Equine Canada is calling for a review of the rules that led to the disqualification of Canadian rider Tiffany Foster's horse at the London Olympics.
Foster's horse, Victor, was disqualified from the team jumping competition Sunday when he was found to have hypersensitivity in his left front leg due to a small scratch.
While Equine Canada agrees that hypersensitivity testing is in place to protect the fairness of the sport and the welfare of the horses, the organization says further discussion about the rule is needed.
"In our opinion the horse was fit to compete as he showed no signs of lameness," Canadian Olympic team veterinarian Sylvie Surprenant said Wednesday in a statement. "However, the hypersensitivity protocol is such that if the horse is sensitive to the touch, regardless of the cause, the horse is disqualified. While the rules for the hypersensitivity protocol were followed, we believe that there should be a review of this protocol."
The statement, which Equine Canada called a "clarification," came a day after the organization issued a statement saying it "fully supported" the hypersensitivity testing protocol, a stance that reportedly angered star Canadian rider Eric Lamaze.
The Canadian team protested the disqualification but it was denied and a devastated Foster was not eligible to compete at the Games.
The issue of hypersensitivity has followed international show jumping for years, since capsaicin -- the main ingredient in chili peppers -- can be used to make a horse's legs over-reactive to touch and thus jump higher.
