Humane Society Of United States Calls For Equestrian Reform After Death of a Horse At 2000 Olympics: Injured Horse Euthanized After Fall in Grueling Three-Day Cross-Country Event.Sports Editors/Equestrian Writers WASHINGTON--(BW SportsWire)--Sept. 21, 2000 The following was released today by the Humane Society of the United States The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) is a Washington, D.C-based animal welfare advocacy group. It is the largest animal welfare organization in the world, with nearly 10 million members and a 2006 budget of US$103 million. : The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS HSUS Humane Society of the United States ), the country's largest animal protection organization, reacted with dismay after a horse had to be euthanized after suffering a broken leg during the grueling Olympic individual three day cross-country event. The horse, Bermuda's Gold, was euthanized at a nearby veterinary clinic with an inoperable inoperable /in·op·er·a·ble/ (in-op´er-ah-b'l) not susceptible to treatment by surgery. in·op·er·a·ble adj. Unsuitable for a surgical procedure. fractured left front cannon bone cannon bone the 3rd metacarpal (metatarsal) of the horse, or the 3rd and 4th metacarpals (metatarsals) of ruminants. . Numerous other horses were treated for injuries at an on-site clinic, and five riders were injured on the 29-obstacle course, two seriously enough to require hospitalization. "The HSUS is not opposed to all equestrian events, only those in which the welfare of the horses is sacrificed for the sake of entertainment," says Patricia Forkan, Executive Vice-President of The HSUS. "Combined training events are so extreme that they needlessly force these magnificent and intelligent animals to the limits of their abilities, with predictably tragic results." So far this year, ten riders have been killed around the world, and horse injuries and deaths have become a standard feature of cross country obstacle courses. Christopher Reeve, Hollywood's former "man of steel," was paralyzed par·a·lyze tr.v. par·a·lyzed, par·a·lyz·ing, par·a·lyz·es 1. To affect with paralysis; cause to be paralytic. 2. To make unable to move or act: paralyzed by fear. during the cross-country part of a combined event. The International Eventing eventing Noun Brit, Austral & NZ riding competitions (esp. [three-day events]), usually involving cross-country riding, jumping, and dressage eventing n (HORSERIDING) → Safety Committee concluded after launching an intensive safety probe that there is no way to eliminate the risks associated with these combined courses as they are currently run and recommended "limiting the intensity of efforts." "The HSUS urges the International Equestrian Federation, the United States Combined Training Association The United States Combined Training Association was the governing body for the sport of combined training, more commonly known as eventing, in the United States of America prior to the formation of the United States Eventing Association. (the governing body for all sanctioned horse trials and three-day events in the United States), and other governing bodies of equestrian sports events to change the format of these combined training events to demonstrate the horses? athleticism rather than pushing them beyond the limits of their endurance and physical abilities," concludes Forkan. |
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