Riders warned against using dry ice for cooling horses after video goes viral

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Pippa Cuckson
27 July, 2019 13:05

The FEI has “strongly recommended” riders do not use dry ice as a cooling agent, following outcry over a video of an endurance horse standing amid dramatic clouds of vapour.

Immediately after the incident in France on May 9, the FEI advised the “possibility” of bringing a case of abuse against the horse’s Spanish rider Arkaitz Arakistain Aristi.

But further investigations have revealed the horse was standing in buckets of water mixed with dry ice, and as the liquid temperature did not drop below 0C, no FEI rules had been broken and no disciplinary case will be pursued.

The FEI did, though, stress it would be harmful if dry ice directly contacted the horse’s skin.

A FEI spokesman said: “The FEI veterinary department stresses that there is no benefit to using dry ice in combination with water; however, it is very clear that the use of dry ice without water is dangerous and, in the event of direct contact with skin and other tissues, could cause freeze burns, which would be a major horse welfare issue and would be a clear breach of the FEI veterinary regulations.

“Due to the associated risks of using dry ice, the FEI veterinary department strongly recommends that it should not be used as a cooling agent...”

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https://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/riders-warned-using-dry-ice-cooling-horses-video-goes-viral-692704