[leahandpie]

Hi everyone, just wanted to let you guys know what happened to my friend's horse this weekend so that we can all be a little safer XC.

We were just finishing a great day schooling, when her horse suffered a severe laceration to his pastern/coronet band. Upon investigation, we found that he had cut himself on a stray metal flag holder that was screwed to the front of an up bank- in the middle of the bank. The bank had been flagged as a skinny for the most recent event, and though the flags had since been removed, the metal holder was left behind.

This is an extreme hazard that could have been easily prevented. Tucker is a very talented horse and this was not a result of poor jumping or riding~ it was a freak accident. We are lucky that the cut did not interfere with his joints, but we have to wait to ultrasound to see if his collateral ligaments are damaged. The cut was very deep and required several stitches, and he is on stall rest for a month~ completely derailing their season.

Please check for these stray metal holders before schooling XC. We have witnessed the results and it is truly heartbreaking for both horse and rider.

Thank you and stay safe.

[retreadeventer]

Where was the holder on the face of the jump, toward the bottom, in the middle or towards the top?

I agree, this is heartbreaking. I have also suffered a similar incident schooling and I lost a season, but cuts do heal. It was also on an upbank of questionable design, and I don't jump any up or down banks anymore without checking them over carefully first. I would probably have missed the metal holder, though. Best of luck and thanks for the warning.

[Rabtfarm]

I was impressed with the plastic holders that Millbrook was using: they were square plastic tubes with a side slit so the flag(s) could easily fall out of the holders if hit, but would withstand a fairly still wind. I would love to know where they got them.
Hate to see a horse end its season or career because of someone's carelessness.

[bornfreenowexpensive]

We are lucky that the cut did not interfere with his joints, but we have to wait to ultrasound to see if his collateral ligaments are damaged. .

Not xc schooling, but I had a horse cut herself in a similar spot in turn out. She did nick her collateral ligament. Her cut looked like nothing...but she was very lame and it turned out deeper than it looked (it had just closed up some by the time she was brought in from turn out in the morning. We were very quick to treat her aggressively. This was a very tough mare...she didn't limp for very many things! She fully recovered pretty quickly. I think it was something like 4-6 weeks stall rest then 4-6 weeks legging her back up. Hope your friend's horse recovers as well. If he isn't too lame, I'd be hopeful he didn't nick the collateral ligament.

[RiverBendPol]

I had a friend who was xc schooling at a very well known horse trials site...as she approached a novice dog house, the ground gave way. She and her horse went down and plowed into the face of the jump. The horse was bunged up a bit but basically fine, friend badly broke both wrists, requiring surgery. Turned out there was a ground hog (woodchuck) warren under ground that caved in when friend came a-galloping.

[leahandpie]

Not xc schooling, but I had a horse cut herself in a similar spot in turn out. She did nick her collateral ligament. Her cut looked like nothing...but she was very lame and it turned out deeper than it looked (it had just closed up some by the time she was brought in from turn out in the morning. We were very quick to treat her aggressively. This was a very tough mare...she didn't limp for very many things! She fully recovered pretty quickly. I think it was something like 4-6 weeks stall rest then 4-6 weeks legging her back up. Hope your friend's horse recovers as well. If he isn't too lame, I'd be hopeful he didn't nick the collateral ligament.

He isn't lame, thank goodness!