Conference noted::equitation

1098.0. "Lesson learned from tragic accident" by FRAGLE::PELUSO (I'd rather be riding) Mon Oct 16 1989 11:41

	My friends and I went to a gymkhana & calf ropin' show Sunday
	in Oneco CT.  There was a serious accident, involving 2 horses,
    	in a class I participated in, which has left a serious impression 
    	in my mind.  I will NEVER participate in another class against my 
    	better judgment, let alone use a friends horse.  I was also surprised 
    	to find out that there was no vet or EMT on call.  I would think it 
    	would be a standard practice, because some of these classes can be 
    	very dangerous, even for the pro's.

	I decided not to bring my horse because I am new to racing and didn't 
	feel comfortable with the environment.  Two of my friends did bring 
	their horses just in case they wanted to race (they weren't to sure 
	either) and they eventually entered a few classes. 

	Well the day dragged on (some classes had 30 to 50 riders) and 
	both friends were getting tired.  One got hurt doing a barrel course
	and dropped out of the show.  My other friend had asked me earlier 
	if I wanted to take her horse in some classes, and I said no, because
	I was not comfortable with the situation, and I would be devastated
	if anything happened to her horse.  Earlier, she had asked my boyfriend
	to ride her horse in a class and he declined for the same reason. 
    	When she asked me to again, claiming she wanted to take a break and warm
    	up, I said I would.  

	The class was supposed to be a fun one, but it ended very tragically.
	The class was the 'balloon race', and not what I expected.  When the
	Judge started explaining the rules, I thought to myself, that this 
	class was an accident waiting to happen, but continued against
	my better judgment.  Well we had to tie a balloon to the back of our
	belt loop of our pants and were supposed to break the other riders 
	balloon without getting ours broken....harmless???  NO WAY!!!! when 
	the announcer said to start, everyone started cantering and goofing 
	around.  One guy I know, from another gymkhana, and I were teasing 
	each other and goofin' around.  When I saw someone bump into him....
	I decided from that point on I would just avoid everyone and started 
	to look for a way out of the ring.  Then the announcer said to go 
	in ANY direction.....It was mass confusion!  I stopped my friends
	horse to look for the quickest way out, and saw two horses bump and 
    	one rider get hurt.  Seconds after I saw two other horses collide, 
    	from a gallop in opposite directions!  The sound of the breaking bones
    	and horses screaming, has to be the worst sound I have ever heard in 
    	my life....The picture is still very clear in my mind and I am sick 
    	to my stomach thinking about it!

	One horse got up and limped off....they said he had a broken leg.
	The other horse was rolling around on the ground, with his leg swinging
	as if detached.  His leg was obviously broken, and we were told the 
	bone went through the shoulder.  It was too much to watch.  They
	eventually got the horse loaded into a step up stock trailer, and tied
	him up and took him to the vets.  WE left the show.

	Sorry to ramble, but this was a very upsetting experience.  The people
	running the show didn't seem to have a clue as to where a vet was, 
	what to in the situation, where to get help for the riders (who both
	got up but were limping and obviously not okay).

    	Questions which enter my mind now are:
	Should there have been a vet on call?  If that happened to be my horse,
	I wouldn't even know what to do...or where to go for that matter.  
	Where do you draw the line when it comes to saving an animal?  
                                              
		

I can't believe people DO such things on horseback. I think some people feel
horses are immune to stupid goofing around and they can just do anything while
on horseback.

These are sensitive and timid animals, A baloon race? Such an irresponsible
approach to showing horses. I'm sure Gymkana is supposed to be fun and safe
for both horse and rider, but that class should have never happened.

Thank God you got the heck out while you could. I would have reported the show
people to the AHSA or MSPCA as soon as I could. 

    
    	I wasn't competing, but I was in the sports bar booth and
    	the accident happened right before my eyes. It was the saddest
    	and *stupidest* thing I have ever seen. 
    
    	I agree that the class was a mistake, however, all the entry
    	form said was `balloon race'. We all assumed they would give
    	you a helium-filled balloon on a string, the string would be
    	placed under your leg, and the object would be to get the balloon
    	that way. There was too much space for the horses to gain 
    	speed, and the balloons were too hard to get at.
    
    	When the class was starting and the rules were being given,
    	I could see the look on most of the riders' faces, and it said,
    	`you have GOT to be kidding!'. I don't think anyone realized
    	what they were getting into. Out of 17 classes, this was the
    	only one that made no sense or created danger. Most of the riders
    	were circling counter-clockwise, not getting near each other,
    	then this one guy (got the bright idea) swung his horse around
    	and charged the other way. He immediately collided with another
    	horse, and that was the end of that. The rules said to go in
    	any direction, but no-one seemed to want to try it, except this
    	guy, and he ended up with a fatally injured horse, maybe two.
    
        The point behind this note was the fact that there was no vet
    	on call, no-one seemed to know where the nearest vet was, there
    	were no paramedics on the property, calls to 911 were not re-
    	sponded to (they were made by spectators), and the farm was
    	in the middle of nowhere. In the future, if Michele or I enter
    	any event, we will always ask if there is a vet on call or on
    	the grounds, and where the nearest hospital is. 
    
    	
    	Sherry (who_almost_brought_her_horse_to_this_show!)
    
    	 

    Most of the time, state law requires an ambulance to be on site
    where ever these activities involving horses and people are taking
    place.  One saturday morning we were in Scarborough to qualify a
    horse and after 2 races went off they realized they didn't have an
    ambulance there.  They held up the races for 45 minutes until one
    got there.  This scene that Michelle describes was  a horrible
    and unnecessary tragedy!

    I go to "buck-outs" or rodeo practices every sunday.  We can't start
    untill the abulance or an EMT are on the premisis.  Also, someone from
    the ASPCA has been comming aroud too.  I just think he is interested in
    rodeo.  The animals are well cared for, but the "hands" have been known
    to drink a few beers between the re-shute.
    
    virginia

    
    
    re: /last
    
    
    where is this ?
    
    		wendy o'