Endurance horses dies at Euston Park

MotherOfChickens

MotherDucker
Joined
3 May 2007
Messages
16,639
Location
Weathertop
Visit site
  • Like
Reactions: DD

MotherOfChickens

MotherDucker
Joined
3 May 2007
Messages
16,639
Location
Weathertop
Visit site
its such a shame, at grassroots it really is a great discipline. tbh I am not sure how anyone here can support this event seeing who's 'festival' it is.


eta the 'horses' bit is a mistake!
 
  • Like
Reactions: DD

honetpot

Well-Known Member
Joined
27 July 2010
Messages
9,629
Location
Cambridgeshire
Visit site
My friend crewed a few years ago as a one off. What she told me, which was an open secret made me think that It’s all a fiddle. The report in the H&H the following week was so greasy it almost slid off the page.
They have bought the ‘sport’so there is not a lot anyone can do.
 

palo1

Well-Known Member
Joined
27 July 2012
Messages
6,865
Visit site
Ghastly stuff. Endurance has been going so badly wrong at the higher levels for so long now that it is effectively the normality of the sport. Even though the grass roots is friendly and decent here I just can't understand what 'inspiration' riders get from the highest level of competition. But people keep doing it, and most of them must know just how grim it is for the horses at the top- it is just bizarre!!
 

ester

Not slacking multitasking
Joined
31 December 2008
Messages
62,057
Location
Cambridge
Visit site
thanks steerpike :) I suspected something like that but didn't know (while being aware that europe comps are quite different to those in group VII states.

Re. the inspiration from those at the top, I suspect the top to those people isn't a desert race or what they put out, it's golden horseshoe, tevis etc.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DD

MotherOfChickens

MotherDucker
Joined
3 May 2007
Messages
16,639
Location
Weathertop
Visit site
there is a video on the Clean Endurance FB page of the horse already collapsed, she collapsed within two minutes of crossing the finish. The rider had never ridden her before.

rather predictability Endurance GB's post on its FB page has been taken down.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DD

Follysmum

Well-Known Member
Joined
15 February 2013
Messages
2,548
Visit site
There is lots of posts on Facebook which quite rightly has got people upset and angry. I have competed there before and tbh I have no intention of riding there again amongst these people.
They have no regard to animal welfare at all and make a mockery of what most of us want out of our sport.
They bring nothing but bad press for the sport.
 

ester

Not slacking multitasking
Joined
31 December 2008
Messages
62,057
Location
Cambridge
Visit site
there is a video on the Clean Endurance FB page of the horse already collapsed, she collapsed within two minutes of crossing the finish. The rider had never ridden her before.

rather predictability Endurance GB's post on its FB page has been taken down.

It makes you wonder if a rule of having to do x number of rides/length as a partnership would help? Rather than just having jockeys on horses.
 

be positive

Well-Known Member
Joined
9 July 2011
Messages
19,396
Visit site
It makes you wonder if a rule of having to do x number of rides/length as a partnership would help? Rather than just having jockeys on horses.

Not sure it would make them care any more, to these riders the horse is a tool not a living creature deserving of respect, this type of race riding seems to be about winning above everything else, endurance in the original form was about the horses welfare above everything else, winning was a bonus.
 

ester

Not slacking multitasking
Joined
31 December 2008
Messages
62,057
Location
Cambridge
Visit site
Unfortunately I can't see making everyone do an empathy quotient test is going to go down well.

I guess I was wondering whether it might mean they have more knowledge of the horse as a machine and it's limits rather than them actually caring any more.
 

be positive

Well-Known Member
Joined
9 July 2011
Messages
19,396
Visit site
Unfortunately I can't see making everyone do an empathy quotient test is going to go down well.

I guess I was wondering whether it might mean they have more knowledge of the horse as a machine and it's limits rather than them actually caring any more.

They might do but they might also break even more by going at faster speeds over the shorter distances to prove themselves capable and learn how fast the 'machine' can go.
I hate the way endurance has become a race with no horsemanship or skill required, racing is far better monitored in this country than endurance seems to be by the FEI who should take a stand and stop being so influenced by financial gain.
 

MotherOfChickens

MotherDucker
Joined
3 May 2007
Messages
16,639
Location
Weathertop
Visit site
It makes you wonder if a rule of having to do x number of rides/length as a partnership would help? Rather than just having jockeys on horses.

I don't honestly think it would help with this particular mindset from this particular sector of endurance. One of the team won the event, another was eliminated (presented at 27min, eliminated with a HR of 71!).

I've said before, the only FEI endurance ride I attended I reported a ME team (it might have been Qatar or UAE, I honestly can't remember) as one of the team could not ride, he could barely rise to the trot and they were in the longest ride of the day. I was togging so well away from anyone else and they twice passed me on that loop and his team mates were holding him on while he thumped around on this poor wee arab's back and hauled it in the mouth at every step. He wasn't just a poor rider, he was obviously scarcely a rider at all. I was told I must be mistaken!
 

zaminda

Well-Known Member
Joined
26 August 2008
Messages
2,333
Location
Somerset
Visit site
It would make a difference if at least some of the rides to qualify for FEI had to be done by the person riding at FEI, as each person would have fewer horses available, and they couldn't buy ready made, which is what they currently do. This means that once a rider is qualified they can just do FEI. Unlimited money means unlimited horses.
They are talking about having a reduced speed depending on a horses completion rate too which is a good thing. My mare failed at Euston, and I would say with most they were being picky so this horse dying was even more traumatic. There are a lot of things that could be changed, which could be aimed at specific people, including having a maximum proportional weight in comparison to the horse being ridden rather than the current situation which has a minimum weight of 75kg for 160k rides regardless of the size of horse!
I would also like to see it made harder to qualify for FEI. At the moment it's 4 rides!
 

PapaverFollis

Well-Known Member
Joined
13 November 2012
Messages
9,560
Visit site
I really dont know much about endurance and haven't read much about what goes on a top level now although I think I get the gist... but would an optimum time help?... so there are penalties for going too fast. And then a recovery and condition judged score maybe to separate those getting optimum time.

Sounds like something needs to change for sure.
 

hopscotch bandit

Well-Known Member
Joined
2 February 2017
Messages
2,872
Visit site
there is a video on the Clean Endurance FB page of the horse already collapsed, she collapsed within two minutes of crossing the finish. The rider had never ridden her before.

rather predictability Endurance GB's post on its FB page has been taken down.
And so the black curtain is put around her.... I wonder if that was to give those helping her a bit of privacy from the person filming? Or instead was it put around her to hide the grim reality of Endurance riding at this level?
 

palo1

Well-Known Member
Joined
27 July 2012
Messages
6,865
Visit site
That's a really good suggestion Ester. So sad for the mare.

This idea has been suggested many times but there is simply no real appetite for it within endurance. Competitors either tend to ride their own horses or get almost anyone to ride! There doesn't seem much middle ground.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DD
Top