John Whitaker & Peppermill . . . . disgusted.

If the horse isn't fit, then he isn't fit. If he's too sore to be tacked up and cantered/walked through the start to get eliminated (could JW have 'fallen off'?), then I agree with Boss that he probably won't be up to jumping an olympic track a day or two later... And if if it WAS a plan to keep the horse fresh for the following rounds... then the rules are the rules. Same rules that lost Bettina Hoy her gold in Athens. So tough.
 
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As Nick said on BBC, he popped a vertebrae....
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How does a horse 'pop a vertebrae'? Honestly, what does it mean?
 
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As Nick said on BBC, he popped a vertebrae....
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How does a horse 'pop a vertebrae'? Honestly, what does it mean?

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I was wondering that, thought a horses spine was a very rigid structure?
 
I don't think anyone thinks John should have ridden a lame horse.

I think the problem is if the horse is withdrawn, it's withdrawn, end of story. Too bad but there it is. If Mac's horse came right tomorrow should he be able to get into the individual?

So the decision was withdraw the horse or not, not wait and see. I don't see how anyone thought the other teams were going to be okay with that or how the powers that be would let it become a precedent.

I think they made the right choice for the horse. I don't think they should have eliminated it. BUT if the horse was that sore it would not have been fair to jump it today either.
 
But the decision about the entering the ring thing was nothing to do with the horse's welfare because they were happy to run him today and it would take a miracle for a horse to recover that quickly and be fit enough to jump an olympic track within 24 hours! On a live TV report's going out to millions of people they gave the reason for not entering the ring as 'embarrasment', the word welfare was never used.
At no point in any of these posts has anyone, including me, said they should have jumped a lame or sore horse.
 
Exactly!

Do a press release to say 'Peppermill is feeling much better but of course he will not be jumping for the rest of the games', rather than 'Peppermill is now fit to jump but they won't let us' !!
 
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But the decision about the entering the ring thing was nothing to do with the horse's welfare because they were happy to run him today and it would take a miracle for a horse to recover that quickly and be fit enough to jump an olympic track within 24 hours! On a live TV report's going out to millions of people they gave the reason for not entering the ring as 'embarrasment', the word welfare was never used.
At no point in any of these posts has anyone, including me, said they should have jumped a lame or sore horse.

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I watched the *live* coverage, which had little mention of the Peppermill situation apart from him not being allowed to compete, and at no point did I hear the word "embarrassed" used.
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I did however, catch the start of the BBC highlights just before I went riding, which was where DR stated their concern was for the horses welfare and that's why they wouldn't take him in the ring yesterday.
 
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As Nick said on BBC, he popped a vertebrae....
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How does a horse 'pop a vertebrae'? Honestly, what does it mean?

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Was once told by a very famous vet that if a horse had a vertebrae out, it would fold in two and/or fall apart.
 
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As Nick said on BBC, he popped a vertebrae....
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[/ QUOTE ]
How does a horse 'pop a vertebrae'? Honestly, what does it mean?

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I was wondering that, thought a horses spine was a very rigid structure?

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I'm not going to pretend that I understand the intricacies of it - having has a sports masseur work on me a lot lately, (who has quite a lot of equestrian inside knowledge
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) I do want to learn more
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but atm I can't pretend that I do.

I also didn't see *all* of the NS interview (was stacking the dishwasher following our slightly burnt lunch
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) But Sunflower saw it and quoted that to me.
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Following the question, that I can't actually answer
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all I can compare it to is that Star had a back problem many years ago, and a specialist saw her, who literally seemed to "punch" it back into place... 40 mins later she walked out the stable a different horse from the one she'd been for the weeks before hand... Moving *far* looser and with some specialist shoes and fitness work went from strength to strength, and back to 100% in her recovery
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I think Peppermill more than deserved to travel, he (& JW) had more than earned their place, they proved themselves in the first round, but then suffered a *very* unfortunate injury *once there*!!
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IMO, the question marks should be over Portafino travelling, NOT Peppermill.
 
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(ooooh puppy now we're intrigued..!
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Kate x

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LOL! I don't feel it appropriate to repeat all that I hear, unless it is to correct inaccurate rumours
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also if it popped anything at all steven hadley said that ws found in the morning when john started to excercise him. didnt the groon notice it couldnt move when he went in to tack it up? Not very likely and if it had 'popped' a vertebrae what ever that might be how come it wa almost right by the time of the first round only 12 hours later maybe less. steven hadley said on the comentary (while the appeal was being heard and before he was told the official party line no doubt) that the horse was nearly back to normal. Popped a vertebrae and i am the Virgin Mary......
 
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But surely the actual vertebra are way too far under the surface of the skin to be manipulated.

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I *think* the expression is more relating to the muscle around the vertebrae than literal... Am perfectly happy to be correct though
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How does a horse 'pop a vertebrae'? Honestly, what does it mean?

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I think things like this come down to terminology. I think all of us have heard the phrase - 'the horses pelvis is out.' Now, if that were litterally true, you'd have a horse on the floor. Words are often used loosely and i think you have to take it as that. It was more likely an impingement or subluxation of the spine, or muscle soreness.
 
If the horse had popped a vertebrae it would be on it's way to pedigree chum.

As it is none of us will know what has really gone on.

But if the horse wasn't right enough to saddle up and ride in the first team rounds (or even just circle twice in front of fence 1) then I don't see how on earth they thought it would be right to jump an olympic track the very next day, and I also don't understand why the british team seem surprised that the objections were raised, surely no one in their right mind would expect rules to allow 1 competitor to just have a day off and come out extra fresh the next day!
 
Unless anyone on here is a groom for the olympic team or the riders themselves, who really knows what the reasons were for what happened.
 
Don't really understand what's happened to Peppermill - please explain! Missed all of that. Saw Canadians trying their best. Wanted them to win once Brits were out. Especially the older guy in the team. He was brilliant and inspirational
 
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