Very true!
I am not surprised. USEF can’t really come out with an apology if there is the potential for litigation, because that could look like they are admitting fault. What they can do is work with the owner to try to make sure the situation does not happen again by reworking the agreement, without ever admitting the agreement (and the injections resulting from it) contributed to the horse’s death.
I just don’t even think it gets to that point. Lee, McLain and the entire usef team probably have all these details ironed out long before the horse ever sets foot on the grounds of a show that falls under this criteria. And I’m sure that’s equally true of beezie, Kent, Laura, and so on. I’m also pretty certain, that the owner isn’t really ever consulted in that part of the program. Those horses are absolutely within the care, custody and control of the rider. So I can see where throwing an owner who is a decision maker into the decision-making process, especially when that owner is NOT the rider can really mess with the system.
But in this case the CCC is with the owner. It doesn’t really matter that she is the owner. She is the person in charge of the horse on the ground. She’s not some random LLC. I am not of the impression that the rider was consulted, either. No one was consulted on that horse’s team. The owner was there and had asked to be consulted. She shouldn’t have been treated any differently than those in charge of any other horse.
Its interesting though because while I agree the owner isn’t likely to be consulted for daily horse care/management, the owner is the one who has to agree to loan the horse and sign the agreement turning over those decisions to USEF.
I think too there are very different types of owners out there. Some are incredibly hands on like in this case. But from what I’ve seen riding with a trainer who had an owner who also has horses with Kent and Henrik… many don’t even know the groom’s name, let alone what happens at the barn. They just care about results.
I can imagine that the protocol for who to call and when probably varies widely. It’s no excuse of course, but I can see things devolving into a game of who’s on first at exactly the wrong moment.
I cannot imagine all the pertinent information is not readily at hand. I would hate to think at that level there is confusion about who to call. In this case, it appears no one was interested in making that call.
Any updates?
Nothing on the Facebook pages. Life goes on at Branscomb–out at the shows with jumpers and a couple hunters. Jill riding a couple. Ivy riding most.
This article was just shared by Branscomb Farm Facebook page. Provides some clarity on exactly what was given to Chromatic immediately prior to his collapse, and some updates on USEF’s stance on the death.
Good for her for not letting this go and fade away
Very glad she is continuing to press for answers
They really did inject the horse with selevit, Traimeel and arnica at the same time. Her response has been a lot more measured than mine would be if someone injected that witches brew into one of my horses.
^^^^ This.
This whole thing is BS. Horses should not be on “routine” injections, especially during competition.
It doesn’t take a medical degree or a veterinary degree to understand that the injection killed that horse. Anyone claiming otherwise is simply trying to cover their a**.
If I was the horse’s owner, I would be looking to sue the bejesus out of the team vet and whoever gave him the directive to administer that injection, as well as USEF in general. Someone needs to suffer real consequences for a bone-headed policy that permits the off-label use of a drug known to cause anaphylaxis - and ESPECIALLY without notifying the horse’s primary decision maker. It is absolutely despicable that they leaned on the horse’s groom and coerced him into acquiescence. What a bunch of scumbags.
And to do that injection without having treatment for that potential anaphylaxis right there… 🤦
That’s the definition of negligence, isn’t it?
.
And then that dumbass explanation that the horse died from pulmonary hemorrhage which was a ridiculous CYA attempt that surely no competent vet would issue. What a cluster##ck. Heads should roll with this episode. I hope she does sue them.
The kitchen sink pharmacology being practiced at that level truly horrifies me.
Little or no rational basis for most of it.
Any medicine you give a horse or a human can have side effects folks. I’m not saying that the vet was right or wrong to give the injection, but one missing piece is how many times in the past that horse had had the injection WITHOUT adverse side effects. Knowing that piece of information would be helpful.
This was already been answered in previous posts and on the owner’s FB page. The answer is never.
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