Polo Ponies- 21 dead in Wellington

Vindicated · Postby **Vindicated** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 6:07 am

Any ideas what could have caused the polo ponies to die?
The vet states tha is an intoxication of some sort....Racking my brain as to something that could have caused it (accidently)...with what seems like a fairly short time span.

foothillsequine · Postby **foothillsequine** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 6:23 am

I just heard about this, and according to the report I was reading, they were being taken off their trailer(s) when they started staggering and falling. I wonder if carbon monoxide could be the culprit? It is odd that all became sick at the same time.

springboro · Postby **springboro** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 6:40 am

http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/04/20/dead.horses/index.html

Vindicated · Postby **Vindicated** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 6:59 am

carbon monoxide-did'nt think of that....but the horses that were just "dizzy" should have recovered with proper attenion..should'nt they have?

foothillsequine · Postby **foothillsequine** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 7:15 am

CO poisoning is insidious in onset and causes "flu-like" symptoms. If it is identified as the culprit, oxygen administration will help. Usually, when removed from the environment with the CO, symptoms dissipate, but if the levels are very high, high level oxygen and hyperbaric treatment is used. IF this was the cause, unless it was identified very quickly (blood tests are what are used for people), they would still succumb if levels are very high. The carbon monoxide takes over the surface of the red blood cell and displaces the hemoglobin which assists in oxygen carrying capacity. I hope I have remembered this accurately!

Skipitgirl · Postby **Skipitgirl** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 7:16 am

Whatever happened it is a shame. I hope they dont discover it was an intentional poisioning.

Regarding carbon monoxide, a couple years ago a lady hauled two horses in a two horse fully enclosed trailer to the vet clinic. When they opened the back door, both horses were dead. Her husband had just put dual exhaust on their truck. The tailpipes now came out the back under the bumper instead of the side. It was determined the horses died from carbon monoxide. So it can happen, just like people diying from CMP while being towed behind boats.

pfrsue · Postby **pfrsue** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 8:13 am

It didn't say that all 21 were on the same trailer, did it? I'd be more likely to think Carbon Monoxide if there was only one vehicle involved. In this case, I'd be looking at the water or food. Really a tragic situation, no matter how it came about.

foothillsequine · Postby **foothillsequine** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 10:39 am

No, it didn't, and apparently it has been determined to not be airborne. Here is another link:

http://msn.foxsports.com/other/story/94 ... &GT1=39002

Toccet02 · Postby **Toccet02** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 11:51 am

it's been on the radio a lot in NYC and they're talking poison at this point.

Crystal · Postby **Crystal** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 1:11 pm

hot dope..

nferro9925 · Postby **nferro9925** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 2:24 pm

One vet from NYRA was thinking it was an injected substance.
I hope not - that would be insanely heartless & cruel.

majxmom · Postby **majxmom** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 2:27 pm

Apparently the latest gossip is that all of the horses were injected in Florida with a steroid, all by the same vet who is from the Southern Hemisphere. The US vets think the medication may have been tainted. He is not licensed in FL. Uh oh...

foothillsequine · Postby **foothillsequine** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 3:55 pm

What a shame. I don't know much if anything about Polo, so shall I assume they are not regulated regarding steroids? I read that these horses were valued at apx. $100,000 each. While that may be an exaggeration, it is still a great loss.

Monsun · Postby **Monsun** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 5:02 pm

If I recall the news coverage, 7 died on the field, and another 7 after they were transported elsewhere, and then late this morning the news said 21 had died. Increments of 7???

I wonder if they all took turns being transported on the same trailer. And, if maybe some well meaning soul had disinfected or cleaned the trailer with the wrong thing.

noworriesfarm · Postby **noworriesfarm** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 6:48 pm

Anybody who knows how Argentines manage polo horses would know that it could not have been from food or water because that is pulled away from the horses well before game time. My guess is some type of pregame injection gone terribly wrong- I have heard the same rumors about an Argentine vet possibly administering something to them as well.

There are no rules in polo about drugs or medications. But I bet there will be now!!