More Horse Deaths at Equestrian Events
Reader Comments
Top Event Horses Die
Tiger Too was 17... what was he doing out on a CCI***? TAsk Force, another great top horse died in warm up at a recent event.... he didn't make the recent headlines, but he was also older. Are these horses being sent out because they are "insured"?
Another Horse Death
Evidently there was another horse fall and death today at the Jersey Fresh event. Tigger Too had a rotational fall and died. I am unable to confirm any details, but I have read several accounts of the accident on an eventing forum. Three horses dead within two weeks is horrible and inexcusable. Personally, I don't believe that I need to be an eventer to have an opinion on the subject, but for everyone's information, I have evented. I have made a connection with lots of horses, and I have owned and loved and competed on horses since I was 8 years old. I know enough about riding to say with complete confidence that horses can be compelled to do things that they wouldn't naturally want to do. And the deeper the relationship you develop with them, the more they trust you and will go the extra mile for you. That quite frankly is why I find these equine deaths so absolutely horrific. Those horses trusted their riders to their deaths. When making a small mistake carries such a huge price, there is something very wrong. A horse starting out at Rolex this year had a 5% chance of dying, and a 2.5% chance of winning. I think the most recent death and the wave of deaths has shown these aren't freak accidents and I think that something drastic needs to be done, before more horses and people die.
I have been competing at the upper levels of eventing for the past 5 years. I am a young rider that moved up to intermediate at age 15 and I have been eventing since I was 8. I think people have a lot of nerve to put down athletes that have devoted tehir life to their horses without knowing anything about it. From an outside perspective, these deaths and accidents of both people and horses are haunting and scary and disgusting. From the inside they look the same way. But what I have to say is that horses are huge powerful animals and in everything humans do with horses, people and horses both could get hurt. Many more jockeys and horses get hurt racing than eventing.
Second, I think a lot of the problems we are having is stemming from a change in times. Back 15 years ago, 20 or 30 years ago, the only horsemen eventing were the toughest of the tough who grew up getting bucked off and riding anything everyone else didnt want to. Today, teenagers who dont know the front of a horse from the back are getting bought expensive "packers" and moving up the levels, half of them scared out of their minds. If I have a student ever say "im scared" I tell them to consider not riding then.
Third, I cannot tell any of you how deeply it offends me to hear you say that we are abusing our horses and I think I can speak for any true eventer when I say that. My advanced event horse loves me and he loves cross country. His whole face lights up when he knows it is cross country day and when he sees a horse galloping on cross country I can feel a chill run down his body and the minute he gallops out of the box, there is no stopping him, but the best part is the look of confidence and pride he has on his face when we are done. I truly believe that there are horses and riders out there made to event together and I feel just as strongly that a lot of people and horses eventing shouldnt be.
I sat out and watched cross country at the last event I was competing at and watched terrible scary ride after terrible scary ride at the preliminary level. I witnssed
1. tired, tired horses. if you are riding a warmblood at the upper levels, you have to condition like you would yourself for a marathon. They should be as fresh at the end as they are at the beginning.
2. tired riders. anyone competing should be able to go cross country and also feel as strong at the end as they do at the beginning. a tired mind is not going to help get you out of trouble.
3. riders mistaking slowing down with losing all power. this is a problem in training that sickens me. I believe so many accidents could be prevented if forward riding was encouraged. "show jumping" through combinations does not mean pull, chip in, throw your shoulders, and let your horse heave you out of it.
4. a lack of confidence. a confident rider gives their confidence to their mount so they can enjoy cross country together. if you are not feeling confident, move down a level.
I think that all this bad mouthing the officials of the sport is in really bad taste. They are heartbroken by these accidents and are trying to please everyone.
Bottom line:
eventing is dangerous. make sure your daughter, son, friend, knows what they are doing, has a fit horse and are fit themselves, and make sure they feel confident and comfertable with the level they are competing at. and stop talking smack on the officials and people working around the clock to make the neccissary changes because all it does is make a bunch of people that do not ride and have never connected with an event horse sound stupid. because no one knows what they lost more than those horses riders.
I don't think that you have ever competed at a 3* or 4* event! If you did you would know that it is not always possible to prevent a horse from having a rotational fall! It's tragic but everyone who competes know that it is a dangerous sport! If the horses thought that they couldn't complete a fence safely they would not jump it!
Horseman??? I think not-
Those at the top have made the sport what it is today - About speed, overbitting, reckless riding, and courses made to see "what the horses are made of...". The grassroots riders at the lower levels are a mirror image of what is going on at the upper levels and it is absolutely appalling. Horses have become for so many, the equivalent of a motorcycle. Do us all a favor - change sports and kill yourself if you want but spare the horses.
To make the real changes necessary those who can make policy will not do enough. It would be an admission of being wrong in the decisions that have resulted in eventing becoming a deadly "sport."
Reality is Reality
The issue is that it has taken 14 deaths for the USEA and USEF officlals to come forward with their first "proposed" changes. And that is after the "officials" first tried to issue (again) bland statements of "this is a risky sport"... After a general negative uprising to the poor timing of their comments they now have come forward with "proposals." ... that they "may issue on an emergency basis"...well. again ..They are just that "proposals"... They aren't real till they are in effect and I will note that nothing has been done other than the USEA is saying they "may" do something without the FEI Safety Committee agreeing...Certainly! one would hope they would.
Statements at Rolex
Having worked the Press/Media Center all weekend at Rolex, I can assure you all that the deaths/injuries were not passed over as business as usual. However, being an International competition, protocal must be followed, and all public statements on health conditions must be approved. Statements were given at the end of each day, either supplied by the family or the Vet hospital. I know for a fact that everyone working to make Rolex the event we all know and love was effected by these tragedies.
Julie in MT - Well put!
I agree with you 100%. I was at the same jump where Frodo and Laine had a fall. I never want to see anything like this again.
"Concerned parent in CA" is the mother of a girl who -- despite being eliminated -- recklessly continued on course. She had a tragic accident, it's true, but had she followed the rules of the sport, she would be alive today. "Concerned parent" has made it her vendetta to try to destroy the sport -- when in reality, she should face up to the sad fact that her daughter made a very bad decision. Just like I have no business getting onto a Nascar track, her daughter had no business entering that class or continuing after her first stop on course - let alone her fourth.
Let's lay the blame where it belongs: riders need to take responsibility.
