Equine athletes competing at the Olympics and Paralympics at Greenwich Park will undergo pre-event fitness checks and have their cuts, scrapes and sprains dealt with at an on-site temporary clinic constructed specially for the London 2012 Games, says the governing FEI (International Equine Federation).
The state-of-the-art facility, built to stringent specifications in only three weeks, provides 24-hour veterinary care for the animals – and medical checks not even human athletes get, says veterinary services manager Jenny Hall.
“We take it for granted, but no-one inspects the human athletes before their competition, no-one ensures their fitness to compete, but that is standard protocol for all equestrian events,” she said in an FEI statement.
