View Full Version : Horses and electricity
Was saddened to read of the two horses who dropped dead at Newbury http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/horse_racing/9395743.stm
It's thought to be electrocution.
Will be following this with interest.
That's an unusual one.
I never realised horses were more sensitive to electricity than humans.
Its a shame.
porshiepoo
12-Feb-11, 19:38
I agree, such a sad incident.
I'll be watching to see if they work out what actually did happen.
i read recently where a dog was electrocuted while being walked by its owner.. he walked over a manhole that had loose wiring underneath it.. although not enough to really hurt a human.. or even feel wearing shoes.. it killed the poor young dog. and shocked the owner when she touched him trying to move him.
canadagirl
12-Feb-11, 20:54
Sure hope this wasn't someone mucking about with a taser.
[QUOTE=canadagirl;819007]Sure hope this wasn't someone mucking about with a taser.)
I had the very same thought when I watched the report on the news tonight.
That's an unusual one.
I never realised horses were more sensitive to electricity than humans.
Its a shame.
Mrs Beks - an avid Race goer tells me that John Francome (a former champion jockey) has stated that a horse can only take one sixth of the amount of electricity that a human can take. Noticed just now on BBC 24 that a cable has been found under the paddock in that area..
orkneycadian
12-Feb-11, 22:08
Oh well, on the bright side, all you dog lovers can be assured that the supply of dog food won't dry up just yet!
Oh well, on the bright side, all you dog lovers can be assured that the supply of dog food won't dry up just yet!
Said in a cosmopolitan and sophisticated way....
orkneycadian
12-Feb-11, 22:56
Cosmopolitan and sophistication is my specialty!
Info for the more concerned, Mrs Beks a bit more info:
Southern Electricity Board says if the cable is broken, there's a 1,000 volts in a 'pool' around the cable, that gradually decreases the further distance away - something like a 100 volts every foot away. Ten foot away there's nothing - it's called (apparently) 'Step Potential'.. no problem for humans as their step is about 18 inches apart, so only one lot of voltage is picked up. But with a horse there's about five feet between the front and back legs, for example if it's back legs are standing on 1,000 volts it's front legs will be standing on 600 volts - it's that differential that causes the problem and it seems cattle are the same
KEEP_ON_TRUCKIN
12-Feb-11, 23:17
Info for the more concerned, Mrs Beks a bit more info:
Southern Electricity Board says if the cable is broken, there's a 1,000 volts in a 'pool' around the cable, that gradually decreases the further distance away - something like a 100 volts every foot away. Ten foot away there's nothing - it's called (apparently) 'Step Potential'.. no problem for humans as their step is about 18 inches apart, so only one lot of voltage is picked up. But with a horse there's about five feet between the front and back legs, for example if it's back legs are standing on 1,000 volts it's front legs will be standing on 600 volts - it's that differential that causes the problem and it seems cattle are the same
Thats very interesting, who'd have thought! Thanks for sharing that!
Thats very interesting, who'd have thought! Thanks for sharing that!
Wee bit more: 'Trainer Keith Goldsworthy, who was present at the track for runners later said he had voiced his concerns about an electrical problem. "At around 1pm the lights in the grandstand were going on and off like a disco and I did report it to the stewards," he said.'
Oh well, on the bright side, all you dog lovers can be assured that the supply of dog food won't dry up just yet!
Awww - now, wasn't that a touching and sensitively phrased statement!
Awww - now, wasn't that a touching and sensitively phrased statement!
I think it's an insular thing
Oh well, on the bright side, all you dog lovers can be assured that the supply of dog food won't dry up just yet!
Actually, and just for your information Orkneycadian, only meat or ABP's passed fit for human consumption ( ie: cat 3) can be used in animal feed. These horses would not be passed as such. And also, every horse comes with a passport that either allows or denies permission for the animal to be used for meat. Considering that these were high performance animals that were very carefully monitored in terms of health and probably regularly took medication ( we can only hope only of the legal kind), they would not be allowed to be processed for meat.
cazmanian_minx
13-Feb-11, 11:16
Actually, and just for your information Orkneycadian, only meat or ABP's passed fit for human consumption ( ie: cat 3) can be used in animal feed. These horses would not be passed as such. And also, every horse comes with a passport that either allows or denies permission for the animal to be used for meat. Considering that these were high performance animals that were very carefully monitored in terms of health and probably regularly took medication ( we can only hope only of the legal kind), they would not be allowed to be processed for meat.
Oh you'd be surprised what happens to ex-racehorses :( The really lucky ones end up at the sales and get sold on for a couple of hundred quid as reschooling projects. Even winning the Grand National doesn't guarantee a happy retirement - Hallo Dandy famously ended up at the Thoroughbred Rehabilitation Centre after being found emaciated and with rain scald:
http://www.farmersguardian.com/hallo-goodbye-dandy-bows-out-at-33/6380.article
orkneycadian
13-Feb-11, 11:31
Actually, and just for your information Orkneycadian, only meat or ABP's passed fit for human consumption ( ie: cat 3) can be used in animal feed. These horses would not be passed as such. And also, every horse comes with a passport that either allows or denies permission for the animal to be used for meat. Considering that these were high performance animals that were very carefully monitored in terms of health and probably regularly took medication ( we can only hope only of the legal kind), they would not be allowed to be processed for meat.
By jove, you might be right! It seems that with there being such a market for horse meat in Europe and Japan, it commands so much of a price there as to make it too valuable to put in pet food (sorry Rover!).
Wikipedia says: "American horse meat is considered a delicacy in Europe and Japan, and its cost is in line with veal,[31] so it would be prohibitively expensive in many countries for pet food"
p.s. Cattle and sheep for human consumption get medication too!
porshiepoo
14-Feb-11, 00:16
It would seem that the two who were killed were wearing steel shoes and the two who survived were wearing aluminium plates.
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