By Liz Halliday-Sharp
In the cross-country phase of eventing, we’re used to seeing frangible devices on multiple jumps. This technology was designed primarily to limit rotational falls and to help prevent serious injury to both the horse and rider. In very basic terms, the jump is supported by a “pin,” which should allow the top rail or table to collapse if a specific amount of force is put into it from a horse. For those who would like to understand this technology in more detail, I’m sure that a Google search would offer a much more comprehensive description than the one I have just given!
Let me start by saying that I support frangible devices, and I believe that the technology might have actually saved my life a few years ago. I was competing at an event in England when my lovely horse misread a badly designed open oxer and tried to bounce through the jump at the last minute. I came away with a broken neck, but I’m sure that my injuries would have been far worse had the back part of the jump not collapsed, so of course I support what frangibles have done to prevent some serious accidents. I do also feel, however, that the rules and penalties surrounding an activated pin on course need some work.
Currently, the rule in place states that if a pin is activated but the horse and rider do not fall, a penalty of 11 points is added to the score and there is no way to have this reversed through a review from the ground jury or technical delegate. My feeling is that the mechanics of the device are there to help prevent falls and to keep the sport safer, but if the design is not perfected and the fence comes down from a minor impact that would not have caused a fall, then the incident should be reviewed and the penalty should be able to be reversed.
I recently experienced this firsthand at the Land Rover Kentucky Three Day Event in the four-star competition. I had an outstanding round on my young horse, Cooley Nutcracker, who was in the lead after dressage. He jumped every fence well, including a sloping frangible table, which he jumped nicely out of stride and lightly touched in the air with his hind legs. A couple of strides later, I heard the table collapse and I turned around mid-gallop as I was totally shocked that the jump had fallen down. In that moment, I really believe that the frangible technology failed me and that I should never have been penalized. While we fought for a review and it was agreed by everyone that the horse would never have fallen and that he had no issue at the fence, the current FEI rules in place do not allow the penalties to be removed, regardless of the circumstance. The 11 penalties ultimately cost me the four-star win, and I was left trying to explain to my owners why nothing could be changed, even when the horse and I had made no mistakes.
I really support safety improvements that make a dangerous sport better for horses and riders, but there does need to be a balance in place. Competitors and owners need to have confidence that if the horse and rider perform well, the results will be accurate and fair. The only way to do this is to alter things and allow a review of frangible pin penalties by the ground jury with the possibility of removal, but there would need to be some strict parameters in place to police this.
For instance, I suggest that only frangible devices triggered with the hind legs should be up for a review, and any pin activated by a front leg should be an automatic 11 penalties with no option for removal. I also think that cameras would need to be in place at each of these jumps so that the technical director and ground jury can make an informed decision as to whether or not the horse made a clear effort to jump the fence cleanly and safely.
Perhaps the review process should only be possible if the jump in question is a single fence and not part of a combination. I feel that designers should also consider adding brush to frangible fences whenever possible to encourage the horses to jump up and over the top with less chance of rubbing the obstacle. Ultimately, I agree that it’s very important to continue improving the safety in eventing, but we also need to keep the competition exciting, fair and something that riders and supporters can feel passionate and positive about going forward.
Photo:
Liz and Miks Master C clear a cross-country jump featuring frangible devices at the 2023 Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event in Lexington, Kentucky.
Photo by Shannon Brinkman
