I saw that on the news. I happened in Wellington, FL. I used to live there, so it caught my attention. Since the relatively small town is known internationally for polo (at least among polo people- which I am NOT) I did attend a couple polo matches while we lived there out of curiosity. There are days when royalty is actually there, then there are "family days" when they market to locals. LOL. A local team gave a tour of the stables to our moms group w/preschoolers once. Ya know, when you can picture from memory where these things happen, it has a bigger impact. And I can visualize the arena and stables, within walking distance from where I lived. It is a huge horse community besides the polo, so I know the community mourns such a loss.

I saw that too. They are doing necropsies to determine the cause of death. I'm guessing something in the feed since so many horses were affected. The news said they were valued at about $100,000 each--not that it matters. It would be sad no matter what horse it happened to. It must have been awful for the people there, all those horses sick at one time.

It is devastating to me that those beautiful animals came to such a tragic end. I can't even bear to think about it.

It's awful.

Once a feed store in our area had some bad feed that killed a bunch of horses. It was a toxin from corn. I believe it was caused by corn that is too heavily fertilized and then doesn't get enough water...causes a toxin. I may be wrong about that, except I know it was a toxin caused by corn. I didn't feed my horses feed from that store and I have never bought feed from them, because of that. I am sure it is safe now, but I never could forget it. I know a bunch of people who lost all their horses.

My question and worry is what is considered 'legal stimulants'? Why should any stimulant be legal to enhance the performance of these magnificent animals...whether it's racing, show, polo, etc.? The animals have no choice over what the humans are choosing to do to them.

This issue being only one of the reasons I have a problem supporting competions with horses...how can it be in the horses' best interest to induce any drugs?

Wish I could express myself better at times like these. :(

In the many years I worked at the American Quarter Horse Association, it was our standard procedure to random drug test horses entered in competions of any kind. It always saddened me to know how many humans would risk the life of these animals for the sake of the almighty dollar/prize. :(

Marilyn C, I understand your concern and sadness. :(

I feel quilty for ever watching the Triple Crown races.

Does anyone else feel like I do?

So sad!

My guess the ponies were poisoned.
Years ago at the College National Rodeo finals in Bozeman Montana my friend was winning the all around and one of her horses was poisoned. Some will do anything to keep another from winning.

Lori

Just heard that the necropses are done and they still don't know what caused it. More things to be checked.

Yes, Granlan, I feel like you do, especially about race horses who just run their hearts out until their fragile legs break. They are overbred for the qualities desirable in a race horse, but some pay the ultimate price.

I did a little research. I read that all 21 horses that died had been given a certain vitamin/mineral supplement to fight exhaustion (not a performance enhancer) but five who were not given the supplement were fine.

The supplement contains selenium, which is beneficial in very tiny amounts but an overdose can damage the stomach and even cause a heart attack. The autopsies showed the horses died of heart attacks and had bled inside their stomachs.

The brand name of the supplement, sold in other countries, is Biodyl, and though not approved for use in the US it is commonly copied by some compounding pharmacies.

Sounds like whoever prepared the supplement for the Venezuelan team had made a huge mistake in the dosage or possibly whoever fed it to them gave them way too much.

Thanks for the update.

Stupid humans!!!!!

I'm betting on comtaminated feed. I recall a similar case several years ago when an group of poor people became seriously sickened. Here's what happened. The US government sent a batch of seed corn with the intention it be planted. Instead, some people who were very hungry pounded up some of the corn and made a food dish of it. The seed corn had been laced with a fungicide to ward off molds and rot, and was posionous. There was a warning on the seed bag, BUT in english. The locals did not speaks or read a word of English. It was a disaster in communication.

Franck's Pharmacy in Ocala, FL is the same pharmacy that has filled my 33 yr old pony's prescription for the past 3 yrs. Learning that this is the same pharmacy responsible for incorrectly mixing the injectible vitamins for these polo horses was a shock, to say the least.

Part of me feels that this tragic mistake was a one-off and that as a result they are likely to be more careful in future, while another part of me says it's time to switch pharmacies.

I think I will leave it up to my vet when she comes out in a few months, which pharmacy she is most comfortable calling in a prescription to.

I'm still in shock...

I haven't heard anything lately on this but what I heard & read several days ago was the pharmacy admitted they screwed up. However, the owners are also liable in that it's not a legal use in this country. So there's definitely a contributory negligence on the owners' part. It's sad for the animals but there's a lot of abuse in the horse world.

Mistakes can and do happen anywhere. You read all the time of an incorrect medicine coming out of a pharmacy but using too much or too little. Sometimes you don't read about it because they literally "bury" their mistakes. A 90 yo OD on something isn't going to raise many eyebrows. And sometimes it doesn't matter if you get 400 mb IB or 800 MB IB. Mistakes happen. I'm sure they'll be on their toes now about everything. It's like when a restaurant gets busted for sanitation and cleaned up. That's usually a GOOD time to go there.

---- However, the owners are also liable in that it's not a legal use in this country. -----

Actually that's not true. Any other compounding pharmacy would have agreed to mix this specific vitamin formulation, and compounding pharmacies all across the country have been doing just that for some time. It is perfectly legal to have compounding medications and vitamin mixtures made up by a compounding pharmacy using FDA approved raw ingredients (per doctor's prescription.) Compounded formulations are not patented or FDA approved, but the raw ingredients used to make compounded formulations are, and it is legal to create them. FDA regulations control the process by which compounded medications are made.

ALL pharmacies were essentially compounding pharmacies until the rise of the pharmaceutical giants over the past 50 years, marketting their patented drugs in pill form.
Merial and other big pharmaceutical cos want people to buy their own patented meds with inflated price tags so they try to portray compounded drugs as inferior or unsafe. They want to control the entire market, and would love to have generic medicines and compounded medications removed from the market. The truth is that many more accidents occur each year involving brand name pharmaceuticals than compounded medications.

As you said though, mistakes can and do happen. Still this is very troubling and I'll have to think it over and ask my vet's opinion. Such a sad result for these poor horses...

Obviously you didn't understand what I was saying. I wasn't opining case law or a suggested remedy. What I was saying, simply put, IMO, the owner is just as liable since they're giving something to the horses they shouldn't, at least not in this country. On that, to me, it makes them just as liable. And to me, they should be prosecuted for violating the law.

Being I live in Ocala, I've learned more about compounded drugs I thought possible lately. Had never heard of them before.

They are legal in this country and account for 30 million prescriptions per year. Not only do they customize meds for animals (including dogs and cats), they also make meds for:

Children needing specific dosages or flavors to make it easier to take.

Women's harmone treatments (ala Oprah).

People taking multiple drugs and find it easier to take one compounded pill.

Cancer patients who need precisely calibrated meds to meet their needs.

Patients allergic to preservatives.

Who knew??? These meds are compounded in a completely sterile environment. There are lots of restrictions as to what they can/cannot do. The lab made a terrible mistake in the case of the polo ponies and are under investigation. The company had no prior violations, however. A very sad situation.