Less vet gates blamed for deaths of horses

If only the Endurance Committee of the Federation of Equestre Internationale (FEI) had put its foot down and over-ruled the Organising Committee's decision to have only four veterinary stops at Monday's World Endurance Championship, the lives of two endurance horses could have probably been saved.

The move to have only four vet gates and thereby longer stages of riding was indirectly aimed at curtailing the speedy UAE, U.S. and Australian riders.

The last World Championship at Compiegne, France had five vet gates while the last Pan American championship had eight vet gates all over the same 160-km (100 mile) distance.

Floyd, a nine-year-old bay gelding ridden by Malaysia's Nik Isahak died while on the fourth stage in the 160-km ride, while the death of another nine-year-old bay gelding, Sir Fire, ridden by the host country's Anna Maxenchs Serra, was even more tragic as it collapsed and died after completing the 160-km distance.

Floyd collapsed while negotiating the longer fourth loop of 38.5 kms and this was precisely why the whole move to reduce the number of vet gates came under criticism.

If the Organising Committee had stuck to the format used at the last championship, there would have been shorter stages in the final three loops before completion.

This would have helped the vets detect any signs of lameness or metabolic disfunctions and prevent the horses from taking part further.

An FEI press release said both horses had passed their previous vet gates with satisfactory parameters and more details would be available after the post-mortem reports.

Whatever the causes of death of these two young horses (in endurance sport the competitive life of a horse extends up to almost 18-20 years), the FEI should not allow the small pressure groups to play unfair (though within the rules).

The welfare of the horse is paramount and towards this direction more vet gates and shorter distances are much-needed.

More importantly, with the entire equestrian fraternity assembled here, the death of the two horses is a big smear on the endurance sport itself, which otherwise was to showcase itself in its bid to enter the Olympic family.

And finally, the equestrian nations, which hitherto dominated this sport, must look at other ways and means of keeping pace with the success of the UAE riders.