Proving again that the truth is stranger than fiction...
I’ll be picking out a specific case out of the hundreds
I’ve worked on in the past years and give you a brief
rendition of the facts and outcome. And, I may cover pertinent equine related topics.
Taking advantage of situations that have occurred to others may lead
you to say things to yourself like, “Boy I’m glad
that didn’t happen to me!” Anyway, for sheer entertainment
value, you’ll like them.
After reading the Blog, please
feel free to call or e-mail with any questions or comments. Although I will not be taking comments on this blog, your feedback is welcomed. Archived Blogs available at this link.
NAES BLOG - June 2019
The following has happened more than once and I have been asked to either defend the veterinarian or aid the stallion’s owner.
The problem: Euthanizing the WRONG stallion, or gelding the wrong stallion. Now I know you’re asking yourself…. How could that happen?!
Most veterinary state policies, plus the normal veterinarian’s own practice standards MUST demand the stallion’s owner be present or a qualified agent with a notarized authorization letter in hand any time either of these procedures are to be performed.
The common problems seems to always be that the situation or the parties get flummoxed by being rushed to “Just get the damn procedure done,” thereby failing to follow up and verify the procedures that are actually being done to the subject stallion.
That’s the very time the vet decides to go ahead without the necessary people present or the “agent” is late for the appointment. Now a word to the wise, never show up late for any veterinary appointment, (Or for any other horse related appointment).
I can tell you from lots of sad experiences that if the owner’s stallion gets castrated erroneously, the money damages sent on to the insurance company will be huge. And that’s where the insurance company hires me to come in and perform the Qualified Appraisal. And the same holds true if another horse is put down rather than the correct horse.
Through the years, I have appraised over 50 separate breeds and over 30 separate disciplines. Of course, our LORD has made horses pretty much the same way, with specific items which aid in separating the various breeds. If the breed to be appraised is one which I have done recently, I do spend time in refreshing my memory. But I can assure you the person who owned the horse inadvertently gelded or euthanized will submit a bill substantially more than the horse was worth, (No surprise there).
Often, the stallion is being gelded owing to the not uncommon problem of just unruliness where someone such as the owner or groom might get hurt or killed. Of course, in a big-time winning racehorse, it doesn’t matter how bad they act, just so long as they go very fast on the track. So obviously, everyone must be on guard for “killing” the wrong animal or gelding the wrong stallion.
In fact, I’ve seen stallions handled by a grooms on either side using stallion poles, about 8 or 10 feet long. These “stud poles,” are attached to either side of the stallion’s bridle or halter. In cases where the stable owner has a history of having unruly or unbroken horses, the vets must be very careful to not perform any large medical procedure unless the horse’s owner is present.
Mistaken identity is the number one cause of serious medical errors, so the person legally qualified to demand such important procedures must be around to verify the identity of the subject animal.
In other words, one must always assume that any medical procedure could be performed either on the wrong horse or on the wrong part of the horse’s body. So the answer is so very simple. The responsibility an owner has is huge, especially if the horse’s owner is new to the equine community. In short, nothing can be left for the veterinarian to figure out on their own.
Archived Blogs - at this link
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NAES is the leader in multiple breed equine appraisals. We can give you the most accurate and professional qualified appraisal in the industry. more...
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| David D. Johnson operates North American Equine Services,
LLC as its President and CEO. The company, based in Phoenix,
Arizona specializes in litigation consulting, related activities
and horse appraisals for the legal and insurance communities
and has been doing so for the past 30 years throughout North
America. more... |
| As the premier financial appraisers and evaluators of the equestrian sport in the United States and North America and because we operate in the public spotlight, we are expected to conduct our affairs in a manner consistent with the great trust that has been placed in us. more... |
As a licensed official with the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF), Mr. Johnson fully supports and promotes the organization’s efforts with the safety and welfare of horses and riders. The USEF has instituted a Safe Sport Policy available at this link.
Questions and answers regarding the USEF Policy are available as FAQ’s at this link. NAES has had similar policies in place since its inception.
NAES clients expect absolute confidentiality in their dealings with our firm. more... |
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Horse of the Month for
June, 2019
...is the American Mustang, COBRA owned by Ms. Marsha Hartford-Sapp of Tallahassee, Florida.
more...
Past horses of the month |
June 2019
Hereditary equine regional dermal asthenia (HERDA) isa genetic skin disease predominantly found in the AmericanQuarterHorse.
Within the breed, the disease is prevalent in particular lines of cutting horses. HERDA’s symptoms show scaring, etc. and shows up in certain bloodlines.
The best idea is to contact the AQHA in Amarillo, TX to get the latest bloodlines, which are reducing, and of course, speak to your veterinarian during the all-important pre-purchase exam. |
| Current & Past Tips |
NAES, while not giving legal advise of any kind, provides a full range of services to horse owners, and the legal and insurance communities. Check our Legal Services page for more.
- FREE phone discussion for however long it takes to discuss anything horse-related.
- NAES can then guide you in the areas of standards & practices, accident investigation and anything involving horse activities.
- We also provide expert witness testimony for settlement conferences, arbitrations, mediations and at trial. |
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