Title says it all: stupid, simple question from a non-Eventer: What does it mean when a horse is “Spun?” I tried Googling it, but all it came up with was articles about horses being spun, or non-horse meanings. Thanks in advance!
It means they did not pass the inspection - ie. when jogged, the vets determined that the horse was not sound enough to proceed with the competition.
At an FEI event, there is a “jog” (soundness inspection) at several points in the competition- Before dressage, and before show jumping.
If a horse does not pass the soundness inspection, we say the horse was “spun”.
I have no idea WHY.
Thanks, guys! I figured (based on context) that’s what it was, but good to have it confirmed!
So apparently (according to the COTH story), Cornelia Dorr was sent to the hold box with Sir Patico and then not accepted upon re-presentation. Yet her results on evententries.com show ‘R’ rather than ‘E’.
Maybe I am splitting hairs, but isn’t being spun not being accepted? If sent to hold box and then withdrawn without representation, isn’t that an R rather than E?
It would actually be a W if she didn’t re- present,an E if she did not pass.
Don’t read too much into the letter you see on horse’s jog results on Event Entries. Event Entries is usually fairly accurate with their letter for the phases, but they very seldomly put the X that would indicate being spun in their results. It’s almost always a W, whether the rider withdrew in the vet box or was spun. The place to look for the X would be on the USEA or FEI results when they go up next week.
Two results can happen in a jog if a horse doesn’t pass: X, for if the horse is spun. W, for if the horse is held and then the rider withdraws the horse from the vet box.
An example is Colleen Rutledge and Covert Rights, who were held at the first jog at Rolex, then withdrew from the vet box. They received a W. Vandiver was held at Rolex at the final jogs, re-presented, and was not accepted by the ground jury, which results in an X.
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I was curious about how this is scored too. I briefly tried to look it up in the FEI rules but didn’t see a clear answer as to the assigned penalty within the horse welfare section where they describe the jogs, but they do use the language that the veterinary inspection may cause a competitor to be “eliminated” from the competition. Cornelia is listed as a W on event entries, whereas I would expect it to be an E. That expectation not being based on any personal experience with FEI events, of course.
