As I understand it, the current rule is that blood in warm-up or competition means elimination. The FEI is now talking about amending this rule so that if there is blood, a vet on site can examine the horse and clear it to continue competing.
If you feel dressage should not in any way be a "blood sport" GO HERE to sign a petition expressing that.
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Wonder how they can even consider changing that rule. No horse should ever have blood oozing out of their mouths during riding. Or their sides from spurs etc. Guess they must be under pressure from the "professionals" to amend this rule so they can continue to abuse their horses for fame and money.
ReplyDeleteThe justification for changing it has to do with the expense of bringing horses to competition, I think. They are saying that if the bleeding has stopped when the vet examines it, or stops before the vet arrives on the scene to examine it, the ride should be allowed to continue.
ReplyDeleteAside from something completely benign like a horsefly bite, I can't think of any other scenario where I would want to continue riding if there was blood on my horse.
Anywhere around his mouth - no way. Anywhere on the barrel in the spur area - no way. If I wore spurs and saw blood there I think I would be so mortified I would not be able to ever wear them again.
Blood on a pastern from the horse nicking himself - no way would I continue.
The idea that the expense of the show is more important than the horse's welfare is atrocious to me. Especially since most cases of blood come from the rider's misuse of an artificial aid. The rider shouldn't be allowed to benefit from that.