THE ATLANTA PROJECT Dr. David Martin

Centre for Equine Studies, Leader of the Atlanta Project

After three years of working on the Atlanta Project, it was with some trepi- dation that I boarded a plane at Gatwick for Atlanta on Sunday, 7th July. All the recommendations for modifying the 3- day-event competition to allow for the heat and humidity had been provided to the International Equestrian Federa- tion (FEI) and documents advising on transport, acclimatisation, cooling and rehydration had been circulated to all countries taking part.

My role at the Atlanta Olympics, along with Professor Bob Schroter, was to monitor the newly developed heat index (the WBGT index) at 3 sites on the speed and endurance course and to try and predict the day before, the way in which the index would increase and to what level. A list of guidelines for modifications torthe competition depending on the level of the inde~ had already been drawn up with the FEI.

Weather conditions were not as bad as are normally expected in Atlanta in July. However, for the team speed and endurance test, the last 15 or so horses would have been competing in conditions at least as severe as in Barcelona at the 1992 Olympic Games. Conditions for the individual speed and endurance test, however, were slightly cooler.

The reductions in distance to all phases, the cooling stops, the longer 10 minute box and the early start all worked very well. Most countries cooled their horses well and some actu-

ally started the cross-country with nor- mal resting temperatures. Many riders said that their horses felt much better than they would normally have ex- pected at that point in the speed and endurance test. There were quite a low number of falls on the cross-country and most were falls of riders. Horses finished with temperatures of around 105~ (40.6~ in both team and indi- vidual competitions and there were no cases of heat exhaustion.

The countries involved must be given full credit for applying the rec- ommendations and it appears that the effect of the heat and humidity were removed to a large extent. At the end of the day, there were only a few minor injuries after the cross-country. Two- thirds of the horses starting cross-coun- try in both team and individual events finished (this is what we would expect for any international level 3-day- event). There was only one case of tying-up (a dressage horse after com- peting), no cases of anhidrosis (loss of sweating capacity) and no cases of heat stress in any horse in any of the disci- plines.

I believe that there was no doubt that one of the best teams (Australia) and one of the best individual riders (Blyth Tait) won the Gold medals, and nobody was heard to say that it was not a real competition. Many of the find- ings of the Atlanta Project are appli- cable to competition in normal envi- ronmental conditions and, as a result, I believe we are now moving into a new era when an even greater level of care for, and welfare of, the competition horse will be apparent.

The project has only been possible through the cooperation of an enor- mous number of people and space pre- vents me mentioning them, but a heart- felt thanks to you all.

NATIONAL ECONOMIC STUDY NEARS COMPLETION

The first national economic study of the horse industry since 1987 is ex- pected to be released in December. The study, commissioned by the American Horse Council Foundation, will mea- sure the total economic impact of the horse industry, including direct, indi- rect and induced impact and will also establish the overall participation num- ber of people involved in the industry. This is the first national study to esti- mate these important figures.

This will be an important tool for the horse industry in many ways," said Will Farish, Chairman of the AHC. ~'It will finally permit the industry to docu- ment its scope and size to ourselves, the /public, the media and our legislative leaders."

USDA FINALIZES NEW CEM RULES

The U. S. Department of Agricul- ture has published a final rule amend- ing the regulations governing horses imported from countries affected with Contagious Equine Metritis. The new rules were supported by the American Horse Council which participated in a working group that made recom- mended changes to the Departmenl's CEM rules. Many of those recommen- dations were adopted by the Depart 2 ment.

"We are glad to see the revisions," said Jay Hickey, President of the American Horse Council. "We believe the new rules will facilitate importation

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