Very obese horses at Waverton Cotswold Cup!!

[Velcrobum]

There have been so many obese horses with enormous bellies over this weekend at Cotswold cup. I feel sorry for them having to go XC as I very much doubt any are close to being fit enough. Short of having a vet on duty to pass them as fit I am not sure what could be done as it is definitely a welfare issue.

 

[toppedoff]

do vets do fatscoring at events or would that be too little?

 

[HappyHollyDays]

There were many the same at an event at Swalcliffe a few years ago, so much so that as fence judges a few of us asked control whether we could stop the poor horses on welfare grounds. Waverton is flat compared to Swalcliffe so I hate to think just how fat they were if they were struggling there.

 

[Velcrobum]

There were many the same at an event at Swalcliffe a few years ago, so much so that as fence judges a few of us asked control whether we could stop the poor horses on welfare grounds. Waverton is flat compared to Swalcliffe so I hate to think just how fat they were if they were struggling there.

I did not witness them XC but prior to that phase so have no idea how they coped. A fair few had riders decked out in very expensive clothing who really could not ride, I do worry these poor equines are the props to social media accounts and followers.................

 

[DabDab]

Assuming above board organisation etc there is always a vet/horse ambulance in attendance and the clerk of the course via xc control can ask for a horse to be stopped by fjs if there are multiple reports of a horse struggling. But it can be a hard thing to make a call on, through all the proper channels, in the moment. I often think it might be more effective to collar more people after they have finished and ask them to report to the the vet because their horse looked insufficiently fit to go around the course comfortably. If lots of venues were more proactive in doing that then it would probably effect more of a change than a horse getting stopped as a one-off only when it looks really bad

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

I stopped a horse on course because of a fat owner and consequent refusal at every fence in my eyeline. I said it was getting dangerous - so it definitely can be done, but needs someone to stick their neck out and be the one that says it.