2 Horses killed at Newbury Race Course by Electric Shock

Curragh

Curragh

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Hi,

Just watching Channel 4 racing. 2 horses have been electrocuted in the parade ring.

Poor poor horses, what an absolute awful thing to happen.

Condolences to all connections.
 
From watching Channel 4 Racing it appears they were walking around the parade ring - when one wobbled. Another two then reared/bucked and appears they then went down. They obviously didn't show a lot of the footage they had.

Nicky Henderson withdrew Kid Cassidy who wobbled when in the paddock before the race went off.

Such a tragedy.

RIP Fenix Two and Marching Song

Link to Racing Post

http://www.racingpost.com/news/hors...ollapse-and-die-in-newbury-paddock/818311/top
 
The stewards have just announced that racing has been abandoned at Newbury.

As Nicky Henderson has said something peculiar happened in the parade ring when they walked on the grass and that he can see the point that racing should be abandoned.

They are at least acknowledging that there is a risk to people and horses and not carrying on regardless!
 
Apparantly some of the lads are reporting that there were some slight scorch marks on the skin round the bits on some of the horses that ran in the first race. (I think it was Alice that reported that bit)

This is all so strange - you could almost imagine reading it in a Dick Francis/John Francome novel.
 
Just don't understand how could they be electrocuted from ground (if that's what it was) ??

Something very bizzare happened to say the least poor horses and hope the others are all OK too...
 
Just saw this now - I don't mind they replayed what happened as they didn't actually show the horses collapse or die or anything but they were just showing how things unfolded and how the horses reacted so dramatically. Really awful, must have ibeen horrid to see as noone would have known what was going on. They said they got electric shocks when they took the bridles off the two horses as well.

Most bizarre and those poor horses and all connections. I definitely think they have done the right thing to abandon. With not knowing what the cause is it could be 100 times worse if they continued.
 
Merlywerly said:
Just don't understand how could they be electrocuted from ground (if that's what it was) ??

Something very bizzare happened to say the least poor horses and hope the others are all OK too...
Click to expand...

I would say its most likely a fault in a under ground cable or tempoary cables to a generator that is powering trade stands, marque etc. poor horses RIP
 
Merlywerly said:
Just don't understand how could they be electrocuted from ground (if that's what it was) ??

If there is a live wire/cable in contact with the ground then the current can carry through, especially if tarmac type, metal surface and wet grass. It happened a few years ago to a poor woman hacking on a road where someone wwas doing work on electric cables. One was in contact with the road and electrocuted her horse (horrible), she suvived as had rubber soled boots on.
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Think they said on the C4 program that the only thing that had happened in the paddock since the last meeting was that the ground had been spiked with a machine that allows better drainage. They said the spikes can go down between 6-8 inches
 
So so sad for everyone invovled, would it be possible for it to be terriost related, like animals rights because they say no work as such has been done since last meeting. I know im cynical but newbury is a top racecourse just doesnt all add up.
 
gillianfleming said:
Think they said on the C4 program that the only thing that had happened in the paddock since the last meeting was that the ground had been spiked with a machine that allows better drainage. They said the spikes can go down between 6-8 inches
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Thats the probable cause then... maybe it has ruptured underground cables!

Its very sad and the grooms are very lucky that they wern't seriously injured or killed themselves... two of them have said that their horses have suffered minor burns to their tongue and the sides of their mouths... how awful :o(
 
Electricity effects four legged animals in quite a different way to humans. Because of the great ground covered, the charge is multiplied. As electricity radiates, the charge becomes less, like rings on a pond, but the four legged animal will get the charge from both the inner and outer rings, so effectively gets a double charge, whereas the human will get just the one charge. It doesn't have to be a very strong current to kill a horse, and will often be totally unnoticed by a person.

Sounds like there was an underground cable that has been damaged, leaking electricity into wet ground.
 
Poor poor horses, sleep well :(

Good idea to abandon racing and I'm glad I was watching FEI dressage at the time.
Is it possible it could have been a malicous (sp) attack?
 
lhotse said:
Electricity effects four legged animals in quite a different way to humans. Because of the great ground covered, the charge is multiplied. As electricity radiates, the charge becomes less, like rings on a pond, but the four legged animal will get the charge from both the inner and outer rings, so effectively gets a double charge, whereas the human will get just the one charge. It doesn't have to be a very strong current to kill a horse, and will often be totally unnoticed by a person.

Sounds like there was an underground cable that has been damaged, leaking electricity into wet ground.
Click to expand...

That's exactly what John Francome said after talking to an SEB person.
So sad and so scary. I just hope that Nicky Henderson's horse doesn't have a delayed reaction.
 
I am sitting in the medical room (As part of the Medical Team) at Newbury Race Course and I think until we know what really has happened we should stop speculating


It is very upsetting for all concerned with the horses.
 
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It's a nice sentiment Pauline but I doubt anyone will stop speculating - as is the nature with any incident, people want to know what's happened.

Thoughts to all involved.
 
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