Required medical coverage at horse trials USEF vs FEI.... the US is lacking

Yes, I have. If you read my original post- the whole motivation behind me wanting to change the rule (to what you think it is) is because of an issue where an EMT-B was on site (no ambulance) and didn’t have the experience or equipment to handle a compound fracture that ended really poorly.

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As someone who has a bunch of non-nationally recognized medical certifications, I have always found this maddening.

I don’t understand why we can’t better align and standardize medical certifications in our country. We have an alphabet soup of qualifications a person can hold with education varying from worthless correspondence courses to terminal degrees. We need to start over and universally define who our care providers are and what services they can provide (and while we’re on the topic, create pathways to realistically move between the levels instead of a maze of glass ceilings).

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The joy of state rights. Somethings definitely need national governing and this is one of them.

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Yes.

I have been TD at recognized events where there was an ambulance “on call”, but not AT the event.

Having been ON THE GROUNDS when Christopher Reeve had his tragic accident, it scares the hell out of me.

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The main championship breed show for saddlebreds is called the World Championship Horse Show and it is owned/run by the Kentucky State Fair. The Kentucky State Fair Board decided to drop USEF when it ran into issues meeting the USEF requirements. One of the things they had an issue with was medical coverage at shows, they believed this wasn’t an issue for Saddleseat classes.

During a class a horse had an aneurism and flipped over on a child. It took over 45 minutes for medical attention, there was a delay in calling an Ambulance and the Ambulance got lost on the show grounds and had trouble getting through traffic.

There has been a lot of back and forth and internal political blowback and was a massive wake up call to those who felt Saddleseat riding was a “safe” discipline.

It certainly scares me even more at a Horse Trial. I have to question if “remote location” or “lack of resources” are good enough reasons.

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During an awards presentation a Roadster pony had an aneurism and flipped over on a child

are you referring to Nosey Rosey and Madison Linker? This was a walk/trot equitation class

was there another incident?

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Just the Nosey Rosey incident.

I am a Wilderness First Responder, fully certified and have been for many years. I’ve taken at least 3 40 hour trainings and many shorter re-certs. Am I correct in interpreting this rule that I could be considered adequate as medical coverage? That’s terrifying. I ain’t saving any of you, just so you know.

In the UK the St Johns provides coverage at most events, they are a charity so are pretty darn affordable They often have actual MDs on site and they are fully integrated into the NHS paperwork wise and medically. It is traditional to do a fund raiser for them if they help you but there is zero cost to the injured party.

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These days, St Johns first aiders aren’t deemed to be sufficient for Eventing. We have variable numbers (BE specified) of paramedics and ambulances on site and even trauma-trained doctors depending on which levels are being run. As a volunteer, I’m extremely happy to know that medics will arrive within two minutes, anywhere around a course. All the Jump Judges have radios so communication is immediate. If necessary, the air ambulance (which is a charity) will be called in to take really serious injuries direct to specialist regional hospitals. With many injuries, speed is essential to reduce longer term injuries. The good unaffiliated circuits replicate BE standards.

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I’m not sure Wilderness First Responder would count at all. My husband did that certification, and it was an add-on/additional learning type course for other first responders–there were a few EMTs in his class.

A First Responder alone would not be OK at an Event–the GR rules specifically except eventing, requiring at least an EMT/paramedic who is pre-hospital trauma trained (GR847.1.a).

There is an Appendix 5 to the EV chapter of the rule book laying out competition requirements–it looks like National events only require an ambulance on call, while FEI requires an ambulance on site for XC and SJ.

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Every racetrack that I have raced at had EMTs on site during training and racing but their ambulance was not able to leave the property so even with relatively immediate medical attention you were still going to wait for an ambo to transport.

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That’s interesting, around here the ambulance transports and the track is closed for training until they come back.

I believe that’s part of the reason they have multiple ambulances at places like WEF. Not just because of the amount of ground to cover, but so that the show can continue if/when one ambulance leaves.

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St Johns had staff all the way through the MD level last I worked with them. I never said they only had the first aiders there? I was talking about the cost difference between them and US commercial outfits. It’s a lot.

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That’s good to know, but it’s not an add-on certification at base, its a stand alone cert and you are technically a FR. I’m on emergency response lists that I keep trying to get taken off, lol. I have heard that in rural areas WFRs can ride in an ambulance, but would assume those are people with a lot more experience etc.