State-of-the-art veterinary facilities are available at the FEI World Equestrian Games
Equine athletes attending the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games 2014 can expect to receive the best possible care available from the on-site veterinary facilities.
There are five competition venues at the Normandy games, and each has its own dedicated veterinary clinic. Each clinic is supported by three high-quality referral clinics which specialise in equine internal medicine, fractures and the treatment of colic. The clinics, which are operating 24 hours a day, will be used in case treatment is required offsite.
The clinics are fitted out with a full range of diagnostic equipment, including endoscopes, x-ray and ultrasound machines. Each facility includes a minimum of five treatment boxes, as well as a stable for any horse that may need more thorough monitoring. A team of imaging experts will also be on-hand for support and assistance.
The clinics will also house a pharmacy which will stock a wide array of veterinary supplies and equipment. An external laboratory will be available in case further diagnostic testing is required.
In addition to these facilities, an equine anti-doping facility is located on each site, along with a forge staffed by expert farriers. There will also be a world-class team of equine veterinary experts available to safeguard horse health and provide outstanding care and attention.
FEI veterinary director Graeme Cooke, said: "Horse welfare is central to the work of the FEI. We have a longstanding approach to providing veterinary support at competitions at all levels and at every scale.
“In total, 159 veterinary personnel will be working on behalf of the FEI in Normandy, in addition to the team vets that travel with the National Federations. They will all be working under the FEI Veterinary Regulations, which cover the supervision, health and welfare of the horses competing in FEI events from the moment they arrive on site to the moment they leave.
“This large team of specialists and the outstanding veterinary facilities have been put in place to ensure that horse welfare is absolutely optimal throughout the games in Normandy.”
Veterinary services manager, Anne Couroucé-Malblanc, who is in overall charge of the multi-venue veterinary facilities for the games, said: “This combination of incredible veterinary expertise and world class facilities means that we can be totally confident that we will provide the best possible care for the horses that we have competing at the games.”
Image (C) Liz Gregg/FEI
With Strangles Awareness Week just around the corner (5-11 May), vets are being encouraged to share a survey about the disease with their horse-owning clients.
