“The trainer said: “I wasn’t at the races”
And other people were. Down at the start where it happened. So you’re already relying on secondhand information.
“but from what I’ve been told”
By whom?
“another horse reversed into our horse.”
Reversed into? Or kicked? Big difference.
“The vets trotted him up and said they weren’t happy because of the graze on his leg and withdrew him.”
Because of the graze? Or because they thought he was lame?
“But the graze they’re talking about on his leg has been on his leg since he arrived at my yard.”
Was it marked on the passport? Was this information given to the vet at the start? Was the passport available at the start?
“The horse trotted up sound twice under Billy”
Really? Where has the L word come from?
“and no-one told Billy not to ride the horse back,”
Probably didn’t instruct him specifically not to stick his hand in the fire either. But if your horse has been spun by the vet it’s prudent not to canter off into the sunset.
” so he cantered him home absolutely sound.”
Who judged the horse sound as it was cantering back? You from your sofa?
” “I’ll be getting a vet out first thing tomorrow morning to do a full report on the horse”
The day after the fact. Meaningless
“because it’s absolutely mind-boggling. If that’s the way our sport is going we’re in serious trouble.”
If people start arguing the toss with officials instead of accepting the judge’s decision is final, yeah we’re in trouble
“We’re all in the sport for the same reason – we love horses and our priority is horse welfare – but there has to be a bit of common sense come into play with the BHA.”
What, like paying an independent MRCVS to inspect any horse thought to potentially be injured at the start and decide whether it’s fit to compete?
“My team at the races trotted him up in front of the owners”
Are the owners on the veterinary panel?
” and again back in the stable yard”
Yes, back at the yard when the race had probably finished by then
“and the horse is 100 per cent sound. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with him.”
Look , I’ve been kicked and stood on by horses and cattle, It can be really bloody painful in the moment and you could be hopping lame for a bit, and be going sound 5 minutes later, even if potentially still affected to the point where it might still hurt a bit if you had to sprint. But be fine the next day.
The vets can’t mess about for ages. They have to have get on and make a decision. You accept the decision, take your medicine and go home. If the horse is sound 5 minutes later, that night, the next morning or two weeks hence- it’s irrelevant. Hard luck. Also- tell your jockey to not be bloody lazy and use the legs he was born with the next time.