The sudden death of Chromatic BF after a competition at the FEI World Cup Show Jumping Final in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, last spring will never be forgotten by the horse’s owner/breeder, Kc Branscomb, who is determined to ensure nothing like that happens to another horse representing the U.S. in competition.
She took issue with a massive injection that the 13-year-old gelding received before he collapsed in his stall at the show, and felt she was not getting the whole story about what killed him. Chromatic, who had finished third in his class 90 minutes earlier, received 4 milliliters of Legend, 5 of Adequan, 20 of Traumeel, 20 of arnica and 20 of Selevit, a selenium/vitamin combination. After he was prone on the ground and thrashing, by the time dexamethasone was called for and administered, along with IV fluids the horse was barely moving. Branscomb stated there was no epinephrine asked for or administered.
Rider Jill Humphrey accepts her trophy on Chromatic BF after taking third place in a class at the FEI World Cup Finals.
A necropsy performed at King Faisal University in Saudi Arabia did not satisfy Branscomb,nor did the U.S Equestrian Federation’s explanation based on that necropsy report.
The USEF issued a statement about the report June 10 and revised it on June 11, saying, “The cause of the death was severe diffuse pulmonary hemorrhage and edema, which could be attributed to multiple causes, including disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), cardiopulmonary failure, shock, and exercise-associated fatal pulmonary hemorrhage.
The report further indicates that the histopathologic findings raise the suspicion of fatal equine exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage, despite Chromatic BF not exhibiting any overt signs of such condition. According to the final report, the administered medications were not identified as the cause of death.”
It was noted that Dr. Stephen Schumacher, USEF Chief Veterinary Officer, indicated the necropsy report is not conclusive as to the cause of the hemorrhage and edema.
This week, however, USEF Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel Sonja Keating talked for more than an hour about what might have killed Chromatic with Dr. John E. Madigan, professor emeritus of the Department of Medicine and Epidemiology at the University of California Davis school of veterinary medicine and board certified in the specialty of animal welfare. Branscomb was referred to Madigan by her own veterinarian as she looked for answers.
In an interview, Madigan explained, “These kinds of issues are what animal welfare is about, so it’s important to offer commentary when it might help improve things.”
He noted the necropsy report listed several possible causes of death, including “shock; cardiovascular, which would include anaphylaxis, and…exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage because the lung has hemorrhage in it. And that would be the fatal form of exercise-induced hemorrhage.”
However, he added, “In sport horses, the incidences of exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage fatality is 0.05 percent.
When the condition is exercise-induced, he said, the bleeding starts during exercise. The hallmarks of that include impaired performance, a cough, then some bloody discharge from the nose, he continued, adding “It starts this cascade.”
Madigan pointed out, “In some horses, it could take an hour to die but they’re struggling all along because it started during exercise.”
The idea that Chromatic took a gleeful victory lap during the awards ceremony after his class is “inconceivable and not compatible with fatal-induced thing, which occurred about four or five minutes after an IV injection.”
He mentioned the horse was not brought to the veterinarian who injected him because of a problem, but rather received “these compounds that were supposed to help him recover or whatever the notion is there for the use of those.
“Two of them had label warnings that it could produce anaphylaxis. It’s very clear the other possible causes mentioned in there (the necropsy report); shock, cardiovascular collapse etc., which can be associated with anaphylaxis or anaphylactic reaction is a much more likely cause.”
In the wake of Keating’s conversation with Madigan, USEF issued a statement Thursday about the situation, saying, “USEF is committed to learning from the tragic loss of Chromatic BF and the circumstances surrounding his death to ensure it doesn’t happen again. While the results of the necropsy report were not conclusive, we are still trying to learn as much as possible about the circumstances surrounding his death.
“We worked closely with KC Branscomb to review and revise the horse participation consent agreement. Additionally, we are thoroughly examining research and education initiatives to enhance the management of sport horse recovery.”
Details on the initiatives are yet to be determined, according to USEF.
Branscomb said, “I’m heartened that the USEF appears to be taking this more seriously now. I look forward to cooperating with them to find a positive resolution to this tragedy that will be of benefit to all sport horses in improving their welfare and safety.”
The draft of the new horse participation consent agreement says “no substances will be administered to the horse unless the USEF-appointed veterinarian first obtains written consent from the athlete,” unless it’s an emergency situation.
Branscomb had been looking for a public statement from USEF that said, upon further analysis of the cause of death and bringing in expert testimony to figure out what really went on in Riyadh, “they’ve come to the conclusion that the horse most probably did die of anaphylactic shock and it probably was related to the medications given three to four minutes before (his death). While the veterinarian acted independently, because they (USEF) had full custody of the horse and because they took that responsibility, they are responsible for supervising the vets. They bear some responsibility for the death of the horse and making sure it doesn’t happen again to another horse. They need to acknowledge some level of responsibility.”
She wants USEF to work with the American Association of Equine Practitioners or a similar organization to make sure the vets treating horses at competitions are licensed and “trained to protect our horses in the sport.”
Branscomb is asking USEF to put $1.5 million into the Chromatic BF Fund for Sport Horse Welfare.
“I want them to fund research on what top show jumping horses need to live happy, healthy lives. I want them to put some skin in the game that says that the horse that died in Riyadh didn’t die in vain. He’s going to help fund what will make sure that horses of his quality in his sport will be well taken care of…and do the sport they love without fear of having someone kill them.”
Madigan observed, “if you’re using drugs that have on the label that it can produce anaphylaxis, you better be prepared with epinephrine and corticosteroids, IV fluids etc. or don’t do it. Then you’d have to say, `is it worth the risk to help enhance the recovery?’ ”
As he sees it, “Sports medicine went from treating sports-related injuries and things like that to trying to optimize performance of the equine athlete. But that shouldn’t really include the use of medications that produce at-risk.”