“My first thought was: ‘Goodness me!’”, says Stephanie Ohm, a veterinary consultant at R+V Insurance, as she tells me about the tragic accident involving a successful sport horse.
In this interview, she explains to Ms Birte Stapelfeldt of R+V Insurance exactly what happened and what makes the case so fascinating to her.
Ms Ohm, as a veterinary underwriter at R+V Insurance, you deal with horses’ medical histories on a daily basis, reviewing and assessing them. Why did you bring this particular case to us?
“When it comes to surgical costs insurance for horses, most people’s first thought is colic surgery, which needs to be adequately covered. In principle, that’s correct – it’s the most common procedure. But this high level of cover alone is by no means enough to make for a good insurance policy. From experience, I know that it is just as important to ensure that fractures, torn tendons, ligaments or muscles, as well as procedures involving the teeth and jaw, are adequately covered. Modern surgical procedures, such as endoscopic surgery, should also be included in the cover package.
Horses are beloved companions on cross-country rides or team players in competitive sport. They naturally have great sentimental value, but they also objectively represent an asset that should be protected against various risks. This minimises financial losses and enables operations that would not be possible without insurance.
In this case, the issue was a fracture that required major surgery followed by a long period of post-operative care. The mare was in the process of competing in a promising show jumping class. It happened at the final jump: she landed awkwardly and sustained a fracture to her left hind leg. As a result, she was no longer able to put any weight on the leg. It was fractured, i.e. broken. The vet on site immediately provided first aid and stabilised the horse. This was the only way the mare could even be transported to the specialist clinic in Belgium.”
A specialist clinic – and abroad, too. That sounds very exclusive at first. Is that covered by insurance?
“That’s what makes this case so interesting. There are a lot of ‘softer’ policy features involved here that make surgical expenses insurance a good product. Free choice of veterinary clinic is an important consideration for horse owners and should, of course, be covered by the policy. Even if the clinic is abroad. Fortunately, this specialist clinic wasn’t too far from the competition venue in North Rhine-Westphalia. The mare was in a critical condition and the possibility of emergency euthanasia was very much on the cards.”
Euthanasia – what does that actually mean?
“Euthanasia means that a horse can no longer be cured and is therefore put out of its misery. That sounds terrible, but it is very much in the best interests of the sick or injured animal. As well as the emotional loss, there is also a financial loss, which can be covered by equine life insurance. This policy insures the value of the horse, which is then paid out if the horse dies as a result of illness or an accident, or if it has to be euthanised.
The mare in this case is a real fighter. That’s also crucial for the operation to be successful.”
How does such a high-risk operation take place?
“The vets at the clinic assessed the fracture based on the initial X-rays taken right there at the showground and indicated that they would be able to operate on such a fracture. You can surely imagine the owner’s relief. Following our consultation, we as the insurer also gave our approval for this delicate case. Once on site, the vets were convinced that they could indeed save the mare. She then underwent surgery. It took three hours in total. The anaesthesia is almost the greatest risk involved. But then it became clear that she’d made it through.
She is now at the clinic and is being monitored day and night. A ‘swinglifter’ – a kind of sling – is being used to take the weight off her healthy legs. There’s a high risk that, whilst one condition heals, another might flare up. Laminitis is a major risk with one-sided weight-bearing and would undo all our efforts.”
How much does an operation like this cost?
“You’ll need to budget for around 4,500 EUR, including the preliminary examination and the operation itself. On top of that come the costs of aftercare, which can run to as much as 5,500 EUR for a 14-day period covered by insurance.”
How long will it take before the mare can bear weight again?
“First and foremost, it’s a huge success that the mare is alive and is coping so well with her stay at the clinic, including the operation and the swing lifter. Once she’s back at her home stable, she’ll only be allowed to walk a little for a good six months. It will be another six months before we can even think about starting her back into training. Whether she’ll actually return to top-level competition remains to be seen, but a fighter is certainly also a good mother.”
That’s a lovely closing remark. Ms Ohm, thank you for this interview.
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R+V Allgemeine Versicherung AG
General Agency Birte Stapelfeldt
Dorfstraße 16a
23815 Strukdorf
Tel.: 04553 8953353
Email: gv.stapelfeldt@ruv.de
