http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/endurance/six-horses-die-dubai-endurance-rides-22-days-610855
Disgusting. Whoever did this to these horses deserves the same punishment.
What country were the riders actually from?
The woman whose name is in the article rides for Belgium. No other info given, but 2 were in “Ladies Rides”.
Hate to break it to you, but that’s still a lower death rate than Del Mar.
http://www.animals24-7.org/2016/08/24/2016-del-mar-thoroughbred-deaths-may-set-new-track-record/
And since I don’t really know the reputation of the source of the above article I linked, here’s one about the Hundreds of reacehorses dying each year in the US. From the Washington Post.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/hundreds-of-racehorses-die-at-the-track-each-year-their-deaths-may-be-preventable/2016/07/13/1250df9e-3412-11e6-8ff7-7b6c1998b7a0_story.html?utm_term=.cf297eabdf56
Hate to break it to you, but that’s still a lower death rate than Del Mar.
http://www.animals24-7.org/2016/08/2…-track-record/
Really? what’s the fatality rate per runners in those Endurance races?
For it it to be lower than Del Mar there would have to have been more than 2000 horses running in those Endurance races in Dubai. Seriously doubt there was 2000 horses running in those races.
There are three kind of lies, regular lies, $@&#-ed lies, and statistics
We need more info before comparing
My apologies, I do stand corrected, and am not too happy with myself that I made such a quick comparison.
But I do stand by my dislike of the American Racing industry, in the way that it values money far more than horses’ and jockeys’ lives, and quality of life. I still feel there is some merit to pointing out that the American system is not without its own flaws.
SnicklefritzG you are so RIGHT! As someone married to a statistician, I’ve often been told what you quoted. When an event horse (my daughter’s passion) dies on course or immediately after, it is often stated how dangerous the sport of eventing is --and I fox hunt --same thing when one of the hunt horses is injured on the field. Husband has often pointed out that if one truly wants to know how dangerous “riding a horse” is (for the horse) one needs to pick 100 random horses, take them to a new venue, NOT compete them, and see how many die or are injured in the time the venue lasts. Heck you could even put 100 riders on the 100 horses and see how many of riders are injured just sitting on them and doing nothing! I think we all know with horses there’s a high probability that there will be an injury (or even a death) just with the fact that you can’t put 100 strange horses in a new environment (and add 100 riders and ground people) without an excellent chance there will be an injury! When I ran horse shows (small time --maybe 200 exhibitors) I ALWAYS had EMTs on the property --and at every show, someone was hurt. You just can’t put 100 horses and people on a property and not have something happen. Then you add in that these competitions (or hunts) happen weekly --and sometimes more often --multi day shows, races, etc, the probability rises. Because there really are not well done statistical analyses done, any claim that one horse endeavor is more dangerous than another is without basis. In my own experience, my pastures are the most dangerous place for our horses. 100% of my horse injuries have occurred in the pasture, and 100% of my horse deaths have been in the pasture. Does that make my place a horse-nightmare? Statistically speaking, my horses have a greater chance of injury or death on my 20 acres of carefully maintained, safely fenced acreage than any place else. And I guess one could make a case for me as a bad horse owner since 10% of my horses have died while under my care --um, but they were all OLD, but still, look at the numbers! Pretty high. percentage.
Disgusting, indeed. What are the exact injuries? The article didn’t say, but a comment at the bottom says that UAE horses are"suffering “flat racing type injuries, because they are running on flat “endurance” courses at near racing speeds”. ?
FEI endurance director Manuel Bandeira de Mello says, “The two latest equine fatalities… are very worrying”. WHY? ALL of the deaths are very worrying.
All of the factors that contribute to high fatality rates in Tb. racing are at play in this type of endurance (as opposed to typical American endurance)- very high speed on flat surfaces which predisposed horses to injury, high stakes competition/win at all costs mentality, and throwaway horse mentality (horse can only compete for a very limited number of years so will be disposed of for the next). As much as I love Tb. racing, the world just doesn’t need another equine sport model like it- endurance is best done as a hobby for the vast majority of participants.
