Horse killed by arena mirrors

[Tiddlypom]

My 12yo galvanised backed mirrors are from Mirrors for Training, too. They have stood up well in the Cheshire Gap, which can get a special mention for gale force winds on the national weather forecast .

 

[Birker2020]

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?

I heard about this when a friend sent me the FB post with the vets report. I was greatly affected by what had happened to you and your beautiful horse and I am so very sorry. It must have been extremely traumatic for you. I hope you have the support that you need.

We have mirrors in our outdoor school but I think they were bought from the Royal Show or somewhere similar, I saw them on a stand and knew our YO wanted some. She went the next day and ordered them. I had one for my stable as they did stable mirrors and I wanted to try to keep Bailey chilled as she kept getting recurring colic and I thought it might have helped. Luckily it was the real deal and when I went into her stable the following morning she'd scraped her teeth down it and ruined it but it had stayed intact.

 

[Birker2020]

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

Yes it was put on FB on 20th July by someone with the initials 'AB' saying the owners were miss-sold the mirrors and that they should never have been used for equestrian use.

I commented on the post. They actually wrote "another stunning horse had to be euthanised" so I assume this has happened previously in the horse world.

How utterly tragic.

 

[Wizpop]

Tragic! So very sorry to read this. Hope you are doing OK?

From other posts above, it does look as though the suitability of the mirrors you had installed, needs to be thoroughly investigated. I know this would not bring your horse back if they are proved unsuitable, but at least it might go a long way to stopping it from happening to another horse.
Sending my best wishes for your recovery from this awful time.

 

[Tiddlypom]

[removed] mirrors are being advertised prolifically atm. I'd noticed that before this thread was posted.

 

[MerryMaxmas]

Oh I'm so sorry for your loss

 

[Birker2020]

Just found this on the website.

 

[Becky Bowman]

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.

View attachment 119266Just found this on the website.

View attachment 119266

View attachment 119266Just found this on the website.

Just found this on the website.

View attachment 119266Just found this on the website.

 

[ycbm]

That simply should be possible with horse mirrors. I assume you are going to be taking legal advice on this and wish you every success. It's astonishing that they are still being sold.

I hope you are coping with the dreadful loss of your horse.
.

 

[Birker2020]

That simply should be possible with horse mirrors. I assume you are going to be taking legal advice on this and wish you every success. It's astonishing that they are still being sold.

I hope you are coping with the dreadful loss of your horse.
.

Yes I think you should definitely take legal advice. It won't replace your horse but it will ensure the same thing can't happen to someone else.
But I think maybe restrict content on social media in case it prejudices the outcome of your case. Good luck.

 

[Tiddlypom]

That is appalling, I am so sorry.

For comparison, look at the side view of the MfT arena mirrors I posted upthread in which the mirrors are tightly bonded to a galvanised metal backing sheet.

 

[Birker2020]

That is appalling, I am so sorry.

For comparison, look at the side view of the MfT mirrors I posted upthread in which the mirrors are tightly bonded to a galvanised metal backing sheet.

There are specifications with the board that mirrors have to be attached to but the link I found only said 'mirrors' and it didn't state arena mirrors.

 

[lauragreen85]

Im so sorry to hear this

 

[Mudfukkle]

I'm so sorry to read about your sad loss and also totally horrified. I thought they would be made of stronger material to comply with safety. I hope you have contacted the manufacturer/supplier?

I'm not lucky enough to own my own school or mirrors, but I do hire arenas that have mirrors in them, your post has made me wary of them now.

 

[MagicMelon]

How truly horrific and something that should never have happened. Did you contact the company who made them OP? Id absolutely make them well aware of it as surely they need to change their design.

 

[Birker2020]

I have received a 'liked' notification today in respect of a reply on this thread and wondered if there was an update on this tragic story?

 

[splashdash]

Hello Becky Bowman,
I saw the news article on the Horse and Hound website regarding the tragic loss of Tomato and just wanted to say how sorry I am. It is truly any owner's worst nightmare that an item specifically designed for equestrian use should be the cause of death for one of our beloved friends.

 

[Becky Bowman]

yes got pictures but maybe some members who are squeamish

Please could you share the details with us?

 

[Birker2020]

Please could you share the details with us?

Hi Becky I just wanted to say I hope your are doing okay? I've thought about this a lot since I first saw it on FB.