On Sunday, Irish showjumpers Billy Twomey and Denis Lynch, and French rider Simon Delestre were disqualified from the penultimate leg of the Global Champions Tour in Rio de Janeiro following hypersensitivity tests on their horses.
Following tests, which include veterinary examinations and the use of a thermographic camera, all three riders' horses — Twomey's Romanov, Lynch's All Inclusive NRW and Delestre's Vancouver DML — were deemed unfit to compete.
In a statement the International Equestrian Federation stated that although the horses had been disqualified there was "no indication of malpractice".
Under the FEI General Regulations (Art. 159.6.2, 159.6.4), there is no appeal against the decision of the Ground Jury to eliminate or disqualify a horse from an event for abnormal sensitivity.
Required hypersensitivity testing is becoming common in competitions. According to FEI information, all horses show normal nerve sensation or sensitivity. Where that sensation is increased beyond normal limits it is called hypersensitivity. Hypersensitivity can be produced by a range of normal occurrences, such as an insect sting or accidental self-inflicted injury.
Hypersensitisation is the term used to define the artificial production of hypersensitivity and is contrary to horse welfare and fair play.
At FEI competitions, the determination of hypersensitivity in the horse is made by a combination of thermographic and clinical examinations, carried out by at least two experienced equine veterinarians.
Thermography is a means of detecting abnormal heat patterns of the skin through the use of an imaging camera (see image above). The clinical examination is carried out by observation and palpation (applying manual pressure). Both examinations are made on the front of all four limbs of the horse, particularly from the fetlock to the hoof. In the event that hypersensitivity is found, a further examination may be made at a later time to confirm the persistence of the hypersensitivity.
Video evidence is taken of both clinical examinations for presentation to the Ground Jury, who will make a decision on disqualification on horse welfare grounds. There is no appeal against the decision of the Ground Jury.
All such cases are subject to follow-up Medication Control Programme (MCP) testing for the detection of any Prohibited Substances.
When a horse is disqualified from competition because of hypersensitivity test results, such as the favored-to-win horse, Sapphire, in April 2010, it can raise questions about the validity of the tests and the real reasons behind the disqualification. For this reason, FEI protocols must be followed in all cases.