Welfare and dope concerns dominate endurance talks

Horseandhound.co.uk - Full Article

Pippa Cuckson

11 May, 2012

Arab nations have been heavily criticised for the high incidences of broken legs and dope violations in Middle Eastern endurance yards.
The comments were made during a round table discussion at the FEI sports forum in Lausanne on 2 May.

FEI endurance judge Jean-Louis Leclerc alleged that multiple horses suffer fractures on single yards per season and he asked what the FEI was doing to improve the situation.

The FEI’s Ian Williams said it is looking into causes and prevention of fractures in endurance “to ensure that the welfare of the horse is the central pillar [of the sport] in the future”.

The Animal Health Trust in Newmarket is also studying orthopaedic injury rates in endurance horses globally, which will play an important role in the FEI study, he said.

Top endurance vet Fred Barrelet labelled the high level of endurance medication violations from Arab nations investigated by the FEI as “disgraceful...”

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