAPTER 3 - TPR STEWARD ENDURANCE COURSE NOTES... 7 CHAPTER 4 GUIDANCE ON ASSESSING LAMENESS... 9 CHAPTER 5 - CHECK LIST FOR EXHAUSTION ANNEX 1 - TPR SERVICE RECORD ANNEX 2-30mins VET CHECK CARD APPENDIX A - TPR STEWARD EXAM APPENDIX B - TPR STEWARD EVALUATION... 18

2 CHAPTER 1 - TPR STEWARD GUIDELINES FOR CDE & ENDURANCE Modified from an original document by Dr Rod Ryan. Temperature, Pulse and Respiration (TPR) Stewards are required to officiate in their own right at all levels of events and at some of which, Veterinarians may not be present. TPR Stewards will carry out their duties at major events under the supervision of a Veterinarian but will have no decision-making responsibility as they have when a Vet is not present at other events.the TPR Steward s authority at all events empowers them to ask the Ground Jury to disqualify a competitor. The TPR Steward must work in a very objective situation - there will be no room to make subjective decisions as to whether the competitor is out or not. That decision will be automatic depending on the heart rate and temperature of the horse. If the reading exceeds the maximum allowed, there is only one recommendation to make. You make it and the Ground Jury is bound to stand squarely behind you. Temperature A horse's normal temperature can be somewhere between 37.3 and 38.5 if measured with a thermometer in the rectum. Temperature of an animal is very stable unless there is infection or stress of some kind (and heat stress is the most common stress). If there is a reading of 39.1 before the competition, it is most probably due to infection - the animal is sick and should not compete. The TPR Steward does not even need to know why the temperature is raised - the temperature is over 39 o so the horse is out. It is good, however, to understand a bit about the responsibilities of the TPR Steward in this situation. Speak with the competitor and suggest that maybe there is infection but no matter what the reason, the horse is out. It is very hard to argue with temperature readings. BUT it may not be infection sun & heat can be other causes. The competitor can re-present in an hour, but make sure they know that if over 39 o, then they cannot start. Heart Rate After Excercise The normal HR at rest varies between 25-45, but it can be influenced by excitement or other environmental factors. One of the reasons why at a Competition we are not terribly interested in resting HR - a waste of time - but a different matter for the competitor privately, BUT during competion things are different:- 1.0 The horse has been competing, so the TPR Steward should expect a rise in HR 2.0 If the horse is reasonably fit then the increase in HR after exercise should not be excessive. If the horse exceeds the maximum allowed, then it is detained and there is absolutely no doubt the effort has been too much for the horse either because of its lack of physical fitness, the workload it has been asked to carry out (weight, terrain, soft ground), or environmental factors (heat, humidity). Also, the maximum HR allows driving events to be treated by people as a pleasure activity -they do not have to work their horse(s) vigorously every day for an hour or whatever. On the other hand, they still have the responsibility of not taking a completely unconditioned, fat horse into the competition. If their animals HR cannot stay below the maximum figure, they do not deserve to be allowed to continue in the competition. Heat A very hot, humid day could stress even a conditioned horse, as well as a hilly and/or soft going course. A hot day is a common reason for a horse s Heart Rate to fail to recover. You or a horse get hot if you've got too much heat coming into you (sun); or you cannot lose the heat you are producing. A horse loses heat by sweating and by respiration (very important for a dog to keep cool by panting!). Both these means rely on evaporation of moisture from the surface i.e. unless the sweat dries off (evaporates into the atmosphere) the horse is not losing heat, sweating in itself if not enough, the moisture has to evaporate. On a humid day there is less evaporation because the air already has 2

3 moisture in it. On a still day there is less evaporation because the air around the horse soon becomes saturated and so no further evaporation can occur. On a hot humid day particularly if it is still, the horse has great difficulty losing heat - its body temperature will rise, maybe to dangerous levels, its HR will increase, and it will increase its respiration rate to try and lose body heat by evaporation from the surface of the respiratory tract. This heat in the horse's body is generated by all the physical activity the horse has been doing and of course there is more of this, the hillier the course and the softer going. If it is a hot day, this heat load from the body itself can be added to by input from the sun. Some examples follow:- A. Shetland competitors had trouble meeting guidelines and campaigned at one stage for separate parameters because of a breed difference. Really what was happening was: 1. Many Shetlands are black and so absorb more heat from the sun. 2. Some Shetland competitors used their ponies for showing and CDE. This meant they didn't clip them and the thick double layered coat of the Shetland made effective evaporation from the skin almost impossible - even in dry breezy conditions (i.e. ideal conditions), Therefore clipping is one solution. They also kept their ponies fat and this fact acted as an insulation under the skin which prevented transfer of body heat to the surface and so no efficient loss of heat by sweating. 3. Some Shetland competitors ask their ponies to do too much physical work i.e. pull too heavy a load for their size. 4. Some Shetland competitors believe Shetlands are naturally hardy and so do not need to be conditioned. Conditioning is necessary not only to develop the muscle cells, but also to develop sufficient Hg in the red blood cells to allow the animal to absorb sufficient oxygen from the lungs. B. Fresian - another breed that appears to have trouble meeting vigorous specifications, Again a black breed. But this time another feature comes into the picture - elevated gait. Therefore quite often the reduced length of stride requires more steps and increased physical effort to cover a set distance. C. Excitable horses - are ever alert, the adrenalin is flowing in a state of readiness to escape some unseen danger. This leads to increased HR to make sure there is enough blood being pumped around the body to allow lots of muscle activity if necessary. So the temperature goes up because the body heat is trapped; the RR goes up because (a) the pony is trying to lose heat from the respiratory surfaces, and (b) the pony is also desperately trying to get enough oxygen to allow its muscles to work. The HR goes up because (a) it is trying to pump enough oxygen in the blood to the muscles and (b) because it is trying to increase circulation to the skin surface so the animal can lose heat. This is all stated rather simply and you must realise that worms can also make the animal more susceptible to rises in HR and RR as the animal may be anaemic and therefore has less oxygen - but in this case temperature is not affected. Similarly heart conditions (murmurs, heart blocks) can be a cause. So as far as the primary part of the TPR Steward's job is concerned: If the pre-competition temperature is more than 39 o, then the horse is out. If the HR is more than the maximum allowed then the horse is delayed by the Ground Jury. 3

4 No normal horse at rest should have a body temperature of more than 39 o. If it has, then it is probably sick or perhaps because of poor husbandry. Whatever the reason, the rule is the horse is out - the TPR Steward has no option but to recommend that the Ground Jury eliminate the horse, no considered judgement is possible. No reasonably fit horse, that has been driven with consideration should, after a 30 minute spell have a HR in excess of the limits set for that discipline. But some will. Why? It may have been excessively hot and humid. The course may have been too tough and/or the load too heavy. Maybe the horse should have been clipped. If the horse does not recover within the allowable time the TPR Steward has no option but to recommend that the Ground Jury disqualify the horse. It could be that the HR actually continues to rise during the rest period and any detained period. This is serious. The horse could have a tremendous heat load and because the inspection spot is in a hollow or very sheltered, or the horse is now still and so no air movement, the horse is less able to lose heat by evaporation (sweating and breathing) and so has to try harder. The TPR Steward can always suggest the competitor wets, walks the animal etc. It is valuable if the TPR Steward takes a respiratory rate. The normal is 6-20/minute. If you find the RR exceeds the HR, the horse indeed has a serious heat overload. Some astute judges even consider a RR of half the HR as a sign of a worrying heat problem. The TPR Steward has a responsibility to driving and to the welfare of the horse to uphold the favourable public image of the sport and we do not want severely stressed horses being further pushed in the competition. But remember the TPR Steward can only stop a horse proceeding if the HR exceeds the maximum. If however, the RR exceeds the HR, you should point this out to the competitor and suggest it is potentially serious if he is very competitive in the next session. The only action you can take is to report the facts to the President of the Ground Jury. Any horse eliminated with HR over the maximum and a very high RR should be subjected to vigorous measures designed to bring down the heat load. The TPR Steward may be confronted with a single horse in a multiple having HR/RR trouble. It could be that this horse is doing most of the work. None of the readings the TPR Steward takes are secret - the competitors are interested in them and should be told. This also gives the TPR Steward the opportunity to make a comment that may be of help to the competitor and the horse and the sport. Temperature at the halt can be expected to rise o. There is no need to take the temperature if there is heat load - the HR and RR will tell the story. Should the TPR Steward take the temperature, as a further piece of evidence to present (competitor or ground jury), body temperature over 41 is of concern. but 42 and above is of serious concern. The job of the TPR Steward can be simple and mechanical if you just remember 39 0 and the max HR - and recommend disqualification above. The job of the TPR Steward can still be simple but interesting if consideration is given to all the things that influence temperature and HR but remember, above 39 o and above the max HR, they are always out no matter what the circumstances. Heart Rate within 30 Minutes of the Finish It is also important for a Vet or TPR Steward to inspect each animal within 30 minutes of finishing the course. If the Heart Rate exceeds the max then the horse must be disqualified by the Ground Jury. A competitor may present late for this inspection but may incur penalties. Therefore the time at which each competitor presents for this inspection must be recorded. Age - at least ask and remind. Observations Should the TPR Steward notice anything considered to be abnormal with the horse and/or gear, this should be reported to the Ground Jury and possibly discussed with the competitor in case he/she hasn't noticed it; but other than that, the TPR Steward has no power to take any action. However, the TPR Steward is encouraged to note such matters 4

5 as your observations (rather than opinions) could be of great help to the competitor and the organisers. Eligibility CHAPTER 2 - TPR STEWARD CDE COURSE NOTES A TPR Steward may not officiate at an event where he/she has been a consultant, practical coach, instructor or trainer of a competitor or horse in the 30 days prior to competing at that event. ACDS CDE Rule Variation Article Responsibilities The TPR Steward should be conversant with the ACDS Variations to Article 924 of the FEI Rules for Driving Events. The TPR Steward is responsible for checking the welfare of horses and ponies taking part in Combined Driving Events on up to three occasions Pre-event, End of Section D at the 10 minute rest and at the End of Section E, within 30 minutes of the competitor finishing. The TPR Steward should be equipped with a stethoscope, thermometer, a pack of sterilised wipes, a watch or stopwatch which has a second hand, maybe an electronic Heart Rate Monitor and be assisted by a penciller. A member of the Ground Jury should also be present. First Examination & Inspection (or certainly a Pre Marathon Check (Article 924.1) Outward Appearance The animal being examined should be alert yet relaxed. The coat should be healthy and be free of external injury. Standing Heart Rate The standing Heart Rate should be taken for a minimum of 30 seconds and doubled to obtain the Beats Per Minute figure. This should be in the range of 25 to 45 bpm. Anything higher than this is cause for investigation and the rectal Temperature of the animal should be taken. Temperature Ask the owner/competitor if the animal is relaxed about having its rectal temperature taken before inserting the thermometer. Ensure that the thermometer is in contact with the rectal intestine to ensure an accurate reading. (The temperature of manure is somewhat cooler than the animal itself.) A period of a minute should be sufficient for an accurate reading or an auto thermometer will beep when ready. A temperature of 39 degrees or above is cause for alarm and a member of the Ground Jury should be consulted before the animal is disqualified. Trot-Up If the animal s Heart Rate is normal, a trot-up of 30 metres out and 30 metres back on a hard surface should show up any lameness. If there is any doubt about this, consult a member of the Ground Jury. Second Inspection (End of Section D) (Article 924.2) Outward Appearance The animal being examined should be alert with high/normal head carriage and of comfortable appearance. Watch for undue sweating, tiredness/exhaustion. The animal should be free of external injury (red raw/bleeding). Heart Rate The Heart Rate should be taken after 10 minutes rest, for a minimum of 30 seconds (in which case it is doubled to obtain the Beats Per Minute figure). This must be 75 bpm or less. Anything higher than 75 requires the animal to be held for a further 5 minutes. If then the animal s Heart Rate is still too high it is eliminated by the Ground Jury unless the competitor retires. Injuries Bring any injury/chafing to the attention of the competitor. A substantial open wound is cause for disqualification by the Ground Jury. Third Inspection (End of Section E) (Article 924.3). Outward Appearance The presented animal should be alert with high/normal head carriage and of comfortable appearance. Heart Rate 5

6 The Heart Rate must be taken within 30 minutes of the animal finishing section E. Take it for a minimum of 30 seconds (in which case it is doubled to obtain the Beats Per Minute figure). This must be 70 bpm or less. Anything higher than 70 requires the animal to be disqualified by the Ground Jury. Injuries Bring any injury/chafing to the attention of the competitor. A substantial open wound is cause for disqualification by the Ground Jury. Summary - CDE The parameters which the TPR Steward at a CDE will have to work within are: 1. Temperature does not exceed 39 0 before the start of the competition; 2. Heart rate (HR) does not exceed 75 bpm after the 10 minute rest at the end of Section D 3. Heart rate (HR) does not exceed 70 bpm within 30 minutes of the finish of Section E. There are other veterinary requirements for Level 1 events and you may be required to help at these. But the only three criteria that will influence the decision of the TPR Steward are 39 0 and 75 & 70 bpm. 6

7 CHAPTER 3 - TPR STEWARD ENDURANCE COURSE NOTES Endurance Drives - Horses and ponies are expected to be driven competitively over a distance of 16 km up to 80 km in a day over a period of time from 3 days or less up to 2 weeks be driven up to 1,000 kms. e.g. Melbourne to Sydney. The object of the drive is to cover the most distance in the least amount of time, and pass the vet check for each part of the drive. If the horse does not pass then the competitor losses that section of the drive. Historical or Pleasure Drives - These are non-competitive drives over a distance of up to 70 km a day and from 1 day up to 14 days. A TPR steward would need to monitor horses over these longer periods or long daily distances to ensure the health and well- being of the horse. The horse needs to be relatively fit to do these longer drives, and preparation should start at least a month beforehand with at least 10 kms of working trot covered 4 days each week working up to 20 kms. Endurance and historical or pleasure driving is different to CDE driving because it requires a horse to cover a longer distance, at a steady working pace with walk sections as required. The horse is not given a hard workout like a set of obstacles resulting in a high heart rate. At the end of the first section the heart rate needs to be no more than 55 bpm at thirty minutes and at the end of the second section the heart rate must be no more than 60 bpm at thirty minutes. Vet or TPR Steward for Event. All Endurance and non competitive drives over 16 kms require a vet or TPR steward to oversee the health and welfare of the horses participating. Please check Appendix B of the Guide for Driven Pleasure, Endurance and Historical Activities for a guide to vet requirements. Vet Check Areas. Vet check areas are to be located clear of areas used for assembly, washing or marshalling of competitors. Vet officials and crew of driver of the horse/s to be examined are the only people permitted in the vet check area. Silence during examination period, because noises can raise the heart rate, and some heart rates are hard to hear. A shaded area will allow the hose to continue to cool. TPR Responsibilities ACDS TPR Stewards are authorised to record rectal temperatures, pulse or heart rates, respiration rates. TPR inspections are not open to appeal. All vet readings for each horse are to be recorded. The records retained by Event Secretary. Pre - competition Inspections A pre competition veterinary inspection is to be conducted for all drives requiring horses to travel more than 16 kms in a day. The pre competition check may be done by Vet or TPR steward depending on the difficulty of the drive. Rectal temperature must not be above If it is above 39 0 then the horse must be removed from other horses. Minor injuries such as girth galls, trace slaps, breast plate or collar rubs should be examined and noted for further observations as the drive progresses. Morning Inspections Each morning each horse is to have temperature and pulse as well as any minor injuries recorded. Inspection at End of First Section Each horse is to be examined 30 minutes after completing the first section. Heart rate must be not more than 55 bpm and respiration not more than half the heart rate at this inspection. That is if Heart rate is 50 bpm then respiration must be less than 25 breaths per minute. A horse float should be available to float the horse back to camp if it does not meet this requirement. The minor injuries recorded at the pre competition inspection are also to be examined. Inspection at the End of Second Section Each horse is to be examined 30 minutes after completing the second section. Heart rate must be not more than 60 bpm and respiration not more than half the heart rate at this inspection. The minor injuries recorded at the pre competition inspection are also to be examined. 7

8 Summary - Endurance The parameters which the TPR Steward at an Endurance event will have to work within are: 1. Temperature does not exceed 39 0 before the start of the competition; 2. Heart rate (HR) does exceed 55 bpm after the 30 minute rest at the end of Section Heart rate (HR) does not exceed 60 bpm within 30 minutes of the finish of Section 2. There are other veterinary requirements for some events and you may be required to help at these. But the only three criteria that will influence the decision of the TPR Steward are 39 0 and 55 & 60 bpm. Note - You are the horse s advocate, if they are unfit to continue then vet them out for that day. Hints to lower heart rate During warm and hot conditions you can cool the horse with water. Offer water to drink if the don t drink then pour it over them. Scraping off the water removes the heat which was transferred from the horse. Keep wetting and scraping off the water until the horse is cool. On a frosty cold day your team can warm some water for the horse to cool it down slowly so it doesn t get a chill. If a horse is cold it will shiver which raises the heart rate. Put a rug over the horse to stop it from shivering. Urinating also help the horse to rid itself of extra heat, the urine is hot. Take the horse to some long grass or old straw, horses don t like their legs splashed with urine. Noises will raise the heart rate of some horses so keep it quiet. I have also found some people may raise the heart rate of an excitable horse so make sure these people are not near your horse when you take it to the vet check. Vet / TPR Requirements by Category of Endurance Event CATEGORY ACTIVITY TYPE No of DAYS DISTANCE VETERINARY REQUIREMENTS Endurance Enduros More than 3 Under 70km/Day Vet Surgeon Day 1 TPR Stewards Other Days Over 70km/Day Vet Surgeon All Days Endurance Mini Enduros 3 or Less Under 70km/Day TPR Stewards Over 70km/Day Vet Surgeon All Days Non-Competitive All Activities More than 3 Under 40km/Day Vet Surgeon Day km/Day Vet Surgeon Day 1 TPR Stewards Other Days Over 70km/Day Vet Surgeon All Days Non-Competitive All Activities 3 or Less Under 60km/Day Nil 60-70km/Day TPR Stewards All Days Over 70km/Day Vet Surgeon All Days The chief role of the TPR Steward is to ensure that the safety and welfare of the horses and ponies in their care is paramount. 8

9 CHAPTER 4 GUIDANCE ON ASSESSING LAMENESS With the high cost of some Veterinary Surgeons attending our driving competitions, event organisers are leaning towards activities that do not require a Vet. Consequently, more responsibility is being undertaken by TPR Stewards. Obvious lameness can be identified by most carriage drivers and officials as well as TPR Stewards. The diagnosis of lameness has not previously been the responsibility TPR Stewards and that has been left to the more expert Vets. However, the mechanism already exists in our sport, for identifying lameness and either disqualifying or asking a competitor to withdraw. The President of the Ground Jury, if a qualified Dressage Judge, upon observing a case of marked lameness must recommend to the other members of Ground Jury to disqualify the competitor. The other members may inspect the horse before a decision is reached. This means that, in the ACDS Officials accreditation system, we have people who can adjudicate on lameness. Therefore, we can educate more officials to identify lame animals. It is important to acknowledge that in doubtful cases where lameness is difficult to ascertain, a Veterinary Surgeon would be required to confirm a case of lameness and identify its source. Notwithstanding, the ACDS should still have numerous qualified officials with the responsibility of dealing with lameness in the best interests of the horses and ponies. There is no reason why TPR Stewards cannot be educated to rule on lameness in conjunction with the Ground Jury. The more knowledge our officials have the better. To inspect for lameness, a Vet will usually ask for a horse to be led away on hard ground in a halter and slack lead. The handler is then asked to trot the animal for about 10 metres, turn around a cone to trot another 10 metres side on to the Vet before turning at another cone to trot back to the Vet. TPR Stewards can perform the same test, sufficient to determine marked lameness. An out and back trot will suffice if a wide hard surface is not available. A lame animal will take as much weight as possible off the injured or sore leg, transferring that weight onto the other leg. If a fore leg is lame, the horse will lift its head when the sore leg hits the ground and nod its head when the sound leg hits the ground. If a hind leg is lame, the horse will have a different hock action for each leg. The sore leg will be restricted in hock action and the sound leg will have both a higher and lower hock action to compensate for the sore leg. The hip may drop on the sound side. So, if the horse nods its head as the hoof of the left fore leg hits the ground, it is lame in the right fore. If it drops the hip and dips the hock as the right hind hits the ground, it is lame in the left hind. Lameness in both hind legs is characterised by shorter, proppy movement and considerable difficulty in backing up. LAME LIMB Near (Left) Fore Leg Off (Right) Fore Leg Near (Left) Hind Leg Off (Right) Hind Leg VISIBLE SYMPTOMS Nods head when right leg hits the ground. Lifts head when left leg hits Nods head when left leg hits the ground. Lifts head when right leg hits Drops the hip and dips the hock as the right hind hits the ground, Drops the hip and dips the hock as the left hind hits the ground, As the saying goes No hoof no horse the source of most lameness is below the knee or hock. Another means of identifying lameness is to feel the temperature of the hoof on the suspected leg, compared to the horse s other hooves. A hot foot indicates an infection/abscess. More than one sore foot (particularly fore) could indicate founder. If a TPR Steward suspects that a horse is lame, the steward should consult the President of the Ground Jury. If a member of the Ground Jury is not available, the TPR Steward should send for one and wait until one is available, because no ruling for disqualification can me made without the Ground Jury. 9

10 CHAPTER 5 - CHECK LIST FOR EXHAUSTION. This is a check list the late Dr Chris Walker wrote to help with examination of Ridden Endurance Horses. You will not need to do this with every horse, just the ones with problems of Heart Rate or breathing which you wish to have more records to support your recommendation, particularly if you need to vet the horse out. The Key to the answers a), b), c) & d) are: a) normal b) O.K. c) bad d) very bad, If c) or d) is determined the driving crew needs to cool down, rest and rehydrate the horse. You will need to recommend to the Ground Jury that this horse should be disqualified if it does not respond. Wash your hands after examining the mouth or anus to prevent cross contamination with other horses. 1. Clear pink and moist mucus membranes indicate good blood flow and well hydrated mouth. Mucus membranes of mouth a) Clear pink and moist. b) Clear pink or fawn, sticky. c) Injected or pallid, dry. d) Discoloured muddy/ blue/ purple 2. Fast refill indicate good blood flow which has plenty of fluids. Capillary refill time a) 1 second b) 2 seconds c) 3-4 seconds d) over 4 seconds 3. Immediate recoil indicates good hydration in the skin. Skin recoil (point of shoulder) a) immediate b) 2 seconds c) 3-4 seconds d) over 4 seconds 4. Regular rhythm from unstressed horse. Intensity depends on individual horse, use pre drive check as baseline. Heart Sounds a) regular rhythm & intensity b) intensity & rhythm variable c) Labile d) missing beats, slow 5. A healthy horse continues to digest food, a stressed horse gut shuts down and sends blood flow to vital organs. Found in 4 sections from ribs to hip. Gut Sounds a) normal active b) slight decrease c) marked decrease or increase d) quiet, absent 6. Anal tone is like skin recoil, instant is normal. Anal Tone a) instant closure b) prompt closure c) delayed, partially open d) absent, open 10

11 7. Supple springy muscle tone indicates the muscles are not cramping. Muscle Tone a) Supple, springy, relaxed, elastic, toned b) firm or doughy c) fasciculating twitching d) cramped or flaccid 8. Girth withers & back a) No pain or lesions b) tenderness c) chafe, scald, or pain d) open lesions, parked pain. 9. Leg injuries a) none b) recent, superficial, few c) skin wounds, open marks d) wounds, full depth marks 10. Gait & Impulsion a) willing to move forward, strong, animated b) subtle reluctance, pedestrian c) obvious reluctance, dragging, tired d) unwilling, no impulsion 11

12 ANNEX 1 - TPR SERVICE RECORD Name School Location Supervising Vet Date This manual is to be used as a guide for candidate TPR stewards. The information in the course notes is from qualified Vets using the guidelines and rules set out by the CDE and PH Panels. At the TPR school your practical skills of performing TPR will be examined by the attending Vet Surgeon. You are given a written exam, which needs to be sent to the host State CDE or P&E convenor for marking. If you pass, your State Convenor will advise your accreditation and your name will be put forward to the next State meeting, then added to the State List of TPR Stewards. Your name also goes to Federal Council to be ratified. Please record your duties as a TPR steward on the table below. When your total reaches 100 examinations within 3 years post this sheet to your CDE or P&E Convenor as proof of your service and you will not need to attend a refresher course. The convenor will post you another sheet to record your TPR examinations in the following 3 years. If you have not completed 100 examinations within the three years you will need to attend a refresher school for re-accreditation. Your Personal Record of TPR Stewardship at Events. Event Date Signed by secretary or organiser Number of horse exams. Running total 12

13 ANNEX 2-30mins VET CHECK CARD 30 mins Vet Check Card. Name Comp No. Finish Time + 30 mins = Vet Time limit Time at vet check Heart Rate Pass/ Fail Assessor Please note that you may present anytime within the 30 minutes allocated to you, and you may represent right up to the 30 minute limit. 30 mins Vet Check Card. Name Comp No. Finish Time + 30 mins = Vet Time limit Time at vet check Heart Rate Pass/ Fail Assessor Please note that you may present anytime within the 30 minutes allocated to you, and you may represent right up to the 30 minute limit. 30 mins Vet Check Card. Name Comp No. Finish Time + 30 mins = Vet Time limit Time at vet check Heart Rate Pass/ Fail Assessor Please note that you may present anytime within the 30 minutes allocated to you, and you may represent right up to the 30 minute limit. 30 mins Vet Check Card. Name Comp No. Finish Time + 30 mins = Vet Time limit Time at vet check Heart Rate Pass/ Fail Assessor Please note that you may present anytime within the 30 minutes allocated to you, and you may represent right up to the 30 minute limit. 13

14 APPENDIX A - TPR STEWARD EXAM Name Date General Questions ACDS What is a normal Standing Heart Rate for a horse/pony? a) 20 to 50 beats per minute b) 25 to 45 bpm c) 32 to 42 bpm 2. What is a normal rectal temperature for a horse/pony? a) 37.3 to 38.5 degrees C. b) 39 to 40 degrees C. c) There isn t one as all animals are different 3. Where is the correct place to put the stethoscope to take a Heart Rate? a) Against the chest, inside the off fore leg b) Against the chest, inside the near fore leg c) In the centre of the chest, between the animal s elbows 4. When listening to a horse s heart rate, does each Lub-Dub count as:- a) Two beats b) Half a beat c) One beat 5. If having difficulty obtaining a reading, where else can you obtain a Heart Rate? a) With a finger above the coronet. b) With a finger against the artery under the nearside jawbone. c) With a finger against the rectal intestine. 6. What is a dehydration skin test? a) Press finger into neck and watch for slow recovery b) Pinch and lift skin on neck and watch for slow recovery c) Pinch skin on rump and stand clear 7. What are signs of exhaustion/stress in a competing animal? a) Heart rate under 39 b) Head hung low with lethargic movement and failed dehydrated skin test c) Very high heart rate d) Prolific sweating e) Uneven locomotive movement f) Hyperactive and extremely agitated 8. Where is the correct place to put the thermometer to take the temperature? a) Against the sidewall of the intestine at the rectum. b) Anywhere in the rectum. c) Under the horse s tongue. 9. How do you take the respiration rate? a) Count the number of times the abdomen moves out in one minute. b) Wet the back of your hand, hold it at the horse s nose and count the breaths. c) Listen for the lung movements with a stethoscope. 10. When you first approach a horse to take it s temperature, do you a) Put the thermometer straight into the horse s rectum? b) Speak to the handler first, asking if it has had its temperature taken before? c) Put the stethoscope against the chest, inside the off fore leg? ACDS Document No: xxxx Approved by Federal Council: xx/xx/20xx Version: Vx.x

15 CDE exam Questions 11. What action do you take if a horse s HR is 85 after the 10 minute rest at the end of Section D? a) Allow it to proceed with caution. b) Hold the competitor for a further 5 minutes, and re-examine. c) Ask the Ground Jury to disqualify this competitor 12. What action do you take if a horse s HR is 74 at the end of Sect E, 30 minutes after finishing? a) Ask the competitor to come back for re-inspection in 5 minutes b) Accept the reading as it is under 75. c) Ask the Ground Jury to disqualify the competitor. 13. On a hot and humid day at the end of Section D/Start of E Vet Check, all animals HR s are in the high 60 s or low 70 s. What action do you take? a) Advise each competitor that their horse s HR is high and they should be careful. b) Suggest to the Ground Jury and/or Technical Delegate that the 10 minute rest period be extended (Do the maths here) c) No action 14. At the end of E Vet Check, a presenting horse is walking awkwardly, what action do you take? a) Ask the competitor to walk and trot the horse to ascertain if it is tying up? You believe this to be the case and report it to the GJ then take the HR. b) Ignore it as you are only interested in the HR? c) Disqualify the horse without taking the HR. 15. After the 10 minute rest at the end of Section D a horse presents with a Respiration Rate as high as its Heart Rate. What action do you take? a) None as you are only interested it its Heart Rate b) Take its Rectal Temperature as you believe it may be stressed or have an infection c) Hold it for a further 5 minutes to see if its RR returns to normal 16. After the 10 minute rest at the end of Section D a horse presents with a show of blood coming out of its nose. What action do you take? a) Report the finding to the Ground Jury and recommend disqualification b) Report it to the competitor and take the Heart Rate c) Hold the competitor until the bleeding stops. 17. At the First Inspection, before the marathon, a horse, although not lame, is presented with a bleeding heel, caused by forging. What action do you take? a) Ask the competitor to represent after having the injury dressed by a treating Veterinary Surgeon. b) Ask the Ground Jury to disqualify the competitor. c) Inspect the horse as usual and advise the competitor to seek Veterinary attention or face the possibility of disqualification during the event 18. At the First Inspection, before the marathon, a horse appears lethargic and unhappy. Do you? a) Continue the Inspection as usual but watch the horse during the event b) Take the horse s Rectal Temperature to check for infection c) Ask the competitor if this is usual behaviour 19. At the First Inspection, before the marathon, a horse has a Rectal Temperature of What action do you take? a) Place the horse in a holding area separate from all other animals. b) Ask the Ground Jury to disqualify the competitor c) Ask the competitor to represent in an hour and if still over 39, request the Ground Jury for the horse to be disqualified and should leave the venue. 15

16 20. After the 10 minute rest at the end of Section D, you find a horse with a HR of 80 and you advise the competitor that they will be held for a further 5 minutes. The competitor becomes belligerent and says you must be wrong, demanding to listen to the HR with your stethoscope. Do you a) Hand your stethoscope to the competitor b) Reply that this is not possible as only you have the authority for this task. c) Reply as in b) and report the competitor to the Ground Jury 21. As in Question 20 but instead of asking for your stethoscope, the competitor pulls out their own stethoscope, takes the HR again and says that you are wrong and remounts the vehicle and drives over to the start of Section E. Do you? a) Call for a member of the Ground Jury and report the incident b) Advise the Steward at the start of E that the competitor has been held c) Ask for someone nearby to be a witness to this incident d) All of the above 22. At an event where Competition B is the last competition, an animal passes the HR test at the Third Inspection 30 minutes after Section E, but appears lame in the trot up. Do you? a) Advise the competitor that the animal is disqualified b) Tell the competitor to seek Veterinary advice c) Hold the competitor and call for a member of the Ground Jury 23. While on station at the Third Inspection (End of Section E) with horses arriving at regular intervals, a message arrives that you are required out on course to take the HR of a distressed animal, stopped by the TD. Do you? a) Go immediately with the messenger to where the TD is. b) Explain that you can t leave your station and ask for the animal to be brought to you or locate another stethoscope c) Hand the messenger your stethoscope. 24. After the 10 minute rest at the end of Section D you find one horse in a pair with a HR of 68 and the other at 80. What action do you take? a) Hold competitor for an additional 5 minutes hoping that the HR will be 75 or less b) Allow the competitor to continue but advise him that one horse is doing most of the work. c) Allow the competitor to continue as the average HR is 75 or less. 25. At the Third Inspection, at the end of Section E, the HR of a competitor s horse exceeds the allowed limit. What action do you take? a) Disqualify the competitor b) Say nothing but note it on the Vet/TPR sheet c) Ask the Ground Jury to explain to the competitor that he has been disqualified 26. At the First Inspection, before the start of the event or the start of Competition B, a horse presents with a HR of 72. What action do you take? a) Allow the competitor to start as there is no HR maximum at this inspection b) Take the rectal temperature as there may be an infection c) Ask the competitor if the horse has just completed exercise 27. At the First Inspection Trot-up, you find that a horse meets all the criteria but is not shod. What action do you take? a) Allow the competitor to continue but watch for any lameness during the event b) Advise the competitor that all horses have to be shod c) Disqualify the competitor 28. At the Second Inspection, at the end of section D, you notice that badly fitting harness has chafed and caused a red raw wound. Do you? a) Ignore it b) Report it to the Ground Jury and recommend disqualification c) Advise competitor to treat it before continuing 16

17 Endurance Exam Questions 29. When should a horse be presented for the initial Endurance vet check? a) Only on the first day b) Only on the evening before the first day of the drive. c) Every morning of the drive at allocated time. d) In harness as you present to start drive. 30. When must a horse be presented for TPR examination through the course of the competition? a) Every morning at least an hour before the start of competition. b) Within 30 minutes after the end of the first section. c) Within 30 minutes after the end of the second section d) All of the above. 31. What must the heart rate at the end of the first section of an Endurance be less than within thirty minutes of the end of competition? a) 65 bpm b) 60 bpm c) 55 bpm d) 50 bpm 32. What is the maximum HR at the end of the second section within thirty minutes of finishing? a) 65 bpm b) 60 bpm c) 55 bpm d) 50 bpm 33. If a horse does not pass vet requirements for HR within the required time, what is the penalty? a) The competitor loses that distance of that section. b) The competitor cannot continue in the competition at all. c) The competitor is given time penalties. d) The competitor starts last, on the following morning. 34. Who has the final say, regarding the horse passing the TPR check? a) The Time keeper. b) The Driver s representative. c) The Endurance Ground Jury. d) The attending TPR Steward. 35. Why should a vet check area be quiet with only essential people? a) Noises can raise the heart rate. b) Some heart beats are hard to hear. c) Unfamiliar people can raise heart rate of nervous horses. d) All of the above 17

18 APPENDIX B - TPR STEWARD EVALUATION Candidate Address Phone ACDS Club State School at Date Vet Please note that your contact details will be listed under TPR stewards in the ACDS Journal if you pass all exams. This will allow event organisers to contact you in future. If you do not wish this to happen, please attach a letter to your exam sheets so that this may be noted. Competency Yes No Remarks 1 Approaches the horse safely & communicates with the handler. 2 Observes respiration rate. 3 Takes heart rate with stethoscope. 4 Takes rectal temperature. Candidate recommended for accreditation as TPR Steward. Candidate recommended for further assessment in the following competencies. Vet Assessor Signed Vet Assessor Signed As a Candidate, I participated in the above evaluation. The outcome of the practical TPR exam has been explained to me and I am aware of the reasons for any further evaluation (if any) that is required. Signed Candidate has passed the General Theory Test for the role of TPR Steward in CDE, Endurance State Convenor Signed Date Candidate recommended for further Theory Test Assessment in the following areas. General, CDE, Endurance State Convenor Signed Dated I certify that is now accredited / reaccredited as a TPR steward for three years from this date. Relevant State Branches and Federal Council to be advised at their next meeting. Federal Convenor Signed Date 18