AP:21 Polo horses Die at Fla. Match; Cause Unknown

[JMS]

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hT06XPGGar8kXA3LUfZE61fu2auAD97M6N901

21 polo horses die at Fla. match; cause unknown

37 minutes ago

WELLINGTON, Fla. (AP) — Officials were waiting Monday for test results to find out why 21 polo horses from a Venezuelan team fell fatally ill before a match at a Florida tournament in what one veterinarian said was the result of some kind of poison.

The horses from the Lechuza Caracas team were being unloaded from their trailers Sunday afternoon when two collapsed and others acted dizzy and disoriented, according to the International Polo Club Palm Beach. Seven horses died at the scene and the rest while being treated elsewhere or en route to medical care.

A veterinarian who was at the scene said the tests will need to determine the trigger for what he believed was heart failure among the horses.

"Well clearly, it's an intoxication, clearly there's some sort of a poison," Dr. James Belden told NBC.

Belden said it remains to be seen "whether it's something in the environment or something that the horses were exposed to." He said the routine in the horses' stable ahead of the match was absolutely normal.

The polo grounds in Wellington, a wealthy equestrian and golfing community in central Palm Beach County, hosts the U.S. Open every year.

"It could be the water, hay, bedding. We just don't know. When we find out what it is, we will take all the necessary actions," John A. Wash, the polo club's president of club operations, told The Palm Beach Post.

Veterinarians already at the event quickly tried treating the horses, inserting intravenous lines and trying to cool them down with fans and water. Observers hung blue tarps to shield some of the horses from the crowd's view.

[Zguy28]

Wow. That would be pretty messed up if somebody did this maliciously.

Maybe they got bit by fire ants?

[IONTOP]

When will they learn? Water polo is NOT played with horses...

[HogNose]

Probably some ignorant nuts doing this as an attack on Chavez & Venezuela.

[TimmySmith]

Probably some ignorant nuts doing this as an attack on Chavez & Venezuela.

Less likely than Chavez himself orchestrating the whole thing to drum up thoughts such as yours.

[HogNose]

Less likely than Chavez himself orchestrating the whole thing to drum up thoughts such as yours.

True.

[BALLz]

When will CSI Miami do a spin off of this.

If this is found to be malicious, the obvious place to look would be the teams biggest rival.

Of course, it may be an inside job. Perhaps a mistreated caretaker. I could be wrong but my impression of Polo is that it is played amoungst exteremly wealthy individuals. I'm sure a lot of time and money is spent training these horses. I find it hard to believe that the owners would allow just any ole body access to them.