In the case against Irish showjumper Kevin Thornthon the FEI Tribunal they found the rider guilty of alleged horse abuse of his horse Flogas Sunset Cruise (by Douglas). Last year october during the CSI of Cagnes-Sur-Mer the horse died on 10 october the horse died of suspicious injuries.
The FEI Tribunal states that Thornton was find guilty of horse abuse and will be suspended for four months as of yesterday's hearing. The rider will also face a fine of 5000 Swiss francs and a payment of this same ammount for all costs that were made.
The FEI states that the behaviour of Thornton towards his horse has been found unacceptable. The horse was repeatedly and excessively beaten. More times then the rider confessed. The FEI is concluding this after hearing the whitness who states that Thornton repeatedly beaten his horse during a gallop training. After the training the horse collapsed and died soon after. The whitnesses report has been found plenty to ensure a suspencion and a fine againt horse abuse. Despite the missing evidence of a veterinarian that this was indeed the cause of the horse's death. In case the horse had survived the training, their would've still been a case for animal abuse.
In addition, the FEI indicated that an autopsy was carried out on the Horse by Dr. Antoine Tortereau, associate professor in Veterinary Pathology, on 14 October at the VetAgro-Sup, Veterinary Campus in Lyon France (the “Autopsy Report”). The FEI provided the Autopsy Report and a free translation thereof, which extracts read as follows:
“The post-mortem examination did not bring out any significant, macroscopically visible lesions allowing to explain the cause of the death.” “Muscles: presence of about 10 locally spreading, dark red marks in the muscles of the right shoulder: moderate, recent muscular haemorrhage.” Dr. Tortereau stated as follows: "I certify to have observed macroscopically visible lesions compatible with recent muscular hemorrages, moderate, affecting the right shoulder muscles. These lesions may have been caused by inflicted trauma, soon before the horse’s death.”
After the accident last year Thornton stated: I've been working with horses for all my life. Never would I hurt a horse or beat it to death. I've never done anything like this, nor would I ever. I'm not that kind of person. I had not been riding my horse for three hours as the social media claims. I was riding for about 15-20 minutes most before he fell down. People seem to confuse the horse with the other grey's I had with me that week. I had been riding them as well earlier this day."
Find the full statement here