Rules to reduce endurance speeds scrapped from 2019
The FEI has dropped a rule aimed at reducing catastrophic injuries and instead introduced longer mandatory rests
THE FEI has scrapped a rule that could have reduced speed-related fractures, bowing to pressure from Middle Eastern nations which practice racing-style endurance.
United Arab Emirates (UAE) rides frequently record loop averages exceeding 30kph: even at Euston Park’s first fixture of this UK season, a UAE rider recorded 33kph in the first loop.
The FEI commissioned Prof Tim Parkin of the University of Glasgow to investigate links between speed and fractures.
After he presented to the FEI Sports Forum in April 2017 and FEI endurance forums in Spain and Dubai, a rule was formulated to extend obligatory rest periods for horses exceeding 20kph.
But at the general assembly, all endurance proposals were shelved as they were “incomprehensible” (news, 30 November). This week, new proposals effective from 2019 abandon the 20kph rule; instead, rest periods will be extended.
For example, a horse completing 146km or more in a day must now rest for 40 days instead of 33.
A FEI spokesman said: “Following the discussions in Dubai it was raised that the rules should not penalise horses that compete over 20kph, therefore — still based on the Glasgow studies and to protect horse welfare — an additional seven days’ mandatory rest will apply to all.”
The Clean Endurance lobby called this a setback; spokesman Marianne Ironside said: “It’s disappointing the FEI has gone against its own research and not made efforts to curb speeds.
“The FEI recently awarded several championships to UAE sponsored venues, so could not afford for the UAE to feel targeted or victimised specifically with speed-related rest periods.
“But an unintended consequence could be more horses exported to countries of unlimited financial means, and a decrease in entries in the rest of the world where riders don’t have numerous horses at their disposal.”
Meanwhile, the FEI has increased dope-testing at UAE rides after H&H revealed that horses sampled at UAE rides returned 11.9% positives in 20162017 — 10 times more than any other sport.
For the first time, every FEI ride at Dubai International Endurance City (DIEC) this year has been attended by a sampling vet. DIEC was stripped of the world endurance championship in 2016 as the FEI felt “horse welfare could not be guaranteed”.
Figures for the second half of the UAE season show 10.1% positives: 10 horses of 99 tested.