Cruel Summer

Alright...so, I wish when I told my friends that I was moving to Washington, DC over 7 years ago that someone would have pointed out that it is freakin' hot as Hades in this joint in the summer!!! And of course, I spend most of my "professional" day in a suit, followed by a couple hours in boots and breeches...man...I am just a sweaty, disgusting, smelly mess! So when Bananarama's 80's classic "Cruel Summer" came on the radio during my drive home, I knew just what to write about today...

(Above: Me and my parents at Progressive Field, home of my beloved Cleveland Indians, when jackets were clearly not waived by the Ground Jury)

Waiving Jackets and What it Really Means.

Rules relating to preventing heat-related illness and waiving jackets reside in Appendix A of the USPC Horse Management Handbook and Rules for Rallies 2010. Appendix A is also known as the "Uniform Officiation Rules for USPC Rallies," (UORs) and while they are developed by the USPC Executive Committee (NOT the HM Committee), they reside in the HM Rulebook because you are required to have the HM Rulebook and all appendices for all mounted competitions and this saves adding them to all the different discipline rulebooks. Nifty, huh? If you've never given the UORs a read, I highly recommend it!

I want to focus on UOR A7 - Preventing Heat Related Illnesses. Let's face it, for most of the country, all of our rallies seem to happen in the months of April, May, and June, maybe squeaking into July. And it can get REALLY hot in some places (*ahem* Washington, DC) during those months. So rally organizers, Chief HM Judges, and you as competitors need to be prepared to deal with the heat and the potential for heat-illnesses.


The big factor isn't so much the actual temperature - it's actually the combination of this magical thing called "Heat Index" and the "UV index." Heat index looks at the combination of the actual air temperature and humidity. For instance, today it was 97 degrees in the District of Columbia, but it was over 50% humidity, making the "feels like" temperature around 110! YUCK!!! It is also important to keep an eye on the UV index - a high UV index means that there will be little to no cloud cover and the sun will be extremely intense. Result - increased possibility of heat-related illness.

So how does this all relate to you, the awesome Pony Club member? Well, let's face it...who REALLY wants to traipse around in a wool coat in 100 degree weather? (actually, apparently I do, because I have never competed without my coat, but then again, we all know I'm a little loopy...) Yes, the coats look nice, but they look much better if you're not passing out off of your horse from the heat! There is always some confusion about what you can or cannot do once jackets are waived, so I'll try to break it down for you.


When coats are waived because of temperatures/heat index in the "danger zone" (see chart on p. 67), the following rules apply:

1. C1s and above still need to present in proper full formal or informal attire. This means, yes, you need to wear your jacket to turnout inspection.



2. Everyone is required to warm up with their jackets off. No ifs, ands, or buts.
   


3. Riders DO have the option to choose to ride their test with their coat on. If they want to wear their coat for their ride, neckwear needs to stay on. If they decide that they do not want to wear their coat during their test, neckwear should be removed, shirt collar opened (to maximize airflow) and helmet covers on vented helmets removed.



4. Remember, shirts must have a collar and long or short sleeves (no sleeveless). T-shirts are not acceptable.
   

Beyond the question of "Coat or No Coat," you and your teammates should look after each other should it be a scorcher of a week in Kentucky. If a teammate says they are feeling ill, such as feeling dizzy, nauseous, shivering even though it's 100 degrees, or unable to sweat - have them sit still and GET HELP! Even if you're all doing fine and dandy, you should work as a team to make sure everyone is drinking enough water (as usual, there will be coolers of cold drinking water in the barns and at the riding venues) and eating food other than Skittles (although I am personally convinced that The Rainbow *is* a food group.)

And since I'm a cancer biologist by training - please be sure to apply and RE-apply your sunscreen while at Champs, even if it's a cloudy day. And if you run out, you can look for the glowing white orb wearing funky knee socks (that would be me and my reflective paleness) - I always have sunscreen in my bag!

Stay cool and see you in Kentucky in 6 short days!