[QUOTE=poltroon;3462321]
Until this thread, I didn’t realize it was in bigeloil.[/QUOTE]
I admit, I haven’t read the label this decade.
See, this is why I NEVER feed goulash to any of my horses, ethnic pride notwithstanding.
And chicken paprikash?? Fuggedaboutit.
Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) was informed by the world equestrian
governing body the FEI, at 2.15pm Hong Kong time on Thursday,
that Irish Olympic rider Denis Lynch’s horse ‘Lantinus’ had tested
positive for a banned substance and that as a result he would be
suspended from taking part in tonight’s show jumping final.
Denis Lynch and HSI officials attended a preliminary hearing with the FEI a short time ago and were informed that the
substance found in the horse was called capsaicin.
At the tribunal the FEI indicated that this substance was an
ingredient in some products in regular use.
Subsequently it was identified by Denis Lynch as an ingredient in a product called ‘Equi-block’ used by him on his horse.
‘Equi-block’ is a product used in similar circumstances to ‘Deep Heat’ used on humans and Denis Lynch explained to the tribunal that he commonly applies ‘Equi-block’ to the horse’s lower back prior to exercise.
Following this preliminary hearing today the FEI informed Denis Lynch that he remained suspended for tonight’s competition.
The FEI have subsequently confirmed that three other riders due to jump in tonight’s final at Hong Kong have also been suspended as a result of the same substance being found in their horses.
Horse Sport Ireland has confirmed that they submitted a urine sample from the horse to a voluntary screening testing process made available by the FEI on the horse’s arrival in Hong Kong and the results of this test were negative.
The horse has also been tested on numerous occasions, including
following many of its recent victories, and has tested negative on all these occasions.
I mentioned positive tests for capsaicin to DH and he said:
“Peppers? In China?”
and I burst out laughing.
So keep those ponies away from the Szechwan food.
Seriously, I am very bummed for the Irish (as well the other countries). What a blow to have this happen two Olympics in a row.
And Norway, with their first medal in SJ? 
And if we take Denis at his word (and he is freely admitting he uses and has regularly used Equi Block), oops, not so much for the chemical rapping…
Hell, I use Sore No More on my horse’s back all the time and you know what, it has arnica in it. Well, if you see me on the USEF Bad Boys & Girls list, you know why! 
Now really DMK, didn’t we learn pages ago that the most logical explanation was that those evil SJers were slapping on the liniment directly before going in to the ring even though they know about the tests b/c it might encourage their horses to pick up their legs?
I mean, posters stated with such CERTAINTY that it was done as an irritant. How can you dobut them?
Jeez, if only McLain had tested positive, think of the field day the posters could have had then?!
so true. I stand corrected. What WAS I thinking? Why would the fact it is a regularly used substance topically applied as a pain killer have any bearing on this issue?
Yes, you know b/c why wouldn’t someone use something that has doubtful effectiveness & would probably show up in tests?
Ignoring the fact that
a) many people use it as a painkiller
b) there are so many other legal ways to encourage a horse to pick up their legs like you know, putting them maybe slightly wrong at a fence when schooling right before riding just to remind them to sharpen up?
But obviously the logical explanation is that it was all shady showjumpers abusing their horses again.
[QUOTE=MHM;3461323]
I wouldn’t necessarily think there would be somebody on duty 24 hours a day, although between grooms, braiders, massage people, and the like, it would be tough to plan on a window of opportunity. Certainly at any normal show, the grooms get to go back to the hotel at some point to sleep, however briefly.
I will say if anybody was caught doing that to somebody else’s horse, I think they would get dragged out behind the barn and punished pretty thoroughly, long before the authorities got involved.
I would have to think sabotage is a less likely explanation than the traditional one.[/QUOTE]
At least one of our team members does indeed have full time security in the barn aisle, 24/7.
Crap, is topical arnica really banned?
What linament CAN you use?! Just straight alcohol?!
Aurgh! I thought I had finally figure it out with Sore No More and found something the horses liked that was okay to use. Aurgh!!!
[QUOTE=YankeeLawyer;3462392]
Hey Ridgeback - -this must be a complete lie, as we know a groom would never do such a thing.[/QUOTE]
Yeah, but this case was a racetrack groom - and we all know they get away with LOTS more than FEI level BNT guys and competitors…
is there a tongue in cheek smiley?
Equi-block is a commonly used for pain relief. I know far, far more people who use it for its pain-relieving properties than to make the horses sharp, although it does sting initially-- very similar to products like Deep Heat.
I can say, with a decent amount of certainty, that all of the riders in question have been using Equi-block for some time now, including at other horse shows, and have not had any problems with it testing positive before.
[QUOTE=Words of Wisdom;3462531]
Equi-block is a commonly used for pain relief. I know far, far more people who use it for its pain-relieving properties than to make the horses sharp, although it does sting initially-- very similar to products like Deep Heat.
I can say, with a decent amount of certainty, that all of the riders in question have been using Equi-block for some time now, including at other horse shows, and have not had any problems with it testing positive before.[/QUOTE]
I’m guessing (total speculation) that since they proclaim how it won’t test it is probably a situation where when combined with something else that might contain trace amounts of capsaicin that maybe then you will have a problem with failing the testing. Since it seems to be a pretty common ingredient this seems likely. I think there needs to be further study on concentrations that would be needed to achieve this soring affect in order to determine anything conclusively.
" #40 Aug. 21, 2008, 07:47 AM
MHM
Grand Prix Join Date: Dec. 21, 2000
Location: NY
Posts: 4,081
Quote:
Originally Posted by JanM
I’m sure there are grooms with the team horses around the clock so I’m not sure the sabotage theory would work,
I wouldn’t necessarily think there would be somebody on duty 24 hours a day, although between grooms, braiders, massage people, and the like, it would be tough to plan on a window of opportunity. Certainly at any normal show, the grooms get to go back to the hotel at some point to sleep, however briefly. "
At some major shows I have been to, and certainly less major than the Olympics, a person was hired to sit in a chair outside a big name horse’s stall all night long - awake, one would hope.
[QUOTE=M. O’Connor;3462523]
At least one of our team members does indeed have full time security in the barn aisle, 24/7.[/QUOTE]
You can bet I absolutely would.
oops, sorry - my bad! It isn’t on the USEF list (that is admittedly only a partial list) so its probably OK, but who the hell knows these days (I thought for sure I saw it on there). I admit to being totally paranoid about the process and I know I am not the only one. However camphor and hops ARE on the list, so there goes some liniments (Tuttles) and your horse’s evening beer. ;D
Not if you are feeding it to them. Black As Knight and Gold as Sun both have capsaicin. There are people who feed plain old paprika for the same effect. They take them off of it 7 to 14 days before showing.
I can’t imagine the amounts you would have to apply to use it as a ‘natural poling’ technique.
Having cooked w/hot peppers, I can tell you from personal experience that it doesn’t take much on one’s fingers to create a burning sensation on sensitive skin (ie if you slice peppers and subsequently scratch your face/eye/wipe your hand across your lips).
I admit, I was NOT surprised at all the 24/7 security cams I saw at WEF this year, and I know at least that one person has had security for a while. I totally doubt he is the only one, and I am sure ALL the top teams who have been around the block a few times have the cameras up at the very least.
