The USEA Cross-Country Safety and Design Task Force has proposed an extraordinary rule change to come into effect in January 2017 regarding the use of frangible oxers on cross country courses. The rule change has been supported unanimously by the USEA Executive Committee who feels that “an extraordinary rule change is necessary to help to further protect the safety of eventing horses and riders”
The proposed Rule Change states that
“Engineers, cross-country course designers, cross-country builders, eventing officials and professionals have been conducting extensive observational research in person, by video and by photograph of horse and rider impact on oxers constructed with frangible devices
Those involved in this research have determined that when a horse impacts the front rail of a frangible oxer in an upwards and horizontal trajectory there is a high probability that an oxer with a front rail that is either front pinned or reverse pinned will fail to activate the frangible device or it will activate in a less than ideal fashion to reduce the possibility of a rotational fall
With this conclusive evidence the USEA Executive Committee feels that an extraordinary rule change is necessary to help to further protect the safety of eventing horses and riders. This rule change would require both the front and back rails of frangible oxers using pins, MIM clips or other load bearing devices, be activated by specified forces. To be in compliance with this rule change using present frangible pin technology, builders must use MIMs on front rails and MIMs or reverse pin on back rails.
While current technology is available to meet this standard, the language will also allow for future frangible devices. This is a change that will most likely occur in the near future through the FEI and it is important for the U.S. to be a leader in regulations that will ultimately protect our national competitors and horses”
If this rule passes, the USEA Board of Governors may also be amenable to releasing funds to offset the costs of course builders obtaining replacement frangible devices for oxers not currently meeting this standard at recognised and endorsed competitions, thereby lessening the overall burden in implementation”
MIM frangible pins approved by British Eventing
