The problems in UAE endurance are far from over

Horsetalk.co.nz - Full Article

Neil Clarkson | 31 January 2016

It does us all good, from time to time, to ponder the challenges we present to the horse.

We ask a lot of these animals. For the most part, they are compliant in partnering with us in our many riding endeavours.

Horse sport is unique. We join with a horse to race, jump, dance, pull chuckwagons, race around barrels, and any number of other athletic pursuits.

It is our responsibility as guardians – from the president of the FEI right down to the horse owner – to ensure that everything we do in these pursuits begins and ends with respect for the horse.

Those who watch horse sport, and wider members of the public with an affinity for animals, don’t much care for seeing them breaking their legs on racetracks or tumbling over jumps in any discipline.

Horse-sport administrators recognise this and have been doing what they can to lower injury and mortality rates in most horse-related disciplines, albeit with mixed success.

Any horse-related discipline that fails to tackle its welfare obligations head-on is on course for deep trouble.

Followers of endurance will be familiar with the controversies that have plagued the sport for years. Most of these headline-grabbing problems have centered on the United Arab Emirates, where I believe the fast desert courses, jockey-style riders, and high stakes have proven to be a dangerous combination for the endurance horse...

Read more: http://horsetalk.co.nz/2016/01/31/problems-uae-endurance-far-from-over/#ixzz3yq0Xp7gP

Abu Dhabi: Al Neyadi Wins Junior -Young Riders CEN 120km Endurance Cup

Horsereporter.com - Full Article

Al Neyadi rides Dahoman to win 120-km J/YR Endurance Cup

by Pamela Burton

30 January 2016, Abu Dhabi, UAE ~ Mohammed Humaid Al Neyadi riding 9-year-old grey gelding Dahoman XI 57 won the 120-km Sheikh Zayed Bin Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Junior & Young Riders Endurance Cup (CEN JYR) 120 held on Saturday, 30 January at the Emirates International Endurance Village in Al Wathba, Abu Dhabi.

Al Neyad was always in the top five through the four stage ride clocking 4 hours 39 minutes and 01 seconds for the 120-km distance. The young winner hails from the Al Wathba 2 Stables and the winning horse is trained by Rachid Ahansal...

Read more here:
http://www.horsereporter.com/al-neyadi-wins-junior-young-riders-cen-120km-endurance-cup/

Bouthieb turns its back on “insane gymkhana” of UAE endurance

Horsetalk.co.nz - Full Article

Horsetalk.co.nz | 30 January 2016

Bouthieb continues to be an oasis in the tough world of desert endurance racing in the United Arab Emirates.

The Bouthieb endurance facility in Abu Dhabi is owned by Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who has spearheaded stringent local rules designed to safeguard the welfare of horses.

Speeds must be kept in check and are monitored by GPS. Bouthib particularly rewards the conditioning of the horse over speed, which is reflected in the distribution of prize money.

The results have been stunning in terms of horse welfare...

Read more: http://horsetalk.co.nz/2016/01/30/bouthieb-turns-back-insane-gymkhana-uae-endurance/#ixzz3ykEZPmbA

Bouthieb (Abu Dhabi – UAE): The Revolution Goes On

Enduroonline.com.br - Full Article

Text and photos: François Kerboul - FEI 4*

The new rules introduced in Bouthieb under the leadership of HH Sh Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Representative of the President and Chairman of the Emirates Heritage Club (EHC), have, so far, been implemented on three events totaling eight competitions -from December 31, 2015 to January 23, 2016, i.e. over a period of 3 weeks and two days – involving 1077 horses.

Of that number only 5 horses, whose neither life nor athletic future were in danger, required significant care. These horses all left the clinic in the afternoon.

We can only welcome such a result both because it is exceptional and also because it's simply unprecedented.

This dramatic decline in the number of horses requiring unavoidable clinical care, this disappearance of horses who died of exhaustion or were put down because of fractures, is certainly the most important and most visible consequence of the revolution taking place in Bouthieb.

But do not forget that this is part of an ongoing broad programme of education / rehabilitation which has several other aspects.

Here are a few of them.


On the Track

What can I say except that it's just as different as night and day from what went on before?

The cars have access only if they have the badge (authorization) that was given to them. Their number is limited to one vehicle for 5 horses per trainer. In order to ensure effective control, the badge is not a small discreet label that gets stuck in a corner of the windshield and that the stewards or the police will have no time to read, but a big sticker (30 cm x 30 cm) which does not allow fraud.

The riders' track is lined with linear mounds prohibiting crew vehicles to mix with horses and cross their path. Cars drive on the right or the left track, in principle, depending on the wind so as not to disturb the horses with dust. It is the third year that this provision has been introduced in Bouthieb, but it is only a first step because they are thinking of improving the tracks by making them more technical and by separating them from the vehicle assistance for the next season. The contact points (crew points) would then only be water points as in the rest of the world. Riders would be even more responsible, being no longer practically guided by their trainers. This can only be beneficial for the horses as by becoming more independent, riders will be more responsible and will certainly be more attentive to their horses.

The prohibition of continuous watering and the creation of water points has put an end to the dangerous and unreasonable 4WD race cutting and intersecting the trajectory of the horses at the mercy of the crews fantasies. We no longer see ten 4WD for one horse slaloming 5 or 6 abreast and watering continuously throughout the track...

Read more here:
http://www.enduroonline.com.br/bouthieb-abu-dhabi-the-revolution-goes-on.php

Australia: Bellingen's Isabel Foster sets sights on the endurance riding World Youth Championships

ABC.net.au - Full Article

Sometimes you want to give up because it's so exhausting, but you can't because your horse will fall and you might go off a cliff. I just have to trust that my horse has worked out the safest path, and go with him.
Isabel Foster

By Fiona Poole
Posted January 29, 2016

Bellingen's Isabel Foster and her Arabian Gelding, Sharabel Kalarney, have successfully completed three of the biggest endurance riding races in Australia.

At 15 years old, Isabel was the only junior to complete the Tom Quilty 160km, the Shahzada 400km marathon and the 160km NSW state championship.

Placing first in seven out of nine rides last year, she is now the top junior endurance rider in NSW and Australia, and has her sights set on representing Australia at the World Youth Championships in Italy in 2017.

It would be so awesome to be selected," she said...

Read more here:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-01-29/endurance-riding-champ-isabel-foster-world-championships/7125006

Endurance GB shuts members’ online forum

Horseandhound.co.uk - Full Article

Horse & Hound
29 January, 2016

Endurance GB (EGB) has closed its online members’ forum, to the surprise of members.

A spokesman for EGB told H&H that the decision was “not taken lightly” and that the board is “working hard to enhance existing communication platforms in light of the forum closing”.

He added: “It is not the board’s wish to censor members’ views. Sadly the forum became an increasing drain on time and resources, which we could not sustain.

“Our efforts are now focused on providing an excellent ride calendar, improving our infrastructure and promoting endurance riding in the UK. Any concerned members are urged to email the board.”

The forum had been administered by volunteers.

But a statement to members said that “once again we have had issues with individuals abusing the forum guidelines and the volunteers”...

Read more at http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/endurance-gb-shuts-online-members-forum-525048#r1ku4khL3S2W2wZP.99

Enduring Bullwarp

Equinerescuefrance.org

Posted by ERF on Jan 24, 2016 in Association News

As has been documented elsewhere, despite the FEI short term suspension of the UAE in order for them to clean up their act, nothing has radically changed. At least 5 deaths so far this year. No information forthcoming on what happened to horses attributed the generic FTC, or horses that didn’t reach vet gates and are down as RET, or more remarkably horses that have sustained a catastrophic injury (CI) and magically not been euthanased? Even taking into account the horses whose exits are documented clearly in the results, many of those are out lame by the second vet gate. The appalling completion rates, 40kmph average speeds on loops in 160km races, footage of illegal practices such as ear twitching in vet gates and the somewhat bizarre belief that horses don’t need to drink on track if they’re sloshed with water indicates the welfare issues are still very significant.

There is one lone participant, Dr. Sheikh Sultan, who is attempting to use his influence and facilities to alter the status quo. A top class article by Pippa Cuckson details the situation HERE.

Social media has been used to highlight the cruelty in the UAE, and there has been a strong push to inform those still selling to Group VII countries of the horrors awaiting horses sent over there. As ever, there are those that prize the dollar and self-interest over the horse as a sentient being.

The big sellers suggest that those highlighting the abuse are somehow determined to destroy the sport of Endurance by creating divisive feeling within the sport. One very interesting diatribe by someone who sells a lot to the UAE concentrated entirely on how much this person and family enjoyed endurance, how selling abroad allowed them to continue and how wonderful the sport was. Not only is that entirely missing the point of endurance being at heart about partnership of rider and horse, but there is no real understanding of the sport’s financial dynamic as a result of selling the good horses abroad. Any equestrian sport wishing to be healthy nationally, and successful globally, has to keep it’s best horses within the country’s NF. This encourages flourishing competition and attracts sponsorship to grow the sport and support the grass roots whilst giving young riders something to aim for. If top horses continually leave a country, competition becomes poor, interest will wane and the sport will deteriorate. That has been proven in other countries, in other equestrian sports...

Read more here:
http://www.equinerescuefrance.org/2016/01/enduring-bullwarp/