Holy Controversy!!!

*WARNING: Very graphic pictures included in the article links! Do not view links if you are at all squeamish! New York Times article is safe*

A few days ago I wrote about Lainey Ashker's accident at Rolex Kentucky. As she was one who was on my radar for the Olympics short list with the horse she rode when this accident occurred, I felt it was a worthy topic. Well, that, coupled with the fact that injurious falls do occupy my mind quite a bit when they happen....for obvious reason.

I'm not alone in that thinking. The list of articles written, including the one that made the front page of the New York Times ( http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/29/sports/othersports/29eventing.html ), displays this. One article ( http://www.kentucky.com/779/story/389828.html ) put the picture depicting the moment of Frodo's nose hitting the ground in their story. Subsequently, the writer blogged what the reaction to the photo was, along with reprinting a couple of others from the accident ( http://herald-leader.typepad.com/behind_the_headlines/2008/04/reaction-mixed.html ). Personally, I think it's necessary. Honestly, they're not as graphic and horrid as the video, which I have viewed, but knowing the outcome makes them difficult to see.

I think what made everyone's blood boil with this most recent of accidents is the fact Laine and Frodo fell at a very straightforward, simple, and inviting fence. A fence that Laine and 41 other riders had already gone over in the day (Laine was riding two separate horses...ironically, the first mount was that of her close friend who was killed in rotational fall last year).

David O'Connor, the same man I was previously gushing about and president of the United States Equestrian Federation, has stated to the media that Laine and Frodo simply "misread" the fence. I disagree, but I'm not dealing with the reporters. I'm sure he knows it's just an easy way to explain to non-horsey people how an accident of this magnitude happened. You see, Frodo took a funky step about 1 1/2 strides out from the fence. One that caused him to chip (a chip is taking off from very close to the base of the fence so you sort of frog-hop over it...or crash through it) He never got his front end off the ground, but it was too late to even attempt to stop. Honestly, it was a pure fluke accident.

Eventing has seen an incline in injuries and deaths, for both horse and rider, in the past year or two. The course design, the way the horses are ridden, the training of the riders, the use of frangible pins...everything down to the weather on a given day has been discussed in an effort to make things safer. Then came the Red Hills Horse Trials...

Saturday, March 15th was the date of the cross country portion. Jonathan Holling's horse, Direct Merger, fell....and died. Missy Miller's horse, Leprechaun's Rowdy Boy, fell.....and died. Olympic Veteran Darren Chiacchia had a rotational fall, the same type Lainey suffered, with Baron Verdi. Baron was fine...Darren was nearly killed. Enter the national media.

Then we have Rolex this past weekend. I only touched on Laine's tragedy, but there was another horse who died, and another rider put in the hospital.

Sarah Hansel and The Quiet Man hit a fence and fell, injuring his shoulder. Initial tests were positive, but further radiographs showed a poor prognosis. Not even a comfortable future as a pasture ornament. He was euthanized on Sunday morning.

Corinne Ashton had a malfunction with her breastcollar while riding Dobbin, causing her to hold the reins and one side of the breastcollar in an uncomfortable fashion. He made a huge jump over the second duck in the water (an obstacle, not a real bird) and unseated Corinne. This lady is one tough Scot, and she finished the weekend in great form, though it was obvious she was feeling discomfort. Turns out she broke a couple of ribs and had some blood in her lungs. She's got a chest tube to drain the lungs, but is doing well.

The media is all over this. With the Olympic Games approaching in August, the questions are being posed: Should eventing be an Olympic sport? Should it remain in, but have the cross-country portion taken out? Should it go back to the long phase? Should the sport be stood down or boycotted completely? At least until safety improves? Well, on that last one, you can't improve if you don't keep doing....so that's sort of a silly question.

It could be a good thing, though, all this attention. Maybe more people will watch this summer and see the joy these animals have in their job. Trust me, if a horse doesn't enjoy what it's doing, it DOESN'T do it. Maybe more people will see the athleticism of the riders. Maybe people will enjoy the thrill of all equestrian sports. Maybe, just maybe the Olympic coverage will be more mainstream.

I doubt it, but I hope. I also hope that the current controversial coverage doesn't leave a bad taste in the mouths of those who've never watched before.

Only time will tell......