# Endurance horse dies at WEG



## MagicMelon (28 August 2014)

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/weg/weg-endurance/endurance-horse-dies-world-equestrian-games/

So how on earth do you accidentally "collide with a tree" with enough force to kill a horse?


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## 9tails (28 August 2014)

He slipped and fell 400m after colliding with a tree, he didn't hit the tree head on and instantly die.  Sad.


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## kandor (28 August 2014)

Hmmm with all the rain we've had (and the soil here is clay...) I'm hardly surprised. Very sad though. I'm looking towards the cross-country on Saturday with mixed feelings, I hope they all decide to take it slowly to avoid accidents.


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## lori ann (28 August 2014)

Hi how is it progressing I have a livery riding in team GB and we at home are all hoping they all get to the finish line safely .


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## AAR (29 August 2014)

9tails said:



			He slipped and fell 400m after colliding with a tree, he didn't hit the tree head on and instantly die.  Sad.
		
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When I read the article I read it as that the horse fell 400m before the first checkpoint. Not that the horse fell 400m. 

Anyway I know nothing about endurance riding but with all the abuse claims and bad press associated with endurance at the moment I should hope they clean up their act soon! The welfare of the horses doesn't seem to be put first especially in international competition.


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## lhotse (29 August 2014)

The horse died 400m from the checkpoint, the horse did not fall 400m. There is nothing in Normandy that is 400m high, that's 1000ft. The ground conditions were obviously difficult, and it looks like the horse slipped in the mud and collided with a tree. Very sad for all involved but nothing to do with the ongoing controversy involving a minority in endurance sport. AAR, will you be saying the same about horse welfare if, god forbid, an accident befalls a horse in the x-country?


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## paulineh (31 August 2014)

AAR. In fact more horses die on the X-country section of Eventing than they do in Endurance. 

It is a very small % involved in Endurance and since the new rules came in on August 1st it was clear at WEG that it was working.

Would you say the same about Mary King, one of our top International event riders, who you may know was given a yellow card.


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## AAR (31 August 2014)

I wasn't referring to this particular event hence why I started a new paragraph! 

But thinking about it. The horse must have been going at quite a pace to die instantly from colliding with a tree? But that is assuming it hit it head on. Or maybe it was impaled on the tree or hit a certain part of its head which killed it.

Probably going to get my head bitten off and I am merely saying what I have been thinking as to how it happened right or wrong and obviously freak accidents happen I know that!


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## lhotse (31 August 2014)

It was a freak accident, and the horse did hit its head. Unfortunately, freak accidents can occur in every discipline and indeed when a horse is at rest in the field. I'm sure the rider involved is very upset, and indeed I believe quite badly injured herself, so to imply that it was anything other than a freak accident is rather cruel.

As you admit that you know nothing about the sport, maybe you should go along and see how well run the events in this country are, how the horses are monitored by vets constantly and how much the riders care for their mounts.


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## Rollin (31 August 2014)

I think it is tragic that a horse died and also that the conditions were so challenging that many did not finish.  We have our first 90km in three weeks.

BUT  I am also saddened that, having stayed to the end of the APPALLINGLY organised* Cross Country at Haras du Pin to see Harry Mead finish, on a horse that did not seem over tired I then learned, on this forum that the horse died. So sad.

** 2.5 hours from motorway to finally enter site, 4 hours of spectating and another 2.5 hours to get back to the motorway.  Then our journey to and from home of 1.5 hours in each direction.

A French lady we met today, at the equally appalling parking for SJ, spent 3 hours in standing traffic yesterday.  She came from Bordeaux for the Games.

those of us who planned to visit the shopping village or eat in the Restaurants TODAY, finally bought sandwiches in the local baker which we ate in the queue.  We queued for over an hour because they did not open the gates to the stadium.

My guests travelled from Washington DC just for this event.  Never let Paris have the Olympics.

If your company were sponsors ask for your money back.


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## NZJenny (31 August 2014)

Yes, the weather really has made this WEG a real slog fest.  Feel for the NZ riders in the endurance, it is a huge financial commitment for them to get there and they are all self funded.

Rollin - that's shocking.  Andrew Nicholson made reference to spectators being "badly served" on the news over the weekend, but he didn't say how.


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## kandor (31 August 2014)

Hi Rollin,

I think we talked to you in the queue today. We're the ones with the French cobs


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## Rollin (31 August 2014)

NZJenny said:



			Yes, the weather really has made this WEG a real slog fest.  Feel for the NZ riders in the endurance, it is a huge financial commitment for them to get there and they are all self funded.

Rollin - that's shocking.  Andrew Nicholson made reference to spectators being "badly served" on the news over the weekend, but he didn't say how.
		
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Good Man.

I have a lot more to say!!!

We are off to HDT next weekend but plan to send some letters tomorrow.  Whoever is the Minister of Sport in France should fall on his sword.

Our SJ tickets were for a particular block, as a breeder in France we were offered priority booking. When we got to the front of the queue the only four seats together meant the screen was obscured by a concrete beam.  At least we had seats, lots of people arrived with tickets and found the seating overbooked.  When they sat on the steps, security were called. On the other side of the stadium there were hundreds of empty seats, probably people in the 1km long queue outside after the SJ started.

FEI seats were almost empty and at least three rows of VIP seats also empty.

Shame on you France.


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## Rollin (31 August 2014)

kandor said:



			Hi Rollin,

I think we talked to you in the queue today. We're the ones with the French cobs 

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Hi there.

We should meet up next weekend.  We are bring sandwiches this time.  The organisers obsviously want us to boycot their restaurants.


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## JCWHITE (1 September 2014)

So sorry for all of you that made the effort to go.
My friend is telling me much the same tale, as she did make the effort, and missed the cross country completly because of the traffic.
She said people were deliberatley not drinking all day in case they needed the loo, which were disgusting, holes in the ground.

Welcome to France.............


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## Orangehorse (2 September 2014)

The death of Harry Meade's horse was very sad, and put a shadow over the end of the day.  But it wasn't one of the older horses, and sometimes horses do die suddenly, remember Best Mate who died on the way to the start of the race.


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## Amymay (2 September 2014)

Best Mate died at the end of the race.


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## kandor (2 September 2014)

That's called a Turkish loo. I thought they might have made more of an effort with the upcoming WEG. I knew there were still some lurking around somewhere but hadn't seen any recently, nasty things.


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## hobo (2 September 2014)

Please keep this thread running as I would like to see the H&H mention the bad things of WEG. Yes our riders are performing their hearts out and we saw some fantastic horsemanship. BUT having been to Kentucky 2010 and having the most incredible time and so than planning our French trip for 4 years to come home so deflated is heart breaking. I also feel responsible for the 2 friends that I encouraged to join us.
One thing I have thought of trying is to contact credit card and say the cross country tickets at the very least were sold to us not fit for purpose, though I do not expect anything from it I feel I should try. Maybe some more of you could also try this.
JCWhite I feel your friends pain I guess we were lucky to at least put our feet on the grass and see the last 10 riders.


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## hobo (2 September 2014)

This is should be on the other WEG thread , anyone who knows how to can move it for me. The stress of the trip has muddled my brain!!


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