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Equestrian Sports: another two horses dead. IHP protests: “An intolerable situation and general indifference. We request a meeting with FEI”.

01/09/2014

(1 September, 2014)

More dead horses – in this crazed season where in all disciplines animals are sacrificed in the name of spectacle, fun, business. The latest two in Normandy, at the WEG games.

28 August, and Dorado, in an endurance* competition, runs into a tree while entering a narrow lane in the route: the horse dies instantly, while the rider presents fractures and bruises but is out of danger.

30 August and Wild Lone, in an eventing** competition crashes to the ground after completing the course, and dies soon after. Adding to the tragic list of horses dying in similar circumstances: Kregou Begourt, Liberal and others (please see articles listed below).

In both cases what grabs the attention is how many horses didn’t finish the race. In the endurance race, 135 out of 173 failed to reach the finishing post, being withdrawn or eliminated for health reasons, at the vet gates.
In the case of the Eventing competition, out of 91 starters 9 fell and 28 failed to complete the course.

“These numbers alone should give cause for reflection to the FEI on just how far these competitions are pushing the horses,” states Sonny Richichi, President of IHP. “The drive to feed the spectacle and the greed of competition do not spare the horses, not only in terms of untenable competition demands, but also hyper intensive training regimes and living conditions which are far, far removed from the basic, natural needs of the horse. All this without taking into consideration the long journeys in lorries and planes to meet a crowded competition calendar. And what about the blatantly inadequate preparation of many horses and riders?”

As is patently obvious, the lip service of the FEI rules on equine welfare are not even minimally adequate. Therefore the IHP requests a meeting to ascertain the FEI’s willingness to make concrete and substantial changes.


* Endurance is a distance race testing stamina. Distances range from 30 to 160 km depending on the category. Vet gates are set at every 30-35 km.

** Eventing is a test of speed over varied terrain, including fixed obstacles such as would be found in the countryside, such as artificial lakes, logs, ditches etc.


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