Canadian rider Tiffany Foster has been disqualified from the showjumping events at the London Olympics after her horse, Victor, was found to be suffering from hypersensitivity.
The official FEI statement said: “The Veterinary Commission have stated that the horse has an area of inflammation and sensitivity on the left forelimb just above the hoof. There is no accusation of malpractice, but the horse has been deemed unfit to compete by the Ground Jury.
“The Canadians have filed a protest, but a decision by the Ground Jury on hypersensitivity is not appealable.”
Canadian team manager Terrance “Torchy” Millar said: “We are very unhappy about this. It is a decision that lacks any common sense. It is just blind application of a rule. It lacks judgement and horsemanship. The horse has one small nick on one coronet band. He could have got it anywhere. The horse is sound.”
The decision was announced just 15 minutes before Tiffany, competing at her first Olympics, was due to compete.
Read more about this case in this week’s Horse & Hound magazine, on sale FRIDAY 10 August
