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 Have you been injured in Eventing?   Take this survey  for a study that is underway by a graduate student. 

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Sept 25, 2010  Extravagence breaks leg in 3 star and is put down at Poplar place.

Sep 10, 2010   British event rider Robin Donaldson, 64, has died in hospital following injuries sustained 19 days earlier in a fall on the cross-country phase of the Beckwithshaw Horse Trials.

Sept 18 - Sebastian Steiner , 22, Killed in Cross country fall in Italy.

Sept 4 - Heiress Airlifted after fall in Cross Country at Burghly

Aug 2010  Upper level horse Roxana breaks leg on Trakkener and is put down.

July 2010,  Top horse Chauncy Dies at Rebecca Farms. 

May 22, 2010 -  Follow Melani Reid story.  She broke her back on a cross country course about a month ago and is a writer and is documenting her experience.   She is just off a ventilator..

May 12, 2010 - So maybe it is time to get real?   We have frangible fences in place, but rotationals are still happening.  We have a disconnect between course designers and Rider Reps and the Professional Horse Council.... We have new vests... and perhapes that  is why no one  died at Rolex?  But the videos of the falls at the Hollow were taken down.. and why?  Anyone who was there could and should use the videos to file Welfare of the Horse with USEF...yet did anyone?    There was a headline after Jersey Fresh this week that says "no one died".  Is this how we want the sport looked at? 

And Most important (after the Rolex issues with Laine...)

Is being Qualified the right decision on who should  be out on the Rolex 4**** course.?   At one point professional licensing was discussed by the FEI.   Case in point...  Kristi Nunnink's fall at Rolex on RStar was her SECOND rotational on the mare.  Kristi herself had never ridden the two star short format in 2006 when her student was killed in competition on a rotational.  Kristi  was in a rotational on R-STar the first time she attempted the new short format ** at Twin Rivers in 2007.   Kristi does not have an ICP. There is a video of R-Star at Galway earlier this year hanging a leg.      

2 Weeks after Rolex Kristi had stops at Jersey Fresh on her other horse Corner Street ...are stops at 3 *** ok, normal, an invitation to a fall?  Clearly the  USEA "rules" cleared her to compete 2 weeks after the fall on R Star? 

There were a number of falls at Rolex, horse or rider... What % were first timers in the 4***?

We are suggesting that the USEA track falls of professionals and of their students to continue to improve overall safety.  

May 3, 2010.- World champion K. Cook in rotational with her horse at BAdminton.    Desert Island was put down with a broken leg (Louisa Lockwood 's horse).  No one is mentioning the falls of horses at Rolex "officially".  The posts have been taken down at some of the blogs and the youtube of the hollow falls is removed.  Seems that since the grandslam rider O. Townend was in a rotational two weeks ago, and Ms Cook this week...?  Lots of falls of horses. ...  here is the youtube of ms cook... hope it stay available so riders can study it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2ZVsChwAds&feature=related

April 24, 2010  - Rolex.  Oliver Townend injured, 6 horses fall, 3 on the same fence. Welfare of the Horse issue?  the numbers at upper level are scary... over 25% of Cross Country didn't finish.  6 falls of horse 3 on the same fence.  Frangible pins didn't release (and were they suppose to?). 

Anyone who witnessed the accident who holds a USEF membership may file a welfare of the horse complaint.  Look at this photo series (which shows the whole thing including the horse standing clearly dazed) and decide if you should file the complaint?

http://eclipsesportswire.spitfirephoto.com/albums.php?albumId=110782

Here is the Utube of the three falls at the hollow

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxWZ2uKLQb4&feature=player_embedded

April 2, 2010   - First Upper Level horse killed in the season....Top Advanced horse Porloe Alvin, put down after rotational fall in competition.  The horse finished 2nd in the CCI **  in Spain earlier this month and was returning to competition after 2 years off for injury.

March 15, 2010 - Second big Rotational Fall of the year... This one killed the rider at the competition.  And so the year starts...  Dirk Grouwels was killed on a rotational in Belgian at a competition.  I assume someone is keeping the Stats on this... total rotationals and deaths against starts?  By level?  NO not by level... that would require the sport recognizing that they haven't fixed the problem yet. 

March 11, 2010  - What will this year bring?   We have already had our first big rotational fall.. actually 12 riders fell off and 4 horses fell...  the riders are only injured with Jan Byrny dissecting an artery and losing her speech.    Thread at COTH on should this sport have two tiers...? 

Our wishes?

• That the Statistics be republished  on falls to show the falls at upper level versus all starters and the resulting correct statistical chance of serious injury if your horse falls at the various levels.  The injury/death to horse and rider at upper levels is staggering and

Nov 1, 2009   -  What a year.   Over 25% and in some cases a much higher percentage of the field in the **** weren't finishing, more upper level horse deaths, teenagers with Head Injuries facing long term recovery issues and the FEI saying the sport  is dead if it doesn't clean up after 6 positive drug tests at the Olympics.  Read more  The good news... frangible fences are in and better fence by fence stats are publicly available making bad courses and course designers easier to weed out.   

Aug 10, 2009   1 out of 4 don't finish Cross Country at Gatcombe.  On a Mark Phillips designed course.   Are these finish results reasonable?  Andrew Nicholson takes another big rotational fall.  (photo on link)... Perhapes the rule should have riders go down a division based on number of falls... not number of falls per horse. 

July 12, 2009  - Another top horse dies, this time at Maui Jim. 

June 15, 2009   - Faith Cook has a horrible fall at Bramham.  Photo: Paul Rainford Photography

June 6, 2009  - 14 year old girl in coma in UK following Accident at Eventing Competition. 

May 30, 2009 - Top horse breaks his leg in competition.  Jump removed at Tattersalls... Good call by riders who stopped the competiton and asked to have the jump removed after the THIRD horse fall (last one was fatal!)  Zara Phillips falls again....   how many falls is this?

May  20, 2009  - Is Equestrian Aid Foundation doing all it can?   while they did raise a boatload of money for a "top name" rider (Darren Chiacchia who is possibly having issues with them also!) ... What about the fact that we have riders in Comas with no help.   Allisons Coma situation from the Event at RAm Tap in California is heart wrenching and life changing...... And as usual, USEA is slient and there is no help...we suggest again that larger mandatory insurance policies be part of the USEA membership benefits.    The families of Riders who have  been killed or seriously injured experience devastating financial hardships.   

May 23, 2009  - Still no update from USEA on Allison Angrove coma from a head injury at Ram Tap or Alexandra Berry  head injury after her fall in Feb at Pine Top.   It isn't just our top riders who have medical expenses and problems it is our juniors also.  

May 19, 2009  - Course Designer at Jersey Fresh Discusses why there were so many tired horses.  The short format is still unproven?

 May 9, 2009Another great horse killed. Olympian Phillip Dutton in second big rotational fall in 7 months.  Dutton missed a bullet in two ways.  One that he walked away from another big rotational fall that broke the neck of his mount, Bailey Wick, at Jersey Fresh CCI *** today... and two, that his last rotational fall was at Fair Hill in Oct 2008 so he was passed the 6 month rule for two falls that would of sidelined him.    Still, under the old proposed rules (which were safer for the horses .. see below) he would of had to sit out for a period of time... safer for him and his other horses perhapes.  He may of had to requalify.... perhapes holding him out of Rolex.  UPDATE!  It has been suggested that the rules are for horse and rider "combinations".... But the original proposal (shown below) doesn't say combination.... and clearly the intent was not for riders to be able to dispose of horse after horse without being sent back a level?   I also know I am not the only one who intrepreted the rules as they were originally described to be a way to keep horses safe and penalize riders who were taking falls.   The new rules for return to play are what they are... USEA Safety's goal is clearly to keep the trainers working.... but horses are dying and it should be about the Welfare of the Horse at the end of the day.  Jersey fresh CCI*** had 30% not finish.... and that is not including the 3 horses who withdrew after dressage in the CCI.  9 of 27 horses that started cross country did not get around.  These stats are unacceptable.  Check out these photos from the CCI...is this really the upper level riding...?  We would send our pony club kids back into the lesson ring if they rode like this!  

More Stats... in the CIC *** at Jersey this weekend 30% didn't finish.  At Badminton this weekend 21 of 80 did not finish a little over 25%, and there were 3 horse falls. 

Aussies  jumps racing suspended after horse deaths.  They did this after two deaths recently.  Eventing has had 3 great horses lost in as many weekends. 

May 1, 2009  - One year later where are we?  On April 29 last year the president of USEA and David'Oconnor issued a letter and a set of goals.  We remain concerned about the Welfare of the Horse parts that have not been put in place from this list... in fact the "return to play" for riders continues to errode the rules that have been passed... and we still do not have clear enough mandatory time outs for horse falls. 

These were the goals outlined by David and Kevin one year ago...  They were the right idea but clearly many have been watered down or not implemented.   As this year starts, I hope we have a better year. 

1. If a horse has a rotational fall, horse and rider are suspended from competing for three or six months
2. If a horse has a rotational fall, horse and rider lose their qualification at the level at which they are competing.
3. If a rider falls off on the course they are eliminated.
4. Open oxers on courses at every level are made frangible.
5. If a horse falls related to a jump both horse and rider are suspended from competing for one month.

April 26, 2009 - Top Eventing Rider dies in horrible fall in Event in UK.  Interesting discussion on the Coth BB about death and the state of the sport of eventing.  We think it is worth everyones time to re-read the report on Horse falls and injuries that was done last year out of Australia...interesting historical data on falls.

April 26, 2008 - ROLEX ... Another top Eventing horse dies.  Allison still in a coma after Ram Tap two weeks ago and still no official acknowledgement of her accident from USEA.  - RIP Kingpin, ridden by Mike Winters died on the rolex cross country course.   There is a bit of "spin" on the accident....did the horse die from the strain of trying to run the course and jump... or was he "bleeding internally"....   they say it was unrelated to the competition.. yet this is a top horse cleared to go out on a course and do a maximum effort.   We wonder if it is worth splittin hairs on this... did the  horse collapsed trying to jump a fence or was he  in trouble when he left the ground and collapsed on the other side?  OR, was he was not fit to run in the first place? .... In that case if he had been in trouble 4 strides further out would he of hit the fence with a more disasterous result for the rider?  We are fnding  Rolex harder to watch.  And in talking to people we found that many others feel tired of the weekend to weekend drama of "what will happen next".   We would note that over 20% of the field of starters at Rolex didn't finish.  If horse racing ran their top top races (breeders cup, kentucky derby)  where EVERYTIME there was a start 20% of the field fell off risking death or the horses fell down I don't think the sport would last long.  

April 11, 2009  - First FEI event, First Upper Level Horse death of the year.  Dutch Chocolate collasped and died after being eliminated in Cross Country in New Zealand.

Also a young girl is in a coma after an accident at the Ram Tap event in Califonia on the same weekend.   Read Allisons parents journal on Allisons situation.  Excellent non related thread on Dangerous Riding on the Chronicle of the horse BB

April 10, 2009 -  USEA 2008 Safety report.   It is interesting to note that they once again (incorrectly) totaled all the horse falls and rider falls against all starters, approx 41,000.  There were approx 8500 upper level starts last year.  Over half of the 65 horse falls were upper level but how many rider falls were at upper level?  That statistic would greatly change the 1 in 71 chance of a fall if you are an upper level rider.   And it would continue to push the issue of all upper level coaches being ICP certified and riders qualified!   Since 25% of horse falls were statistically stated to cause injury in last years numbers reconsidering course design at upper level will save riders (and horses!)  Again, we call on USEA to stat the truth! 

March 13, 2009  - Another Horrible Injury, Young Rider in Coma with a broken neck.  Another British team hopeful, 18, suffers a terrible fall and injury .   She had hoped to compete for Britian in 2012.  She was not in an eventing competition we would note, but we continue to be concerned at the injury rate for young riders.  Update April 11. Rider hopes to be home by easter, will need to learn to walk again.

Feb 2009  - And so it starts...  We found it hard to start the season... so we called a few competitors and found the same conundrum... "perhapes this year will be different... less deaths... it isn't an olympic year!.... "  but it has started.  A young rider fell on the 13th... we hope for her recovery.   Darren was in the NY times... recovering still.  The "plan" for deformables "under study"...  

Dec 21, 2008  -  Good article Eventing in Crisis.  Everyone should read this.    Also a recent study has come out of the UK that proves many of our current X country jump designs are dangerous and causing falls. The study questions the "questions" being asked of our horses.   This photo was not connected to the study... but sometimes our horses just can't figure it out... we need to be sensitive to this in course design.  To see the full series on this  jump click on the picture.  The horse made it over ok, but this could of had a terrible result.  click here to read the study. 

Dec 3, 2008  -  A GREAT QUESTION!   Was the trouble that OLYMPIC level riders had moving up into the new Express Eventing format (only 6 of 19 horses finished, two fell and one died) a case study of the move up problems that have had such fatal results for our Young Riders and their horses.?

??? our young riders have had serious trouble rating themselves and their horses into new formats or in move up formats.... sometimes with fatal results.  Didn't our most experienced riders and horses just go through the same thing with the Express Eventing event???

Dec 2, 2008 - Gladiator Jumping Kills- We didn't coin the phrase.. it was mailed to us. Watch the youtube of this round at Express Eventing and tell us who would invent this..?. with JUMPS THAT DONT FALL DOWN! .... unbelieveable...  The footing sucks and the horses..trained to go forward outdoors with real footing... are slipping.... This sport went forward with the tacid approval of the Eventing Communities?  .. (who all want the prize money for their upper level riders...) 19 Olympic level riders started and only 6 completed.... PETA will have an opinion!    Denny Emerson has a view! everyone should read.  The bulletin boards comments on Express Eventing are very upset.

Mary's round where her lovely Olympic Horse was killedis posted on youtube but it is not posted here... too disturbing.  13 other Olympians didn't get around either. 

Dec 1, 2008 - Our topics for the USEA convention on Dec 12.  #1  Should there be a Mandatory amount of Cross Country training time (min, hours) before a junior rider can move up each level?  Call for a study!

1. Now that the one fall rule will be charted in public score results we expect all parents will take a hard look at how many falls there really are in cross country at the lower levels.  This is a direct result of almost no time spent (on an annual basis) actually training Cross Country.  It has been suggested that in certain regions that the X Country schooling time AND time on courses competing  is often less than 1 hour total for the entire year! (Compared to the hundreds of hours practicing Show jumping in the ring or dressage all year.!)   We feel that the USEA needs to address the lack of experience on cross country by all riders and that if cross country is to remain part of 3 day, instructors must be required to teach a min amount of schooling hours at speed.  We would like to see a formal study. We would like to see a guildline in the ICP.
2. Mandatory ICP licensing. (how is that 500 new ICP instructors coming?) 
3. Deformable Fences for all cross country jumps.
4. Serious coverage of the Speed Research Study on courses. 
5. Licensing for upper level riders.  The upper level riders are killing horses.  12 this year alone in competition and who knows how many are permanently hurt schooling.   There has to be some oversite for riders who treat horses as disposable.
6. Mandatory Trama Transport plans for all events.  The reality is most upper level riders who were taken to trama hospitals or helicoptered out rapidly lived.  Those who were taken to "health clinics" down the road did not.

NEWS FLASH!  First "Express Eventing" held and Call Again Cavalier Killed.   New high fan visibility format in a stadium a killer.  19 top Olympic starters... only 6 finish.  Pace was designed to be "fast and furious".   Mark Todd crashed one x country fence so hard it couldn't be rebuilt.  First Place Rider, Mary King on Cavilier fell and horse was loaded up publicly with a catastrophic injury.... .  OK.. who thought this up?  Again.. top prize was $100K, 2nd prize was 50K - horses are disposable.  Call for change!   This is now the biggest money in Eventing with obvious disasterous results.  Michael Efferington-Smith is head of British Equestian and this "new" sport debuted in his country.   Riders commented.   "Horses don't know what this type of competition is,” Todd said. “We don't really train them for this sort of thing.” Fox-Pitt said: “The day has not been at all relaxing; you had to concentrate extremely hard, the fences all came up so fast - but I'm sure we'll all get better at it.”   They are kidding right? 

Nov 16, 2008 - Licensing?  We are waiting on FEI to decide what they will do with licenses?  For instance should Nicholson be moved back...?  Zara?  Nicholson fell with his horse at the Olympics.  Then this fall at Burghley. 

http://www.horsetalk.co.nz/news/2008/11/066.shtml

Oct 31, 2008 - FEI may issue "license" for 4 star riders.  'Bout time!  the goal will be to better monitor "dangerous riding".  How many horse deaths (11 this year) are acceptable anyway?  And how many falls? 

Oct 30, 2008  -  Another Young Rider Rotational Death!  This has to Stop!   Young Pony Club rider, aged 15, killed in a rotational fall during a competition.  Bringing up the obvious question.   Was the jump she was on frangible?  We have a serious problem in that if the horses keep falling the riders will die.  All jumps must be deformable. 

Sept 16, 2008  Another pic of one of the bad Burghley falls.  Click to see the whole sequence...warning very graphic...

Sept 21, 2008  - An unpleasant Truth - If horses keep falling more riders will die.  The goal for USEA has to be to eliminate horse falls. John Long, CEO of USEF states.  "I don't think that there is another issue that equestrian sport faces that is any greater than some of the surrounding controversies that have come from the injuries and fatalities of both horses and riders over the last years." There were 3 horrible falls at Burghley.  NONE at the Eventing World Championships which is a great thing!   Radio Flyer fell this weekend at the *** Gold Cup at Poplar place (he is reported to be ok) and we havent' heard the report from Plantation yet. 

John Long is looking into deformables for the WEG in 2010.  Please join us in encouraging all event organizers to put in deformable jumps and for all Results to list Horse Falls so that everyone understands the risks upper level riders are putting their horses and themselves in EVERY WEEKEND.   Currently, even though this is the Number One issue in our sport there is no public recording of Horse Falls in published results.

Sept 9, 2008  - Future of Equestrian Olympics Threatened.  Dope scandals and safey issues.....

Sept 2008 - 3 horrible Horse falls at Burghley.  Capt Phillips Jump to be scrapped.  Captain Phillips, course designer confirmed that the "mushroom" jump he designed which caused 3 horrible falls at Burghley will be thrown out.  His daughter Zara had one of the worst falls.  Luckily, no one was killed, horses or riders.  Recently Michael Efington-smith had a jump he designed removed before riders started. Who monitors the course designers in light of all the deaths and injuries?

Zara has had numerous horse falls in last 12 months and several friends killed.  what is wrong?

Aug 18, 2008   Another eventer dies after injury during Eventing Event in Ireland.  Twin Brother died in 1997 on an Eventing course.  In a separate incident at the same event 2 weeks ago CNC* horse, The Templar, died on course.

Report on Olympic course safety change

June 25, 2008   Getting Event Instructors certified.  The call to get 500 instructors through the ICP is an important goal.  To that end at least one west coast barn has offered free stabling for 20  each week and facilities to as many ICP workshops as USEA would like to hold over the rest of the year.  Here is another effort that is going on. USEA Instructors Workshop in Area 1  

Jun e 24, 2008   Article at the Humane Society Making Safety the Main Event, on eventing.  A general call we are hearing (which we think USEA could mandate immediately) is to slow down the courses while we are figuring out what has gone wrong.

June 17, 2008 - Another top CCI** horse, Task Master, dies after an injury in competition.  Here is the discussion thread... it calls for the reality check of "really" it is time to call for a change in X country.  Everyone must read this....

June 16, 2008 -   A possible Dangerous Riding by juniors at a local event (read thread) and International CCI *** and CCI**** riders with falls of horses last weekend, including a rotational... see the AP photo below.  How are the governing bodies going to create rider"watch lists"?

June 14, 2008  - Horses keep falling... badly.  AP Photo by Joerg Sarbach - Daylife  click for larger

June 9, 2008  Safety summit writeups... It is a great start....NY times reports:

Practical Horseman review of the meeting.   here is the Chronicle of the horse bulletin board discussion from attendees. 

June 6, 2008  Now things get interesting...  It is obvious that with 8 great upper level horse deaths in the last few months that the big Upper Level horse owners would have to step in.  The price of Event horses has skyrocketed (price tags of 1M have been rumored), the horses are often syndicated and lets face it... all these horses are insured!   But... now the insurance products on the horses and certain riders are going to end up uninsureable if drastic changes aren't made.  The current death rate and injury statistics for Upper Level Horses is horrible as you look back at the last 18 months.  USEF Creates Eventing High Performance Owners Task Force 

 Here is a GREAT LETTER that was sent to the safety summit!  Everyone needs to read this...  we will post limks to items as we become aware of them.

Our top list, which we have forwarded to the summit is. 

 1.  Peer review of all major injuries or deaths of horse or rider.  Currently the USEA process is to create a wall of silence about rider deaths.  Horse deaths are reviewed if it is reported under Welfare of the Horse within 10 days by a USEF member who witnessed it.  We need to be able to ask for a peer  review and have issues examined so trends can be identified.  

May 29, 2008  Bravo to Laine. after her fall at Rolex, for her decisions with coach Buck Davidson to approach her return to the sport and her own athletic rebuild with safety and a sound plan. READ

May 28, 2008  Sad news for all... Teddy O'Connor, loved sport pony and one of Karen's Olympic rides was euthanized this am after injuring himself.   

May 2008 - Sadly, another top horse , Tigger Too, was killed at the Jersey Fresh CCI ***.   This one belonged to David O'connor and was ridden by a young rider.  Luckily she escaped injury.  Horse was 17 years old....why are these older horses still out there... Task Force, another top horse was also recently killed in Warmup at a CCI.    developing... Photo link for Tigger Too Fall  Warning graphic....

After Kentucky Derby Tragedy, Humane Society weighs in on Eventing and Horse Racing 

The Price the horses pay - April 2008

 .

photo from Kentucky.com of Frodo at Rolex 2008

Horse from Lord of the Rings movie Euthanized at Rolex 2008.  Another Top Horse was euthanized by this rider after injury in upper level competition last year -May 2007. Rider, Laine Ashker (24) remains in critical condition.

Course designer at Rolex 2008, Michael Etherington-Smith to resign from Course design This was announced in Feb of 2008.   Michael Eftheringotn-Smith was also course designer at Galway Downs where Mia Eriksson was killed.   Brits Etherinton-Smith and Capt Phillips were designers on US courses where 6 horses have died this year.  

American eventing safety proposals stir heated debate... Michael Efferington Smith calls the rules "over the top".  Capt Phillips says a country "shouldn't go off on a tangent..."  about being safe?  Get real... horses and riders are dying out there.

There is something  you can do!  Call

 The death of Eight Belles after she came in second in the Kentucky Derby and of two horses at Rolex in April has been a one-two punch to the Kentucky Commonwealth's marquee equine events. Although horse racing and three-day eventing are furlongs apart in practice and competition, the sight of injured and dying horses traumatize fans and hurt the image of Kentucky's signature industry.

"We are hearing from a very large number of people today saying that they can't watch it," said Keith Dane, director of equine protection at the Humane Society of the United States. "Everyone is concerned and everyone wants change."

Because of the prestige of both these events, they attract huge numbers of spectators -- 100,000 over the three days of Rolex and 157,000 at the Derby -- and are broadcast to a wide television audience as well. And Eight Belles' death on the track came just two years after Barbaro's well-documented breakdown and eventual euthanasia. (reprinted from Kentucky.com)

 Want to do something?  Call Keith Dane, Director of Equine Protection Humane Society and leave him a voice mail!

Keith Dane, The Humane Society of the United States 2100 L Street, NW Washington, DC 20037 202-452-1100

US News and World weighs in - Should this sport be stopped till changes are in place?  there is an open comment board here... got an opinion?  post it here!

April 2008 - Rider Injured And Two Horses Euthanized At Rolex 
 

A rider is hospitalized in critical condition after a fall at the Rolex Three-Day Event in Lexington, and two horses have to be euthanized.  Twenty-four-year-old Laine Ashker, a rider in the Rolex, is hospitalized, and at last report in critical, but stable, condition, after being injured in a fall Saturday at the equine event.  The "Herald Leader" reports her horse, Frodo Baggins, was so seriously injured so that he was euthanized. 

Another horse, "The Quiet Man", was critically injured during the competition and had to be euthanized. His rider Sarah Hansel escaped serious injury.  photo from Kentucky.com of Quiet man at Rolex 2008

Editor Note:  there have been several postings from Course designers, Coaches and top USEF officials stating that the sport has "more riders" (which they are alluding means more injuries).  The reality is that all the deaths of horses and riders are at upper levels and are riders that have been in the sport for years.  We know of at least one parent of an upper level rider who has been trying to get USEF or USEA to publish their open letter on safety to the equestrian community without success.... while after each death another "message" from someone in authority is published.

April 2008  - Breaking News   - 2 Deaths!- Rider killed at Event in Austria.  Another Event Rider Killed...this time in Ireland.  This has got to stop!

UPDATE!  Is this part of the problem?   Capt Mark Phillips has been the designer on many of the courses where deaths have occured.  Concern among riders... NY times weighs in....

Notice:  Enought deaths!   A litigation is pending.  If you or your horse has been injured at any event please send your info to webmaster@eventing.zzn.com and we will forward it. 

USEA president weighs in with MORE safety "task forces" and acknowledges that riders and the general membership of eventing are upset...the sport has become too dangerous and the old guard who pushed for these deadly courses were wrong. Read this  it is inexcusable that these groups of our "leaders" have been "meeting" continually while 12 deaths have occured.   

Horse Injuries?   Lets talk about that also! 
4 horses killed, 2 at Red hills, one at the fork and one at Florida horse park recently. As of April 2008, 2 more at Rolex. 

 This photo was courtesy of Regardinghorses.com, and was not at the courses listed above...it is an example of the serioushness of these falls. 

Beaking News  March 15, 2008.  Darren Chiaccia was seriously injured in a fall at Red Hills Florida.  Two horses were also killed at the event.   Update april 2- Darren is  heading to a special hospital, updates on him at  EventRider.

Editor note - Private donations have been pouring into Darren, over 200K to date.  We know that other families who have had riders killed were expressly turned down by USEA insurance within days of incidents and have had to bear the expensive of these expensive preventable hospitalizations and deaths.   Equisure is the insurance of USEA and most of the events.  We have read letters that they have sent families and all riders should be aware that they may not pay, nor be compasionate. 

Breatking news:  Nov 2007 - Another Young Rider (21) dies in a CCI **  When will USEF step in and make the necessary changes mandatory versus "saftey committees" and suggestions?  The majority of Deaths over the last 13 months (13 deaths in 14 months have been young riders in the CCI**,  4 CCI ** deaths total! )  Please send an email to skeating@usef.org and express your concerns!  In this accident the horse was killed also!   Read about the issues surrounding "short format" and other problems at the bottom of this page.

FEI looks again at eventing safety following another rider's death

Zara Phillips devasted by friends death

Eventing Kills Horses!  Here is another horrendous fall where the horse didn't die, but ...

World Eventing Champion Zara Phillips takes a horrendous fall in June of 2007.  click to see what happened to her horse.  This photo series shows how hard this sport is on the horses as well as the riders. 

Eventing  Sept 2007 - Another Death! read 

USEF steps in with Safety Measures!  read  Will this help stop the half baked events where corners are cut and events are understaffed or where Emergency Medical Response is too far from hospitals etc?

Aug  2007  - 3rd Death in 2 weeks!

German Novice Equestrian Rider Killed on Cross Country read

Another  CCI ** death - German  Event rider killed read 

July 2007 - CCI ** young swedishevent rider 19, killed on Cross Country read

Editors Note - As of this date neither the USEA (official cross country site) or the USEF web site have the notice of these deaths.  They have also removed all of the other press releases on Cross Country Deaths even though the international governing body is looking into the safety of eventing (see article at bottom of page)

The overall question seems to be; Has the new Short Format made Eventing Deadly.  This format was put in to make Eventing more "exciting" and to avoid having the sport dropped by the Olympics.  10 deaths this year and numerous paralizing injuries, along with horse deaths has sparked the debate.  

We are making an IMMEDIATE CALL to all event ORGANIZERS to use frangible pins or other methods to reduce somersaults.... the deaths to date this year were primarily from somersaults!

Eventing Safety Surveys pop up - Click and be heard!

Chronicle of the Horse has weighed in with an Eventing Safety Survey.  over 47% of the respondends to date feel the amount of injuries have changed how they feel about eventing. 

There is also a graduate student program underway to understand what riders or those associated with riders feel about Eventing injuries.  Click here to participate if you have had an eventing injury or witnessed one.

Recent comments :

Jessica, (Voted for option 2, on 2007-07-30)
"No, it has not affected how I feel about eventing, as I have known for some time how dangerous it is. My husband did the Morven Park CCI* several years ago, and we decided there are too many injuries to horse and rider."

Kevin, (Voted for option 2, on 2007-07-30)
"I event, so hope to see the sport continue. Maybe there will be modifications to address some of the recent tragedies."

Michelle, (Voted for option 1, on 2007-07-29)
"I no longer event for fear of injuring myself."

Judith, (Voted for option 3, on 2007-07-31)
"I think you are being alarmist and not presenting a balanced picture. The organizers and USEA are going to great lengths to try to make the sport safer. Trainers who push their students too far too fast are much to blame."

Jo,(Voted for option 1, on 2007-08-01)
"Something seems to be 'wrong.' I'd recommend a broader inquiry with non-eventing participants to look at the overall model."

Kim,(Voted for option 1, on 2007-07-31)
"I feel that the training and education system for eventing is breaking down. I notice riders competing that cannot even balance properly at a rising trot over their center, let alone jumping over obstacles on uneven terrain."

Pam, (Voted for option 1, on 2007-07-28)
"I have evented through prelim and quit because of the danger. I jump much higher in jumper divisions, but the fences come down and that equals less injury to horse and rider. There's no excuse for deaths of either for sport."

Barb, (Voted for option 1, on 2007-07-28)
"I have been very concerned with how many horses and riders are seriously injured and killed while eventing. I know of no other sport, including horse racing, where so many fatalities occur, that is allowed to continue as it is."

Babs, (Voted for option 1, on 2007-07-27)
"The horse's well being must come first, this does not seem to be reality."

Sue, (Voted for option 2, on 2007-07-27)
"I have always thought it was risky and saw a horse euthanized because of a broken back at the only one I ever attended. Sort of lost any appetite for it."

(Editors Note:  In light of all the injuries and deaths it is clear there is a problem out on the courses and possibly with the new short format.  FEI has moved to understand the safety problem.  One parent has put USEA on legal notice (left column), USEA has started an overall eventing review task force.  Be sure to get your input in by writing to them.  We are putting together an over all list of suggestions in the right hand column.... send us your thoughts!)

The scope of the new safety committee is very broad highlighting the issues that are facing Eventing.  Parents and Riders need to know exactly what they can do to file complaints and or get thieir concerns included while this is being sorted out.  Remember.... everything takes time so Parents and Riders need to do their part and actively file complaints and concerns... see What can you do? in the right hand column.   Have a safety concern?  Email us at Editor@eventing.zzn.com and we will forward it to the safety committee as well as list it here.

FEI Eventing Safety Commitee  to Review Cross Country Issues

The Committee will:

• Identify all areas of concern;
• Investigate or trigger specific investigations;
• Manage all issues related to eventing safety by recommending rule updates and policy changes in the sport;
• Communicate on all findings
• Prevention, analysis, and management will be part of each discussion for all issues raised.

Prevention

• Ensuring that the strictest international safety requirements are applied to the national level;
• Development of diversified safety devices for cross country construction;
• Promoting research on riders helmets;
• Reviewing of trends in dourse design;
• Stopping horses on cross country course;
• Reviewing of number of refusals on cross country;
• Training of fence stewards;
• Introduction of a national eventing expert to be the liaison between the national federation and the FEI in relation to all safety issues;
• Review of FEI officials' education and qualification;
• Qualification of riders at national level before entering low level international events;
• Promotion of FEI eventing safety database and reports on all the figures relating to international events in the discipline.

Analysis

• Monitoring of statistics (i.e. specific combination of fences, analysis of riders or horses falling several times during a year, events with abnormal number of falls, etc.), and follow-up with FEI officials and national federations;
• Inclusion of veterinary information on horses in a safety database;
• Review of serious accidents and procedures.

Management

• Communication and follow-up of safety program;
• Planning of safety educational seminars.

Official FEI Press Release

More Background  USEA BLOG on the topic.  Please Read Parent Put USEA on Notice.  Article in the left column

Have something you want to share on this topic?  email:  editor@eventing.zzn.com

___________________

Eventing deaths prompt FEI safety review

Abigail Butcher, H&H news editor, abstracted in part from horse and Hound

17 May, 2007

Seven riders have died while eventing around the world in the past 10 months, the most recent being Julie Silly at Jardy in France (news, 10 May) and Jo-Anne Williams at Sapey (news, 26 April). The deaths have occurred at events from novice to advanced.

"We will look at prevention, analysis and medical response," said US rider David O'Connor, who is chairing the FEI safety sub-committee set up last week. "We want to see what we can do to prevent accidents, whether there is a common thread to falls, and will look at how we do things worldwide when an accident has occurred."

"I think we will stumble on something we haven't been doing. For example, we only currently use frangible pins and brushes, and there are other technologies out there we are not researching." he said.

Acting sports director Mike Etherington-Smith told H&H: "The FEI is now doing what we have been doing in the UK for some time and it's long overdue."

Have something to say or a safety suggestion for Eventing?  email David O-conner - doconner@USEF.org

List of Eventing Riders injured or Killed recently

As of Nov 2008 - 22 Eventing Rider Deaths

More detailed information about these deaths is available here. 

Sherelle Duke (IRE), 28, 08/20/06,

Debbie Atkinson (UK)  9/06 injured in competition, died 10/08

Mia Eriksson (USA), 17, 11/04/06

Kim Hyung Chil (KOR), 47, 12/07/06

Amanda Bader (USA), 51, 02/17/07

Amelie Cohen (FRA), 30, 03/11/07