Piet Bergsma, Head of the Stallion Inspection Committee, mentioned it a number of times during the Second Viewing in Harich: the veterinary examination. Young stallions that were sent on to the Presentation Days first had to go to the attending veterinarian for a veterinary check.
Clinical examination
The veterinarian in question is Astrid Bos, in her day-to-day life employed at Animal Clinic Emmeloord. For about eight years now she has been examining the stallions for the KFPS, after the Second Viewing, on arrival at the Central Examination and when a stallion checks in or out at some point during the Central Examination. She’s also present during the Presentation Days and the in-between assessments. But what aspects are examined after the Second Viewing? ‘This is principally a clinical check’, Astrid says. ‘We check the heart and lungs, the horse’s eyes and mouth as well as the legwork and the back. Apart from that the horse is also assessed in walk and trot on a circle and a straight line.’ This is done on a hard surface and not on sand as in the inspection ring, so that even the smallest deviations in movement can be detected. In the absence of any comments or remarks it’s the farrier’s turn to check the feet and soles of the stallions.
Doping checks
At last year’s First Viewing the stallions also had to undergo a veterinary examination and doping check. Blood samples were taken from a random number of stallions and checked for prohibited substances. All gentlemen passed the check.
