Equestrian expert Tang Pui-tat has warned that horses could die in the heat if Hong Kong hosts the sport during the Beijing Olympics.
The former secretary-general of the Hong Kong Equestrian Federation, who was forced to quit a fortnight ago over his perceived opposition to holding the events in Hong Kong in August 2008, said the weather in the city at that time of year could prove fatal to horses.
'Will horses which come from cooler climes like Europe be able to cope in the hot and humid weather conditions we experience in August? Some horses could die, especially during the gruelling eventing which combines jumping hurdles and cross-country,' Mr Tang said.
Organisers want to move equestrian events to Hong Kong because they cannot guarantee an equine disease-free zone in Beijing.
Mr Tang feels this could be like jumping from the frying pan into the fire.
'One of my concerns in staging the equestrian events here is the health of the horses. Even the horse racing season stops in August and this will be much harder,' said Mr Tang, who represented Hong Kong in the equestrian events in the 1986 Asian Games in Seoul.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club is considering extending the racing season into July - but the meetings would be held at night. Mr Tang believes the demands on horses competing in the three-day eventing discipline would be much greater.