I have never heard of such a thing! How horrible. What a despicable person…
Hoping this brings a lifetime ban with USEF and FEI.
13 Likes
Yes, this is abusive. Agree.
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I doubt that will happen. USEF put Devin Ryan on the team. https://www.chronofhorse.com/article/usef-suspends-devin-ryan-after-hampton-classic-horse-welfare-concerns
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The expression on that horses face is heartbreaking.
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Is it really that hard to teach a GP horse to go forward from the leg? Really??
I admit I’m surprised they didn’t bluetooth that gadget though. Wires everywhere are so early 2000’s.
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I am another shocked as I didn’t know it existed.
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She still defended him.
i just read his comments in the article COTH posted. Wow he sounds like such an ass!
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How does this guy have owners still willing to keep horses with him? It seems like most of the times I’ve heard about him it was because he abused one horse or another.
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What kind of horses needs a shock to go forward? If you can’t a horse to go, maybe you should ride a thoroughbred. Holy moly, I only used the smallest of spurs on my TBs. I’d be in the next county with roweled spurs, never mind a shock treatment.
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I lost all my respect for the US team when they did that. Disgusting. How could you put someone like that on a team To represent the United States.
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According to a story I heard maybe 15 years ago, that has happened, though not to AK. It happened at a show in Europe. Guy was on course, apparently it shorted, and he ran screaming out of the ring and into the woods and frantically pulled his pants down to remove the wires.
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Someone should go through Navalo’s vet records. That Horse could barely walk out of his stall sound and then he jumps him in the Hickstead Derby. Andy was responsible for that Horses death. I guess going to the World Cup finals wasn’t enough. The leg that he broke was also the leg that they have trouble keep him sound on.
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I hope this is the end of him.
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:lol::lol::lol: karma
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There’s a jockey or two who also has carried an electric device and got caught w/ consequences. I thought, at a quick glance, it was the handle of his whip, but no whip in his hand in the pics. Should there be sufficient pictures and proof to prove he is carrying a shocker, (called a jigger on the track), lifetime ban works for me. Not his first rodeo with abuse; FEI has said nothing about Spruce Meadows.
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Bethe, at first I also thought it was a racetrack style buzzer when I saw the device in his hand.
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When “good men say nothing” …
I remember back in the early 80’s or even 70’s when some trainer was said to use them on a famous Grand Prix dressage stallion. I think he was called out. You could ask on the dressage section. Anything done that cause pain or distress to an animal is abuse and has no place ANYWHERE! Maybe a coalition of BNTs and riders at that level should confront the FEI body that makes the rules and (sometimes) enforces them. Disgusting POS. Devices are instruments of torment and like a razor in a monkey’s hands much of the time - although I don’t consider this a “device” most would use.
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If you look at the photos on the French news site you can see the wires inside his wrist and down his breeches as well. https://grandprix.info/fr/41179/Andrew_Kocher_soupconne_davoir_utilise_des_eperons_electriques_en_concours
I think the major problem with cracking down on things like this is that you’d probably be very surprised what goes on behind closed doors. A lot of the big trainers actually have you sign a contract you won’t disclose their training methods. This might surprise people but shocking horses is nothing new and there’s many other methods. I would suspect most people would be smarter and not use it in the ring though!
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Ok. Probably very naive again but who would sign a contract with a trainer that you won’t disclose their training methods? Would that not be a giant red flag to stay away from said trainer??
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