Vet clinic Sudden death in horses and why it happens
Why might a horse die suddenly, during competition or training? The answer is not always clear, as Karen Coumbe MRCVS explains
UNEXPLAINED sudden death is thankfully rare in the horse, but it can be devastating when it does happen.
There is an important distinction to be made between a horse found dead and a genuine sudden death. A horse found dead may have had undetected yet serious or significant signs of illness or injury prior to the moment he actually died. A genuine sudden death is when a closely observed and previously healthy horse dies. In such circumstances, it can be remarkably hard to find the cause of death, unless there are obvious clues such as scorch marks associated with lightning strike.
When a horse dies in competition, news travels fast via social media and headlines can follow — indicating the high emotional and economic impact of an equine fatality. Aside from the trauma to all concerned, the safety of the rider and the public perception of animal welfare during equestrian events must be considered. More knowledge of and awareness about sudden death will help vets, officials and event organisers minimise potential risks and hopefully reduce future incidents.
Accurate information and statistics on this subject are limited. There are plenty of anecdotes yet few firm facts and
Andrew Nicholson was third on the extravagant galloper Jet Set lV, back in good shape after chipping a bone fraction off a stifle.
Millie hopes to get to a fourstar with the 13-year-old Artistiek, who clocked up several good international results before being sidelined with injury last year.
“It’s great to have him back as he’s such a super horse,” said Millie. “He’s very naughty and bouncy, but when he gets to the event, he always performs.”
PROBLEMS IN THE INTERMEDIATE
THERE was little cross-country trouble in the advanced, but the picture changed when it was the intermediates’ turn, with a wide smattering of run-outs and unseatings and a cluster of tripups in the new water.
Tom McEwen, however, had no such trouble on a seemingly endless collection of quality youngsters, winning section N on Ken and Barbara Cooper’s Dreamaway ll, by Verdi, who was produced by Jodie Amos.
“I did wonder if he was just a pretty pony, but he’s turned out to be a proper horse with a big stride,” reported Tom.
Piggy French took section M with an outstanding score of 20.2 on Alison Swinburn and John and Chloe Perry’s Brookfield Inocent and France’s Gaspard Maksud won section O on Altus Louvo, a half-brother to 2014 world champion Opgun Louvo.
New Zealand rider Jonelle Price was also on brilliant form, winning open intermediate section T with Cloud Dancer II and taking second on her 2018 Badminton victor Classic Moet, who was enjoying her first spin since the four-star in May.
Alex Hua Tian topped open intermediate section P on DHI Jet Set, fending off Ibby Macpherson and Ballingowan Diamond.
The chance of seeing two horses with the same name filling the top two spots in one section is pretty unlikely. However, intermediate section U resulted in exactly that when Harry Meade steered Gideon to victory, with Andrew Heffernan on Gideon II 4.3 penalties in arrears.
Sunday’s remaining intermediate sections went the way of Izzy Taylor (Conguistador II), Jesse Campbell (Morning Fawlty) and Tom McEwen (CHF Cooliser).