Dear Dave,
As you are aware, Vee has asked me to respond to the thread on ABC regarding horses that are pulled out of race or reported as “something amiss” by Riders only for there to be no findings by the Veterinary Surgeons.
I have spoken to our Chief Veterinary Surgeon about the concern and from a purely veterinary perspective, he has reassured me that the pillars of Equine Health, Biosecurity, Integrity and Rider Safety are adequately and currently addressed because of the overall high standards of horseracing in the Country.
Having stated that though, we can always improve and the purchase of equipment like endoscopies and lameness locators is something on the radar of the Veterinary Department.
In addition to this, we have recently started the practice of trotting horses pre-race to reduce the number of horses that are lame, being saddled to participate in races. This would naturally have a bearing on the number of horses being eased out of races due to lameness or other soundness issues.
In an ideal world, a Veterinary certificate would be required on every occasion after a horse is eased out of a race and there is no supporting report from the veterinary surgeon on duty. The Veterinary Department has taken a view that they would prefer to monitor each horse’s profile and to suspend horses where there are trends of the animal being eased out of races or showing patterns of lameness. Specimen collection is also important, including from horses eased out of races.
The Stipendiary Stewards are acutely aware if patterns form regarding a particular rider/s easing horses down in races due to reasons not supported by an incident or veterinary reports.
We need to be mindful however, that the Rider is the person on the horses back and it would not be appropriate to remove this professional discretion when they feel something amiss, even if it is an opinion that is not backed up by the Veterinary Surgeon. In cases such as this it is important that there is an in depth analysis of why a horse was eased out to protect the animal, the rider and of course the integrity of the race.
I include the relevant Rules pertaining to the reporting of circumstances below:
REPORTING OF CIRCUMSTANCES
70. REPORTING OF CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES
70.1 The OWNER or TRAINER or PERSON in charge of a HORSE or the RIDER shall report to the relevant licensed veterinary surgeon and to the SB, or failing it to the RMR, as soon as practicable before or immediately after a RACE:-
70.1.1 anything which may affect the running of their HORSE in that RACE;
70.1.2 anything which might have affected the running of their HORSE in that RACE, in which event the TRAINER shall, where appropriate, detain the HORSE in the unsaddling area until the veterinary surgeon has examined it. In the event of a RIDER reporting that his saddle has slipped, he shall immediately show this to a LICENCED OFFICIAL upon dismount from his horse.
[Amended 15.11.2017]
70.1.3 anything which might have any bearing on the past or the future running of the HORSE.
70.2 In the event of a report being made in terms of RULE 70.1.1 or RULE 70.1.3, the HORSE concerned shall be kept available for examination at its stables or in the security area of a RACE COURSE.
A Rider may also report that he felt something amiss with a horse because it has not performed to expectations. We all know that horses are not machines, but equine athletes which could have an off day, such is sport. More detail in the Stipes report is most important and is something that the Stipendiary Stewards have been directed to attend to.
Attached, please find an example of a post- race follow up from the Western Cape Stipendiary Board.
We will continue to carefully monitor the situation as this has a very direct bearing on the integrity of races, safety of riders and the welfare of horses.
Kind regards,

Arnold Hyde
See attached
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