Horse Dies of Heart Attack During Sirmour Cup at Jaipur Polo Ground, Sparks Memories of 2013 Tragedy

Jaipur: A thrilling atmosphere at the historic Rajasthan Polo Club ground in Jaipur turned into mourning on Sunday after a polo horse collapsed and died during the prestigious 14-goal ‘Sirmour Cup’ tournament. The horse, belonging to player Kuldeep Singh Rathore of the Caresil Suhana team, reportedly suffered a sudden cardiac arrest.

Shockingly, this marks the second horse death due to heart attack in the same polo season, raising serious concerns among sports officials and animal welfare observers.

Horse Collapsed After Fourth Round

The tragic incident occurred when the horse had completed its fourth round and was just coming out of the field. Eyewitnesses said the animal suddenly began to stagger before collapsing on the ground.

Veterinary doctor Sudama Gupta, who was present at the other end of the field with the Jaipur Aravalli team, rushed to the spot. However, by the time he arrived, the horse had already stopped breathing.

An ambulance from SDMH Hospital was stationed at the venue, but medical staff reportedly expressed helplessness due to the absence of veterinary expertise and necessary emergency animal care equipment.

Earlier, Padmanabh Singh’s Horse Also Died

This is the second such incident in the ongoing season. Earlier, during the final match of the Cogniviera Polo Cup, a horse belonging to prominent polo player and former royal family member Padmanabh Singh had also died after suffering a cardiac arrest.

Rajasthan Polo Association Secretary Digvijay Singh expressed deep sorrow over the repeated tragedies. He stated that all horses undergo thorough medical examinations prior to tournaments, yet such incidents remain unfortunate and alarming.

Experts Explain Why Horses Suffer Heart Attacks

Veterinary experts believe that polo is an extremely high-intensity sport, requiring horses to run at full speed and halt abruptly multiple times. Such sudden exertion can lead to irregular heart rhythms, increasing the risk of cardiac arrest.

Experts noted that horses aged above 12 years are more vulnerable to heart-related complications. They added that immediate administration of emergency injections such as Dijovison can sometimes save the animal’s life if given in time.

In some cases, horses may collapse due to electrolyte imbalance, though such falls do not always result in instant death.

Echoes of a 13-Year-Old Tragedy

The incident has revived memories of a similar tragedy that occurred 13 years ago, on January 17, 2013, during the Bhawani Singh Polo Cup, when two horses reportedly died on the same day.

Although experts say such accidents occur in less than one per cent of polo and racing events, losing two horses in a single season is being seen as a major loss for the sport and a matter of serious concern.