WTF Are We Doing?

[Jealoushe]

Most are probably listed in this thread or the original post.

[Leprechaun]

Right but this thread has thousands of posts that would have to be gone thru. Is there anything, maybe the FEI, that would show the numbers?

[Marigold]

@Leprechaun

So, Fiona Cashel’s horse was euthanized at Badminton. … Am I wrong that we had quite a few rider falls but no horse falls at KY this year?

Since people do sometimes visit this thread for information, I think it’s worth clarifying that Fiona’s horse did not fall at Badminton. Other horses fell, but the horse that we are sadly discussing stopped at fence 26. The rider fell, and the horse was transported off the course. I don’t believe the nature of the injury has been released.

I don’t know of any other horse injuries from the event, including from the horse falls, and every horse that finished cross country presented and was accepted at the jog and completed the show jumping as well.

[BLBGP]

This says his foot went into the ditch: https://www.chronofhorse.com/article/horse-euthanized-after-badminton-cross-country/?fbclid=IwAR2zivhdzzdKhpyez56Loa0fdi8etUrkSJGqniBfbX_S0Eo9nzfo20NWK8Y

[Jealoushe]

I believe this was a Showjumping accident so not Eventing, but should be recorded somewhere.

[Jealoushe]

Another rider lost while schooling XC. Condolences to his family and connections.

[StB.YM]

I just saw that post as well. So unfortunate

[Jealoushe]

A lovely tribute,

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid0JTRgtauaEGmfesNc4dHFz16mJQyFQanw3RFPmU1bMYaW1dZRzsWxp9AGgBu62HbCl&id=144228988954996&mibextid=qC1gEa

[Arzny]

Nine year old Daiquiri (Argento - Dalias (Alias)) euthanized and her rider Zazie Gardeau is hospitalized following a fall in the CCI3*-L at Bicton in the UK.

Zazie Gardeau in “Stable Condition”; Mount Daiquiri Euthanised After Bicton...

[Jealoushe]

[Syrynx]

Oh that is so heartbreaking (like all the others)

[kt]

So very sad for Lissa and her team. She is a class act, works so hard and has overcome so much over these last few years.

[initiate1987]

Heartbreaking news this morning. Solaguayre California was put down this morning after the injury she sustained at Luhmuhlen.

[Jealoushe]

Awful!!!

[alyssaequestrian]

Ugh hate to see it. That mare had all the talent in the world. Tamie is really going through the highest of highs to the lowest of lows the last couple years. Lexus getting hurt, Dempsey, making the Olympic team, Fleeceworks Royal getting hurt, winning Kentucky, now California,

[endlessclimb]

I’ll admit that I have trouble stomaching the “risks are inherent, you can’t just stay safe” etc.

I agree with that, for you. As in, you can take risks with your own body. I don’t think you can take risks with an animal and say the same though. They don’t have a choice.

I understand that any horse sport comes with risk. But how do we define “acceptable” and “unacceptable” risk, when you’re talking about something that does not have autonomous control over whether they participate or not?

[Impractical_Horsewoman]

Agreed, and I will add that even from a human standpoint I think it’s necessary to calculate the risks to human life versus the rewards/benefits of challenging yourself.

For example, certain moves in gymnastics have been banned permanently from competition because they crippled too many athletes.

(BTW, I am not saying ban eventing, obviously, just agreeing with you that all risk is not created equal.)

[Blugal]

We need to consider how our sport is viewed from the outside (and agreeing with previous posters) when discussing these deaths. The headline of EN’s article included the phrase “freak accident”. It wasn’t. The horse hit the C element of a solid jump, caused irreparable damage, and was euthanized.

It’s a direct result of our sport, not a freak accident. We need to take responsibility for this, or the animal rights people will.

I still like eventing and want my horses to participate. But we can’t fool ourselves about what we are doing and the risk we are taking.

[fivestrideline]

I agree. A “freak accident” is losing a horse to a pop up lightning strike, or a hot air balloon crash in the paddock, or playing in the paddock and rearing up just right to hit its head on a tree branch. All of these have happened to people I know.

A “freak accident” is not an injury that is a risk of the chosen sport. I’d argue that there are some injuries that can happen in Eventing that can happen anywhere - like stepping in a hole, or a trip on flat ground, or a slip. A crash or flip at a fence is not one of these.

ETA: how many horses are injured like this in other disciplines? In the public eye, in competition? Are we(g) tracking those in any way? Because it seems like the answer is very few

[Highflyer1]

This horse hit her knee but didn’t fall. I actually had a horse get a puncture wound (but thankfully not a fracture) on a showjump. I think it is probably more likely on a solid fence but not impossible to happen in any sport involving jumping.