Horse killed by arena mirrors

[Becky Bowman]

In April my beautiful four and a half year old Hanoverian gelding who I had owned from an eight month foal, suffered an horrific life ending injury caused by him accidently kicking one of our [removed] arena mirrors. His leg went straight through the "safety backed" mirror and the shards of glass behaved like butchers knives severing his lower limb. My horse shouldn't have died like this. Has anyone else out there experienced personally, or heard of, similar incidences involving these mirrors?

 

[nagblagger]

Oh I am so sorry to hear this and for your loss.

 

[catembi]

OMG how awful! Very sorry to hear

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Thats so sad I'm so sorry.

 

[Barton Bounty]

Oh my goodness, so sorry to hear this

 

[Laurac13]

Tragic I am so sorry

 

[JBM]

Not sure on the type of mirror but I know a horse who jumped straight through one
Sorry for your loss

 

[Reacher]

So sorry, how horrible. I kind of assumed these mirrors were made from polished aluminium or something, not glass

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

In April my beautiful four and a half year old Hanoverian gelding who I had owned from an eight month foal, suffered an horrific life ending injury caused by him accidently kicking one of our [removed] arena mirrors. His leg went straight through the "safety backed" mirror and the shards of glass behaved like butchers knives severing his lower limb. My horse shouldn't have died like this. Has anyone else out there experienced personally, or heard of, similar incidences involving these mirrors?

Thats so sad I'm so sorry.

yes got pictures but maybe some members who are squeamish

 

[Tiddlypom]

I'm very sorry to hear this.

The fitters for the company that I used to supply and fit my metal backed arena mirrors, installed 12 years ago and still good, did say that they had replaced [removed] mirrors elsewhere as being non safety backed, unsafe and not fit for purpose .

I only have the fitters' word for that, and they did of course work for a rival company.

I do not have any more recent information or updates than from 2011.

 

[Goldenstar]

I am so sorry that happened to your horse .
I wish you all the luck in world with you next one

 

[meleeka]

I’m sure I saw this on FB recently, so word is getting out if was your post.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

sorry for your loss, my livery pony collided with them and you could see both his jugular veins, lots of stitching up and prayers. My mirrors are against the wall.

RIP young man

 

[Kunoichi73]

So sorry about the loss of your horse.

 

[Rowreach]

BSEN12600 is a standard commonly used for safety backed gym mirrors, tested with a pendulum weight and dropped weights from various heights. I see rather a lot of them in my job. Like safety glass in doors and windows, it's designed to shatter into tiny pieces, not shards, and stick to the backing, in the event of someone running into it or whacking it with a bit of equipment.. I'm surprised any arena mirrors, where the direct impact from a hoof, shod or not, or the impact from a half ton horse are likely, rely on that standard.

What a terrible tragedy for your poor horse.

 

[scats]

What an awful thing to happen, I’m so sorry for your loss xx

 

[Skib]

I am a bit afraid of mirrors. I didnt encounter them till about 3 years ago at the yard where my share lives. When I am under the weather or the windy weather is too much for us, we go in the school. But our mirros are high off the ground. I try not to look in them as I was taught to steer when riding by looking where I want the horse to go.

 

[Time for Tea]

Heartbreaking. I am so sorry.

 

[ycbm]

I am very sorry to hear of this horrific accident Becky. I've always been surprised that glass is used in arena mirrors. It would only take one tiny square of "safety glass" to blind a horse.

 

[Haniki]

What an awful, tragic accident. I’m so sorry.

 

[rextherobber]

So very sorry for your loss

 

[TPO]

Sorry for your loss in such tragic circumstances

 

[PeterNatt]

I am so sorry to read of this tragic loss of a horse.
I would firstly check to establish the standards to which these mirrors were made to and if the manufactures state they are made to this standard ask which Notifying Body tested the mirrors to establish that they do meet the required standard.
If it is found that they either did not meet the safty standard or had not been tested to it then you are open to take legal action against them for the loss of your horse.

 

[eahotson]

Very sorry to hear this.

 

[Ratface]

How absolutely dreadful. I'm so sorry for the loss of your beautiful horse.

 

[Hallo2012]

so sorry for yur loss, and whist i cannot comment on [removed] mirrors i can confirm that mirrors for training mirrors DO stay stuck to the safety backing:

one has been kicked by a horse and shattered but stayed solid against the backing no injury to horse or glass dropped

one fell out in a storm and shattered but stayed solid on the backing and didn't drop a single shard in tot he arena surface.

which i know doesn't help you but for anyone else reading, i wouldn't hesitate to go down the MFT route again.

 

[ycbm]

so sorry for yur loss, and whist i cannot comment on [removed] mirrors i can confirm that mirrors for training mirrors DO stay stuck to the safety backing:

one has been kicked by a horse and shattered but stayed solid against the backing no injury to horse or glass dropped

one fell out in a storm and shattered but stayed solid on the backing and didn't drop a single shard in tot he arena surface.

which i know doesn't help you but for anyone else reading, i wouldn't hesitate to go down the MFT route again.

It helps me H. I ride in an indoor with a wall of mirrors and they worry me. I know they will be top quality (I'm back at SPF) and it's really reassuring to know that they're likely to be safe.

I hope the OP manages to get some recompense for the unsafe ones, even if it won't cure the pain of losing her horse that way.
.

 

[Hallo2012]

It helps me H. I ride in an indoor with a wall of mirrors and they worry me. I know they will be top quality (I'm back at SPF) and it's really reassuring to know that they're likely to be safe.

I hope the OP manages to get some recompense for the unsafe ones, even if it won't cure the pain of losing her horse that way.
.

i'm just glad you could understand the dreadful spelling lol!!!!

 

[stormox]

Slightly different scenario but a friends horse cantered into some newly installed mirrors while loose in an indoor arena, he assumed he could go straight on! Not badly hurt but mirrors cracked and he had a wound on his forehead.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Arabi sometimes would lunge himself at them when he was young obviously thinking it was another horse, it used to terrify me so i stayed away from them I was only at that yard for a short time luckily.