Do you use Bute before showing?

also - the vet generally takes a temp and the bute can lower a fever...

Maybe our butes stronger in NZ? If I had to bute a horse it generally means they are pretty sore - theres no way id be riding a buted horse (But like I said Im guessing ours is a fair bit stronger...)

Edited to say that's not a dig at anyone more just an observation.... your'd find most people I know in NZ with horse would say the same - hence why I said it.... that's interesting re lowering the temp - I didnt know that :)

I don't use it pre-show. Random blood tests. But I also want to know if my horse is hurting. If your horse is sore, there is something wrong. The horse was worked too hard or something is weird here. If my horse is already sore and I give him some Bute, fine. But I wouldn't want to give it before they need it. Say, your horse is getting sore on the same leg every show. Something is wrong with that leg. But since you pre-medicated, you never see the small signs he's giving. He never looks sore, but he's still injuried. You don't see it until the problem is so large the Bute can no longer mask it.

^^ Not sure if that made sense.

Obviously if something is totally wrong, and the horse is lame, I wouldn't just shove bute in it and ride on.

But its like taking something for us. I take ibuprofen or aleve before I ride sometimes because I'm a little sore. I would never use it to cover up a major problem with myself, just like I wouldn't with my horse. We are pretty good around here at identifying problems between the trainer, my mom, and me. If the problem was to persist, we would definitely find out what else was going on.

I don't show but, for me, it would greatly depend on the individual horse and the individual circumstances. I would never even dream of buting up a horse that was showing signs of lameness to get through a class but if a horse was sore 2-3 days into competition from being worked hard and then stalled (where they were maybe used to full turnout), then I wouldn't mind using a very mild dose to take the edge off. I would try to work out the soreness with some light exercises first though and only bute if that didn't work.

I know how bad I hurt a few years ago when I had to work out much harder than usual one day and then travel for 9 hours in a car the next. By the time I got to my destination, I was physically incapable of getting out of the car, I just had to fall out. BUT, I did some stretches and mild exercises soon after getting out of the car and felt much better. I can imagine it would be much the same for a horse to be worked and then be left to stand tied at the trailer or in a stall.

Bute is not a pain killer, its an anti-inflammatory. I give it regularly when I show. Just one gram once a day, with is a legal dose for showing. Its just like a rider taking some aspirin.

I'm not competing at the moment but I wouldn't (even if it wasn't swabbed for). I'm not a fan of masking pain in human or equine athletes - a little soreness can help prevent a more serious injury from occurring. I've broken bones, sprained joints and pulled muscles, and have never taken painkillers to manage the pain.

I remember a few years back, a racehorse in Perth was given painkillers (against the rules of racing) before a barrier trial because it had shin soreness IIRC. Leg gave out during the trial, horse went down and the jockey was killed. This is obviously an extreme example but there is pain for a reason - better to address the underlying problem then cover it up and prevent key bits of information from reaching the horse's brain.

While it is an anti-inflammatory, it also acts as an analgesic (painkiller). As you said, much like aspirin (or paracetamol).