In 2006, AERC implemented a voluntary veterinary certification program which has proven to be quite successful. The purpose of the program is to encourage all veterinarians who are or will be working AERC rides to familiarize themselves with endurance veterinary procedures, the AERC rules that involve veterinarians, and basic emergency medical treatment of the endurance horse.

This is accomplished by the veterinarian reading the AERC veterinary handbook and rule book and then completing an open book, 50-question exambased on these publications. Successful completion of the exam demonstrates the veterinarian has become familiar with the handbook and rule book and earns that veterinarian a place on the list of AERC-certified veterinarians. Additionally, the veterinarian earns two hours of approved continuing education credits.

A current list of AERC-certified veterinarians can be accessed on the AERC website (www.aerc.org/CertifiedHeadVets.asp). The list provides ride managers with a reference as to what vets are available that have demonstrated a familiarity with the basic procedures of vetting an endurance ride.

Having veterinarians working rides that are familiar with endurance riding provides a situation for horses that is in the best interest of their safety and welfare. The physiology, judging and treatment of endurance horses is a specialized and unique aspect of veterinary medicine. Just because one holds a veterinary degree does not mean one has been trained and educated specifically on the unique aspects of the physiology of the endurance horse.

A veterinarian that is judging and possibly treating endurance horses and therefore is in control of all aspects of the ride that involves veterinary judgment should be familiar with endurance riding in order to provide a safe environment for the horses. To have a veterinarian judging and providing treatment of endurance horses at a ride who is not familiar with the basic judging procedures and treatment principals of the endurance horse is a potentially unhealthy and unsafe situation for our horses and is certainly not in the best interest of our horses or our sport.

Encourage your local veterinarian if he or she is interested in working endurance rides to first become certified. Having the basic knowledge and information that is gained through participating in the certification program will make his/her experience much more positive and will make it more likely he or she will return to vet more rides. Ask the ride manager of rides that you frequent to encourage their ride vets to become certified if they are not already.

The AERC Veterinary Committee hopes in the future to expand upon this successful program by adding a "practical" portion to the certification program. This portion would consist of a veterinarian gaining practical experience and demonstrating their ability to judge rides through working a ride under the mentoring and supervision of an experienced ride veterinarian.

The veterinary certification program has been well received by AERC vets, with the large majority of AERC veterinary members already having become certified and the feedback being virtually 100% positive. Most all participating veterinarians have indicated the certification program was time well spend for them and they were glad they participated.