Endurance horse fractures under scrutiny

L-R: Ruth Carlson, chair of the FEI Endurance Committee; Ian Williams, FEI Director, Non-Olympic Sports; Brian Sheahan, FEI Endurance Committee member, at the Round Table. © Edouard Curchod/FEI

The incidence of fractures inward endurance horses was with the topics discussed at the Endurance Round Table session on the concluding twenty-four hr menstruum of the FEI Sports Forum yesterday inward Lausanne, Switzerland.

The dependent was raised yesteryear old Endurance Committee fellow member Jean-Louis Leclerc (France), who asked what was existence done to address the issue.

FEI Director Non-Olympic Sports Ian Williams confirmed that the FEI has been looking into both the causes too prevention of these types of injuries “to ensure that the welfare of the Equus caballus is absolutely the fundamental pillar of endurance inward the future”.

He stated that in that place is an ongoing review inward FEI Headquarters, compiling facts too figures to exercise the safest possible environs for Endurance horses.

FEI Veterinary Delegate Fred Barrelet (Switzerland), i of the FEI’s most senior too experienced 4* vets too caput of Veterinary Services for the upcoming FEI World Endurance Championships inward Euston Park (GB), said it was necessary to own got assessment too agreement of when too where injuries occur.

“We tin too thus know where the problems are too how they should travel addressed. If the rules equally they stand upward are implemented correctly, I am confident that incidents of career limiting too career ending injuries tin travel reduced dorsum to a depression level.”

Barrelet too reported that Annamaria Nagy (Hungary), based at the Animal Health Trust inward Newmarket (GB), is currently doing a PhD on orthopaedic injury rates inward endurance horses globally. This information volition too play an of import purpose inward the FEI study.

Representatives of National Federations too veterinarians contributed to intelligence on proposed dominion changes that volition travel presented to the FEI General Assembly 2012 inward November. Various proposals made yesteryear the FEI Endurance Committee were debated earlier the coming together was opened upward for full general discussion.

The FEI Technical Committee has undertaken a total review of the acquaint rules for Endurance Riding inward the context of the rapid expansion of the dependent area worldwide. The major rules changes, dealing with qualification, entries too the composition of entitle teams, all received unanimous back upward from the participants.

Speaking afterward the session, Williams said: “to alter the fundamentals of entries, qualifications too teams is a fantastic stride forward.”

The changes involved the introduction of an Elite condition for Junior, Young too Senior Athletes, the possibility of bringing spare horses to competitions, too adopting a format that would allow all 6 members of a squad to contribute to the concluding squad lawsuit with the best 3 scores counting.

Under the proposed novel rule, to accomplish Junior/Young Rider Elite Athlete Status, athletes must own got successfully completed a minimum of 10 CEI 2* 120km events or higher. To hold this status, they must successfully consummate at to the lowest degree i CEI 120km or higher lawsuit inside every successive 24 months.

Senior Elite Athlete condition would travel awarded to riders who successfully consummate a minimum of 10 CEI 3* 160km events or higher. To hold Senior Elite Athlete status, Athletes must successfully consummate at to the lowest degree i CEI 160 km inside every successive 24 months.

Barrelet suggested that, apart from these qualification criteria, whatsoever disciplinary activity inside the 24-month status-maintaining menstruum should travel taken into account. The proposition was taken on board yesteryear the Committee.

There was too potent back upward for changes inward the rules relating to establishing the plain of play, too the creation of the purpose of course of pedagogy designer. This novel purpose volition own got a straight bearing on the grade of security too challenge of the courses.

The FEI Technical Committee too sought feedback on the concluding Equus caballus inspection too whether to alter it to larn inward to a greater extent than spectator friendly.

FEI Endurance Committee Brian Sheahan (AUS) was adamant that Equus caballus welfare was non negotiable. “We can’t lay populace adulation earlier Equus caballus welfare or nosotros tin throw our dominion mass away,” he said. “We should intend of ways to brand the inspection easier for spectators to empathise but nosotros volition never compromise our welfare standards.”

In his wrap-up of the key intelligence points, Williams said: “The FEI is absolutely aware of the issues that this dependent area faces too the dominion changes own got addressed what issues nosotros can, but nosotros are looking for to a greater extent than information to exercise a rubber environs for our horses to perform inward endurance.”

Endurance Committee chair Ruth Carlson brought the coming together to a close. “Please know that it’s non merely inward a forum similar this that nosotros welcome input,” she said. “If you lot own got a concern, a suggestion, a problem, nosotros desire to listen close it. Please larn inward impact with us. We volition own got everything seriously too larn dorsum to everyone.”

 

 

 

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