Open spur rub at Devon

[RosieS]

Watching in person at Devon yesterday, I couldn’t help but notice that Front Page ridden by Colin Syquia had a large, open spur rib on his left side. A picture of this wound is clearly visible on the Chronicle’s article “McQueen Makes a Winning Devon Debut,” where Front Page and Syquia are highlighted for having won the the 3’9" Green Hunter Championship. I am appalled by the irreverence that the Chronicle, USEF, the officials at the horse show, and the rider have shown to the harm done to this horse. This is not just some hair rubbed off, the skin rubbed raw is the size of your palm, and the rider continued to wear spurs despite this.

This is one of the most prestigious horse shows in the country and is incredible popular with the public. Yesterday was family day, with hundreds of people there to watch what we as horse people put forward as the best of our sport. What does it say about us that NO ONE seemed to bat an eye at to this situation? On the contrary, this pair was rewarded with a division championship. We lament how the public doesn’t attend or support horse shows, but how can we simultaneously condone this lack of horsemanship?

USEF currently has a rule change proposed (GR838.4) which states that “When an animal has an injury to its side(s) as a result of spurs and causes raw or bleeding sores, this should be considered cruelty and abuse.” Obviously this rule is incredibly needed. I would encourage everyone that sees this to speak out in support of this rule change in defense of our horses.

[NotQuiteRight]

It’s been years since I competed and when I did it was in dressage overseas, so forgive me if this a stupid question:

Are there no officials or judges doing tack checks at h/j shows? If not, how do they know if the bit is legal, for example? In dressageland fresh blood on the horse means automatic elimination. If it isn’t noticed by any of the judges in the ring, it would certainly be noticed at the tack check immediately following the ride.

They do a tissue test and touch a white Kleenex to the wound. If blood transfers to the Kleenex, then horse and rider are eliminated.

It doesn’t even have to be anything abusive, like a bleeding mouth or huge spur jab - even an old wound that reopened, or a nick on the heel from a horse over reaching would be cause for elimination if there is fresh blood.

[candyappy]

I just watched it full screen on my computer and looked at the article in question and I didn’t see anything? Horse had a lovely round . I can see why they won.

[Sarah616]

Agreed. And if you watch the rounds in question, while the rider has very long legs, they don’t hit under the belly, and the rider’s spur appears to touch (and I do mean TOUCH. no poke or jab) much further back than where the spot is

[Rel6]

The article also had a photo of the same horse from the other side, closer up, without a mark on it. I’ve seen horses have worse rubs on one side, but I would be shocked if it had a spur rub the size of a hand on one side and its other side was pristine.

[Janet]

@NotQuiteRight

Are there no officials or judges doing tack checks at h/j shows? If not, how do they know if the bit is legal, for example?

There are no bit checks or tack checks at Hunter / Jumper shows.
It is entirely up to the judge to determine of the bit is illegal (or “unconventional”).

[MHM]

@Janet

There are no bit checks or tack checks at Hunter / Jumper shows.

I must chime in to say there are most definitely tack checks at jumper shows for FEI classes, especially for boots. And under FEI jumper rules, horses can be eliminated for having blood on them.

Hopefully the proposed USEF rule will have the same effect for hunters, non-FEI jumpers, and equitation horses.

[Highflyer1]

In this photo it looks way too low for a spur rub.

[Janet]

@Amberley

I can see it in the article and while it’s a big wound- it doesn’t look like it’s in the right place to be a spur rub? It looks further under the belly in the photos anyway. although I understand those can be deceiving.

It look to me more like a “summer sore” than a spur rub.

[Foitin]

It would be really really weird to show a horse with that large of a spur rub at Devon, eyes everywhere, and a jog to boot. I guess its not impossible, but I would say very unlikely. Some other cause.

[Calvincrowe]

Just going off the photo posted, that is not a spur rub or spur wound. Far too low. I strongly suspect the OP is mistaken.

[Foitin]

Just adding that if someone gave my astronomically expensive horse a wound the size of the palm of his hand I’d probably get another rider… Really, this makes no sense given the context and is an inappropriate accusation.

[fivestrideline]

I suspect OP is mistaken - that is not a spur rub, from what I can tell. I was not there in person, though. It isn’t the right place for a spur rub, but could certainly be a summer sore or other wound. I would be shocked if any rated show let a true spur rub that size slide by .

FWIW we had a pony with a gnarly looking scar on his side - it was on his Coggins as a scar and sometimes our trainer would mention it at the office. Never had a problem, but I always wondered if it was noted on the entry or something. When he was clipped, it was quite pink!

[hoopoe]

Looks like an old scar or sarcoids. Quite an unusual location for a spur rub unless the rider has Gumby legs

[candyappy]

@Highflyer1

In this photo it looks way too low for a spur rub.

Now that I can see and wonder if the rider can even get to that spot with their spur?

[findeight]

Rider cannot get leg in a position to put a spur rub halfway to the horses bottom centerline. And that is where this thing is in the above photo, taken from a 3/4 front angle over the top of a jump clearly showing the underside of the horse.

Looks like a sore or rub, not repeated spur pokes from a mounted rider.

[Tackpud]

Not the right place for a spur rub, nor do I see any visible blood in the picture. If there were an open wound, you can be sure that someone would have pointed it out to the stewards and they would have taken the issue to the vet.

The current rule change proposal is not a good one - there are already rules addressing abuse of artificial aids in the hunter, jumper, and equitation rules. The proposed rule does not state how one is to decide if an injury is caused by an artificial aid or other mishap, and jumps to cruelty and abuse before investigation can happen. I’ve seen plenty of horses bump their sides on something (not spurs) and scrape off a huge chunk of hair and skin that people would scream abuse over if this rule passes. It would just be another reason for horses not to get turned out…

[showy]

Here’s a convenient shot of the other side of the horse.

[jvanrens]

Deleted because it was a picture of the wrong horse…

[erinmeri]

This video pretty clearly shows their 3’9” Green Hunter round. The location of the “wound” does not appear to correlate with his left spur position. (ETA: not sure how it would, but just to add to the evidence.)

Colin Syquia & Front Page | $3,000 Green Hunter 3'9" | The Devon Horse Show