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suejoe
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Joined: 29 Nov 2006
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 Posted: Fri Aug 22, 2008 1:10 pm Post subject: |
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| westmeadhawk wrote: | I can't believe it Sue - I saw the original round when Clare B said "he's hopping lame behind" and saw the evidence with my own eyes.
Did they really jump him again?
Was he still as lame or had he picked up something in his foot that could be picked out. As you see I am clutching at straws because it seems atrocious  |
Yes they did jump him again, when I saw him I thought it was a replay of his original round, but Claire said she can't believe he's been jumped twice since he went lame!
I didn't hear if there was an explanation for his lameness, but he still was looking awkward, as he did in the first round.
I'm was appalled at the lack of welfare for those horses.
One girl I saw, I think her name was Belinda somebody or other  jumped a lovely round.
But I could have done better than some of them round that course.
You're right it is atrocious!
Sue 
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westmeadhawk
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| Posted: Fri Aug 22, 2008 1:11 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for confirming the worst Korkmats. How the hell does the IOC let this go on?
Disgusting.
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suejoe
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| Posted: Fri Aug 22, 2008 1:17 pm Post subject: |
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| korkmats wrote: |
To be honest, this is exactly what I expected with the Chinese, they have no regard for animals at all (even Claire Balding pointed this out). |
Sorry Korkmats, I didn't see you'd answered WMH's post.
Yes, some of the Chinese people are extremley barbaric in their treatment of animals, I've seen some terrible reports and photos in the press of what they do to some poor creatures in the name of entertainment.
I've never posted anything on here as there is no point in upsetting everyone else 
Sue |
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Chewster
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| Posted: Fri Aug 22, 2008 1:26 pm Post subject: |
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I agree it was absolutely shocking - and I couldn't believe that he was sent out to jump two more rounds.
You could see how tired all of the horses at the end were too after having to do two rounds yesterday and three more today - I wonder what the regulations are for the horse welfare in this event.
Absolutely terrible. |
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Rowan
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| Posted: Fri Aug 22, 2008 1:46 pm Post subject: |
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I wondered where weveryone was - what was the point of starting a blooming thread for the competition if you're all going to ignore it???? 
I think the situation was exacerbated by the horses that were "eliminated" following their performance yesterday, meaning that instead of going out twice each horse went out 3 times. However, the horse care was appalling - the Chinese are not a horse nation, as evidenced by the fact some of the horses came from Singapore. But on top of that - how many of the riders were actually "nice" to their horse? I saw very few get any reassurance in the form of a pat.
Hopefully it will be better in the UK (although I couldn't contemplate who would let so many incompetents ride their horse...).
There doesn't appear to be an email address on the IOC website so I'm considering contacting the British Equestrian Fed as they will presumably have some input into the showjumping phase of the 2012 pentathlon. |
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korkmats
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| Posted: Fri Aug 22, 2008 1:52 pm Post subject: |
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| Chewster wrote: | I wonder what the regulations are for the horse welfare in this event.
Absolutely terrible. |
Sorry, regulations, horse welfare? You've completely lost me. This is the Chinese Olympics we're talking about and I'm sure their regulations are that if the horse is still breathing then it's OK to take part.
The Western countries were those more likely to give the horses a pat after their round, the Eastern bloc countries' riders just got off and walked away.
I hope there is such a thing as karma as I would like to see some of these people get their comeuppance for the way they've treated living creatures. |
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Tagalie
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| Posted: Fri Aug 22, 2008 2:05 pm Post subject: |
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| Rowan wrote: | | There doesn't appear to be an email address on the IOC website so I'm considering contacting the British Equestrian Fed as they will presumably have some input into the showjumping phase of the 2012 pentathlon. |
Good idea- I might do so too.
If the event grew in popularity (which I like to think it could, as it's got a bit of everything) it might provide a useful second career for racehorses, provided there's a proper regulatory body to ensure their welfare.
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suejoe
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| Posted: Fri Aug 22, 2008 2:08 pm Post subject: |
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| Rowan wrote: | | I wondered where weveryone was - what was the point of starting a blooming thread for the competition if you're all going to ignore it???? |
You can blame me Rowan, I posted on the showjumping thread this morning before seeing you had started one, very sorry
| Rowan wrote: | But on top of that - how many of the riders were actually "nice" to their horse?
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Yes, the girl who got off the lame horse this morning didn't seem a bit bothered, she even waved to the crowd
I'd have been very upset and concerned if it had been me riding
Sue |
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Rowan
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| Posted: Fri Aug 22, 2008 2:16 pm Post subject: |
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| Tagalie wrote: | | Rowan wrote: | | There doesn't appear to be an email address on the IOC website so I'm considering contacting the British Equestrian Fed as they will presumably have some input into the showjumping phase of the 2012 pentathlon. |
Good idea- I might do so too.
If the event grew in popularity (which I like to think it could, as it's got a bit of everything) it might provide a useful second career for racehorses, provided there's a proper regulatory body to ensure their welfare. |
If I were ten years younger.
Ok, if I were 20 years younger, this is the sport I'd take up. I can shoot (although I haven't for an age), ride (better than some of that lot, anyway!) and used to be handy at cross country.
I've emailed the following to info@bef.co.uk:
| Quote: | I know that you are not involved with the Beijing Games in terms of providing horses for the Modern Pentathlon but I couldn't find a more suitable contact so I hope you can help.
Along with many others I was somewhat distressed by the treatment of the horses used for the mens and womens pentathlon. In particular, it was clear that jumping 5 rounds was too much for some of the horses. I was horrified to see that on at least two occasions, horses fell and yet noone seemed to check them over and ensure they were sound. In the women's competition, one horse caught his legs in a pole, fell almost onto his head and cut his leg, yet he wasn't inspected at all before the rider was legged back on and continued to jump the last combination. One horse pulled up hopping lame and was sent out to jump twice more despite clearly having problems - he was disunited in the canter and even Claire Balding noted in her commentary that the horse needed to have his back looked at.
I was also appalled by the poor riding standard of many of the competitors (I would not include the Brits here as they generally seemed to ride well). If I were asked to provide horses for the competition I would have serious doubts after seeing the Olympic standard!
While I know it is too late to change anything, I wonder if you could at least offer some reassurance that the horses used were properly looked after and vetted? In addition, when it comes to 2012 it would be nice to know that a high standard of vetting and a decent pool of horses will be available to avoid the problems caused by clearly tired horses. |
I'll let you know if my wibbling gets a reply! |
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Rowan
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FallonFacta
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| Posted: Fri Aug 22, 2008 2:30 pm Post subject: |
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I imagine you won't have been the first to write - Great to know a lot of people care so much.
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jennywales
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| Posted: Fri Aug 22, 2008 4:26 pm Post subject: |
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Interesting that the Pentathlon site has a child protection policy but says nothing about protection for the horses, assuming that the governing body must at least know something about where they come from for events under it's banner.
Maybe you could apply for the Director of Competitions post, Rowan.....?
I'm going to email Pentathlon GB.
Dear Mr Woodbridge
Like a number of friends and colleagues, I was very concerned at the extremely poor treatment of the horses used in the Beijing pentathlon.
The number of falls and refusals, the apparent neglect of simple welfare precautions such as checking over a horse after it falls, the continued use of a horse that was clearly and obviously lame, the fact that the horses were still being asked to jump when very tired, and the general standard of welfare (and in some cases riding) left a very great deal to be desired.
Although I suspect that you will tell me that the GB association had no influence over the way the Chinese ran the pentathlon at the Beijing games, this demonstration of incompetence and neglect can do the image of the discipline of the pentathlon, which I have always admired, no good at all.
I hope that these issues wsill be addressed (particularly the welfare of the pool horses and the competence of the riders) before we host the next Olympic pentathlon in 2012.
With best wishes |
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jennywales
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Joined: 22 Apr 2006
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Location: Wales
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| Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2008 8:13 am Post subject: |
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| Pentathlon GB is not accepting emails. I wonder if they are being overwhelmed?? I hope so....Anyway, will try again and have copied to ILPH (now World Horse Welfare, info@worldhorsewelfare.org if anybody else wants to write). |
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suejoe
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| Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2008 8:35 am Post subject: |
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| jennywales wrote: | | Pentathlon GB is not accepting emails. I wonder if they are being overwhelmed?? I hope so....Anyway, will try again and have copied to ILPH (now World Horse Welfare, info@worldhorsewelfare.org if anybody else wants to write). |
I've just done it Jenny
Thanks for the link
Sue |
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jennywales
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Location: Wales
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| Posted: Sun Aug 31, 2008 7:22 am Post subject: |
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Just to round this off, I have not heard back from the ILPH. The Pentathlon GB site is still down for emails....
However, there has been a great to-do about this (see correspondence in Horse and Hound this week and on their forum, for example).
The President of the FEI (Princess Haya of Jordan) has also written an editorial in H&H saying that the equestrian disciplines are not assured for the London Games, although Greenwich has been approved as the venue, and may not be for Games in the future - this includes the pentathlon. This will also probably be on the H&H website.
I had assumed that as Greenwich had been approved as part of the bid, then there was no question that there would be an equestrian Games in London. But apparently not.... |
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