Doping a horse and then hunting it

Slinkyunicorn

Slinkyunicorn

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Another thread has just reminded me of something I wanted to ask.

Friend has a wb ex eventer (has BE points etc) that was bought primarily for hunting. Is now going into his 3rd season hunting - 1st season didn't do much with him, last season did a bit more although was getting progressively more uncontrollable (starts shaking and then has no brakes) at the Boxing Day hunt he bolted through town with her and scared her. Since then she has taken to doping him with sedaline to go hunting. Has been cubbing with him this season hoping he would calm down but it seems not - is still being doped and still has no control over him and no bit combination seems to work.

Now she knows that I think the doping is a stupid idea but was told to do it by a racehorse trainer and gets the sedaline from his vet (who has been struck off) so goes with their advice (what do I know?). I don't hunt so she sees my advice as irrelevant and I am fairly sure she hasn't told our RI who would go mental.

Anyway enough rambling but to those of you who hunt etc is this common practice or am I right in thinking that this is just an accident waiting to happen??
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Red wine for anyone who gets this far - its a very nice rioja!!
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Accident waiting to happen
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Some horses are just not made for hunting (my TB being one of them
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) and I don't think you should push the issue, you should just fine something else you can enjoy together instead!
 
i can tell u of one of our top show producers who send all their clients out on doped horses every time they hunt!!
 
ridiculous. never ever would I do it... If I needed to dope a horse to hunt I simply wouldn't hunt it.
There are other careers out there for horses. Doesn't sound like it makes any difference, so why on earth would she continue doing it.
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Utterly irresponsible IMO.

Just because a racehorse trainer told her to do it doesn't make it right. It is very dangerous to dope an animal and then hunt it.

I wouldn't dream of doing it (and I am one of those crazy folk who sometimes ride in side reins...
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Absolutely stupid thing to do.

Has she thought that if she has an accident, and has been given dope, and doped her horse with said drug, from a vet that has been removed from the register, her insurance will wipe the board with her!!!
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Not to mention the risk to others when hunting, that horses can "go over" some sedatives, and that some sedatives carry substantial risks to the horse ie: heart failure
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I'm sure you have made all these things clear to her, but, I think this is a very irresponsible thing to do
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Dear me - this is just totally dangerous apart from any other implications.

Drugging a horse and then hunting it - no way - MAD, MAD!!!
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If it's that bad then don't do it.
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Couldn't agree more; is this a joke?

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No sadly it absolutely serious and she will be out hunting again tomorrow - the latest plan is to take him out twice in one day with 2 seperate hunts to see if that helps.
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wtf.....does she want to kill her horse???
 
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Couldn't agree more; is this a joke?

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No sadly it absolutely serious and she will be out hunting again tomorrow - the latest plan is to take him out twice in one day with 2 seperate hunts to see if that helps.
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Wouldn't surprise me if this horse dropped dead on the hunting field, hunting it twice in one day, WTF
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Couldn't agree more; is this a joke?

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No sadly it absolutely serious and she will be out hunting again tomorrow - the latest plan is to take him out twice in one day with 2 seperate hunts to see if that helps.
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Why doesn't she just accept that he can't cope with hunting and sell him to someone who wants to do something else with him?
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Some horses can't cope with it, it can be mindblowing. 3 seasons is enough time to see if he takes to it, and he clearly doesn't.

RE. hunting on ACP. She isn't the first and she won't be the last. I had it recommended to me for my horse (who can be v silly) by a couple of people in the hunt. I know people who do it regularly (one of those includes an ex MFH, for his hunt horses). Doesn't make it right but I think it's more commonplace than you would think.
 
If it was me in your situation I would have absolutly no hesitation in reporting the race trainer & vet ! It is an accident waiting to happen and TBH maybe her and the horse just clash she should sell it or loan to some one else who has the time, patience and knowledge to deal with it. Not many things get me angry on this forum but this has really made me angry, that poor horse is probably so confused the doping is probably only making his behaviour worse! let us know what happens
 
But who do you report these people to?
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Presumably the Royal College would know of the vet but I wouldn't know where to start with the trainer.

I worries me that as I said it is an accident waiting to happen and apart from her and her horse there will probably other innocent person invovled who gets hurt.
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Its fairly 'common' practice to hunt on ACP - the idea being it calms them at the meet but wears of when they get going. Its wrong/dangerous but shes certainly not the only one - and you can buy ACP/sedalin off the net anyway so anybody could do it!
 
silly cow !!
poor horse
she might as well drink and drive !!!
let face it the horse is probably going to make a mistake she'll blame the horse and sell it best thing all round.

the horse must have a bloody healthy heart.
 
Hmmmm,
Iv'e taken one to the meet on ACP before as it was its second time out and it was rather wild, it did calm down and then behaved well once we got going and hunted again without it. I would liketo add that this was also only for very slow autumn hunting with no jumping. I wouldn't even consider jumping with a doped horse. Sometimes a couple of meets where thy are a bit more chilled sorts them. However. There is NO WAY I would consider this to be a good option after 3 seasons I would be looking for a new hunter. The thing you ahve to remember with ACP/sedalin is that adreniline can override it and its useless unless you have given it well before you load them as the excitement will stop it working. You really don't need to EVER give more than 3/4 tablets for most horses and some it osen't seem to touch, which dosen't mean it isn't in some way. I would normally give m horses 2 / 3 goes at the meet to see if they will hunt, and if not, then get a new horse. There's no point endangering your self and others around you!
 
Besides the fact its a stupid thing to do, why would you take a horse like that to a Boxing Day Meet!, shes not only a danger to herself but to others.
 
Absolutely stupid. some i was out hunting with last week had given their horse bute as it was lame!!!
Then complained they had no brakes! Doesn't bute numb the mouth too?
 
It's quite common practice. I agree totally with Tower Hamlets, I've done it- for a new green mares first three times she had 2 ACp on the first, 1 and 1/2 on the second, and 1 for the last- given to her before we left home, and had definitely worn off by the time we'd left the meet. However, i have done it only on that occassion, and I didn't jump, and it wore off. I certainly wouldn't do it repeatedly, and certainly think that three seasons in if it hasn't settled, the horse needs a new career.
 
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But who do you report these people to?
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Presumably the Royal College would know of the vet but I wouldn't know where to start with the trainer.

I worries me that as I said it is an accident waiting to happen and apart from her and her horse there will probably other innocent person invovled who gets hurt.
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The RCVS for the Vet and The Jockey Club in Portman Square for the Trainer - and do have the courage to report both of them - asap.
This situation sounds as if someone could well be seriously hurt, or worse - and it most proably won't be your friend but some innocent bystander. If she won't think of her own horse, at least have some consideration for others. Also, can she really afford to have her Insurance Policy invalidated if something goes pear-shaped whilst her horse is doped?
 
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