Sebastian Rieder from Tokyo
Dominik Burger, how big is the shock after the dramatic torn ligament and the euthanasia of the jet set?
We are all very concerned. The mood is very subdued. We are all very sad and humble. But the great sympathy and support from Switzerland helps us. We have received hundreds of messages from people who know how bad such an incident is. We experience a great solidarity here from many different countries, including people I didn’t know before. It’s very touching. Everyone wants to do something, but we are all powerless.
Not everyone sees it that way. There was much outrage over the immediate euthanasia.
The horse is not just killed because it is no longer needed, but I can understand the sometimes emotional reactions from Switzerland. But it’s a disaster for us too. From the outside it is difficult to understand that the horse had to be euthanized. Keeping it alive would have been much worse, however. At that moment, the animal’s welfare is top priority and as a vet I had to act accordingly. I don’t regret this decision for a second.
Surgery wasn’t an option?
You could, but the construction of a horse’s limbs is complex. On the one hand, it has muscles and tendons to allow movement. On the other hand, it has ribbons for maintaining a static, which means that everything is held together and the horse can even sleep standing. At the very bottom, below the fetlock joint and above the hoof, there are also three such ligaments in the depth. And these tore in the accident – the hoof just wobbled around. This cannot be mended just like that. Because the horse naturally always wants to stand, the structures can never really recover. And with a weight of 500 kilograms, a cure is impossible. These are completely different dimensions than with humans.
A person can lie in bed or walk on crutches for long periods of time.
This is not possible with the horse. It is a flight animal that wants to move around a lot. This is bad for the tapes, of course. A normal fracture would have been easier. As in humans, a fracture can be fixed with screws and statically straightened. The chances of recovery are much greater, even if it takes a lot of time.
So the decisive factor is the type of convalescence?
Theoretically, one could attach a prosthesis, but this is ethically unreasonable for the reasons given above. It would never have been able to stand up properly with the injured leg and thus put an incorrect load on the other front leg. For us vets it quickly became clear that the jet set was a hopeless case. To let him live would not have been species-appropriate and for his good.
How is the pain expressed in a horse?
It doesn’t howl or scream like a human. It sweats a lot and doesn’t want to strain the leg anymore. Such a painful injury is totally irritating for the horse because it does not understand that the foot is no longer working. It’s also tough psychologically. Jet Set wanted to continue running after the accident, but could not.
How was the medical care for the horse at the accident site?
Several vets and the ambulance were there immediately. The scene of the accident was shielded with cloths so that the doctors could look at the injury in peace. The first aid was provided with a splint so that it did not break even more and the horse could be transported to the clinic.
How species-appropriate is the infrastructure in Tokyo?
That is not the point. We have a state-of-the-art clinic right here on the premises. We transported the horse there immediately after the accident. And with an optimistic forecast, we could have gone to the university hospital. Japan is a highly developed horse country and Tokyo is enormously progressive – also in surgery and research.
How did rider Robin Godel react to this accident?
Fortunately, he was unharmed and immediately looked after the horse and accompanied it to its euthanasia. It is a very moving moment because the horse is first put under anesthesia and only later is given the injection that stops the heartbeat. Robin was there until death.
For a young rider like Godel, it has to be brutal.
It was very sad and stressful. But it was important for him to be there when we said goodbye. He’s back with the team now. We help him to straighten up again and to find his center. For this we have a therapeutic specialist from Swiss Olympic, who now also looks after him.
How often do such accidents happen in equestrian sports?
Very rare. I’ve never seen such a dramatic ligament injury as in jet set in this sport. I have experienced cardiac arrest in a horse once in the past 30 years.
Jetset was already advanced at the age of 14?
Actually at the peak of its performance. Horses up to 30 years of age have the phase of full creative power from 7 to 16 years.
What was Jet Set like in character?
It had like two sides. On the one hand, his type was very calm and level-headed, but as soon as he left the stable he turned up and ran very passionately. He was a real creator and never got tired. His ambition and tenacity made him stand out, but his devotion was also particularly beautiful, although we haven’t had him with us for long. Two years ago he came from the New Zealand Olympic rider Andrew Nicholson, who had won major tests with him in England.
So the Olympics in Japan was a big new challenge?
He was proud to be in Tokyo in his stoic way. He was a fighter and wanted to show what he could do here. With his pronounced urge to move, he was an exception.
What happens to the dead horse now?
The first thing to do before euthanasia is a check so that doping can be ruled out. After that, an autopsy and detailed analysis will be performed. Once this process is complete, the dead horse is cremated.