Andrew McConnon horse abuse

[FitzE]

You may be right that it’s best from his perspective, but saving your own skin by running and hiding is the coward’s way out. It’s weak and shows a lack of character (or, I should say, confirms the lack of character shown by his behaviour in the videos).

Also, the idea that lawyers tell clients not to comment isn’t a given. In fact, many times a lack of response to a victim has worked against someone when they finally face the consequences of their actions. I was involved in a drunk driving manslaughter case where the family was asked to support a more lenient sentence since the killer was a first-time offender, mother of young children, etc. The answer was, ‘No, because she never once so much as ask how we were doing let alone told us she was sorry.’ So she got the max they could give her under the applicable sentencing guidelines.

The woman’s family then cried - but our lawyer told her not to say anything or contact you!! Well, that’s a good lesson for your lawyer, too, then. Wrong choice.

I should think that whatever happens to him (and I hope it’s a total life ban), people will feel slightly better if he ever shows remorse than if he seems to snub everyone and simply retreat to his comfy bubble acting like he’s done nothing wrong. It’s like the studies that show people feel better about you if you give a reason for being late than they do if you just turn up late without so much as acknowledging it.

[Virginia_Horse_Mom]

@FrittSkritt

I get the feeling they just want this to all blow over and somehow we’ll magically forget about the guy who whipped his horse upside the head.

This is exactly it.

Plus, it does seem that it there is no upside for him if he speaks out. Everyone saw what they saw on the videos. From what I’ve heard… many people have known for quite some time that he has a temper and horses coming from his program have issues that likely are a result of his temper.

I’m not sure an apology will do any good. If he has owners sticking with him, he probably has apologized to them in private. He is unlikely to find new owners willing to support him anytime soon. So… he probably is just in a “hanging on” mode for now, hoping his business survives for a few years, and that memories of this mess eventually fade, and that he doesn’t get suspended or banned by the FEI.

[luvmyhackney]

@beowulf

I believe it is as much about the Olympics as it is about the fact that Charlotte is a woman and it is much easier to criticize and destroy a woman than it is a man. Women are held to a completely different standard of conduct.

Quoting because this needs to be repeated.

[Bosox1]

I disagree. I am in the Sandhills as well. The community should be talking online. They had no problem talking about Jason and various others. They knew, they continued to socialize with AM, they sent clients and supported his SO in his business. No one wants to stand up and say, “Yes, I knew and I failed to act”. These were grown adults with pull. His poor working students should have never had to endure him. Several landed at my farm after they left there, so that they had work and could pay their bills.

[kt]

Posted on Tuesday on Allie Conrad’s Facebook page. Click here for post. Also attaching a few of the pics included on the post.

It’s been 2 weeks.

2 weeks since the articles ran in COTH, EN and other publications.

I’ve gotten over a hundred messages from people in that time–first guessing who could leave whip marks like that. (For the record, there are 6 or so people who have some serious soul searching to do in how they “train” horses and I hope that EACH and every person who reported their experiences with you all go ahead with reporting you!). Then I got messages from people saying “i saw it too, and I didn’t do anything, but I will now” (that’s paraphrasing).

I know many people have gone back and retro-actively reported abuse both in this case and others, and that’s a good thing.

My community is abuzz, but other than a visit from the police myself and rumors flying around there is literally NO INFORMATION from the FEI, USEF or leadership from any spot.

Is it any wonder why people get frustrated? I understand that investigations take time, but at least assist with managing our expectations, because in the time TPTB take to “review” and act on this HORRIFIC case of over a decade of horse abuse, how many more are getting abused? Seriously HOW LONG are we supposed to just stand around wondering what’s happening?

It’s clear that the subject does not have any remorse or empathy and I expected nothing less, but I do expect more from “leadership”.

ETA: those of you lurking about discussing amongst yourself that this is a witch-hunt or that there is no way to tell that these are his horses? Yeah. Right….that’s why I included the unedited pictures this time, bitches. And that’s why all the websites are down, social media deleted and radio silence

[Impractical_Horsewoman]

Also, women (who make up the majority of riders, even if not the majority of upper-level sponsored competitors) tend to be much more critical of women for not being kind to horses (heck, even in regards to appropriate riding and correction) versus men.

I still think of those trainers who murdered horses for insurance money who are still in business, or were, until their deaths.

Not a total tangent, I hope, but I recently read Jilly Cooper’s Riders, and the “hero” (who unashamedly whips and poles his horses) was supposedly based on a number of top riders when it was written. Fiction, I realize, but when I mentioned I was reading it to many fellow equestrians, I was surprised at how many people remembered the character fondly.

@caffeinated I’m not a lawyer, but I’m friends with many, and from a PR standpoint as well (I can’t believe I’m saying this) but if this guy were my client, I would tell him to stay the fuck of Facebook. Don’t apologize. Don’t engage. In that sense, he is smart. Even the most contrite apology would be laughed at as insincere and give fuel for legal action. I know no one likes to hear this. (And honestly, I don’t give a shit if he apologizes or not.)

[Salty]

Thank you for this. I feel terrible for the horses. They give everything and this is what they get. We should all write to Ingmar, for what it’s worth, which is probably not much.

[Impractical_Horsewoman]

I know. (I mean, I’m not part of that world, but I’m aware of it.) It’s disgusting. I could barely even read about what they did to those horses, and (as my posts probably show) I am not some sensitive, wilting flower. But then again, there are people who defend child molesters, too, just because they like the way they ride a horse.

Thank God I have met so many decent people in the industry to counterweight examples like this.

[Joanne]

Does AM still have Eddy or did the owner pull him?

[NaturallyHappy]

@Amberley, are you comfortable sharing who that is? I thought everyone mentioned in Hot Blood was gone.

[Jealoushe]

Wow read the comments on that Facebook post!!

@FEI_Communications playing they didn’t get the report???

Does no one at the FEI go on the internet to see all the posts and articles???

The gaslighting is real.

[libgrrl]

Paul Valliere I’d guess. It isn’t a “secret.”

[anonevent]

Bureaucratic weaponized incompetence like this infuriates me. I’m so mad right now.

[Jealoushe]

SO MAD!

Like they are actually playing dumb.

And when horse sports get obliterated by the public then it’s us who will be blamed.

We need a social media campaign or something.

[kt]

So the Sept. 12 episode of The Jon and Rick Show discussed the AM situation. Overall takeaways from their POV really pissed me off but I decided to be quiet and not say anything. However, after weeks later and nothing and now hearing the FEI is claiming they haven’t even received the report, just want to recap what was said on this podcast-- because while I’m not claiming Jon and Rick are responsible for this garbage, I do think it’s a pretty dang good window into the culture that has allowed this to fester in the dark for so many years without consequences. Going back and listening to it again and pasting the transcript snippets here raises my blood pressure.

A few quotes from the show are below. Please keep in mind that throughout the entire segment, NOT ONE TIME is Andrew’s name mentioned. He is referred to as a “top competitor” initially and then “he” or “this person” or “him” after that. Also, Jon makes it clear at the beginning that he has to be “a little bit careful with what I say about it because of my different roles in the sport.”

---

Jon: But here’s what I can say, and I think this encapsulates it best. It’s the best thing I’ve heard, and it was from David O’Connor weeks ago, but I know he’s said it for a long time. And I think this is just something for all of us as professionals, whether we’re experienced like you and I or we’re new into the sport.

David said to me, and it really has hit home more and more the more I think about it, when you’re training your horses, whether you’re alone or not, if you don’t think that you could do that in Central Park in New York, with people watching and explain it to them so that they would understand why you’re doing what you’re doing, then don’t do it.

Rick: Jon, we’ve all loved our horses. We’ve been in this for years. Look, I’m not making any judgment calls. I think due process will happen. “I think a lot of people out there I’m seeing are it’s like blood in the water for sharks and stuff. I think there is a lot happening behind the scenes with the federations and with organizations.

… I used to be on the board for the USEA. And I can tell you, Rob Burke is not taking this lightly. I think when you’re in those positions, you have to do the right thing, do due diligence, and then pave a road forward.

[Rick continues on with some commentary about how most professionals love their horses and this isn’t normal behavior and then provides some guidance about not losing your temper when training horses]

Rick: … everybody out there, let due process happen. I’m saying that rider and that professional, if it’s all true and what I’ve seen, they need to do a lot of soul searching and maybe perhaps pretty soon come out with a statement of what that soul searching is. But just everybody out there, our horses, our life, and our loves and our friends, treat them like that.

Jon: And just the last little thing I’ll say is I do know it is being looked at. It already was. It is being investigated as a bunch of things are. I’m not privy to any of that, and that is all being dealt with in the correct channels as it should be. So I know there’s people who want things to happen immediately, but I do think we have to go through the process. So enough on that.

[Davignport]

It just boggles my mind that so many are willing to “look the other way” or not outright say this abuse is wrong. Why is it so hard to stand up for the horses? CDJ is being put thru Hell (not saying what she did was ok) and this pos is just going on like nothing happened. With so many non horse eyes on horse sports now, TPTB are single handedly bringing down the sport. Don’t think for a second there are not people out there (PETA) savoring every minute nothing is done for the horses. Just give them enough ammunition and there will be nothing we can do to make it right.

[Jealoushe]

I’m not surprised Rick will pipe in about the online comments, his daughter has been the target online many times for some of her questionable choices with training horses.

Interesting they believe things will happen if you sit around and wait, that’s clearly not the case here.

[anonevent]

"**Changes to GR838 Addressing Unethical Treatment of a Horse

"At US Equestrian, we fully believe that the care and welfare of horses, both inside and outside of the competition arena, must be held to the highest standards and levels of ethical behavior. Good horsemanship and a positive image of our sport is, now more than ever before, of critical importance to our social license to continue to operate our sport. It is the duty of each one of us to do our utmost to preserve and safeguard the integrity of our sport.

Individuals who engage in unethical treatment of horses—regardless of location—are compromising the integrity of our sport and endangering its viability, sustainability, and public perception at a time when all equestrian sport, including USEF-governed breeds and disciplines, is under increasing scrutiny.

Situations such as those that have come to light recently via social media are unacceptable. US Equestrian has heard your concerns and appreciates the courage it takes to report alleged incidents of cruelty to and abuse of our equine partners. We understand and share your frustration that, in many instances, we could not act on incidents that occurred outside of the competition environment.

Based on your feedback and conversations that occurred during our annual convention, the USEF Board of Directors approved revisions to GR838, the rule addressing cruelty and abuse. The revised GR838 will go into effect December 1, 2024.

||•||The revisions replace the phrase “cruelty to and abuse of a horse” with “unethical treatment of a horse” to more accurately reflect US Equestrian’s role as guardian of both sport and our horses.|

|•||Most significantly, the revised rule applies anywhere, regardless of whether the unethical treatment is in connection to or occurring at a USEF licensed or endorsed competition.||

To be clear, this new rule does not mean that US Equestrian will be coming onto your property. We will not.

Rather, we will continue to rely on you to report incidents of unethical treatment of the horse. Once a report is received, US Equestrian will work diligently to interview witnesses with personal knowledge and authenticate any photographs, videos, or other physical evidence related to the alleged incident. This takes time. All allegations are taken seriously. While we are eager to hold wrongdoers accountable, fairness and the integrity of the process dictate that they have the opportunity to be heard and offer evidence in response.

The time has come for the US Equestrian community to strengthen our existing leadership on this issue for the betterment of horses and equestrian sport. This also means that each of us must model exemplary behavior at all times. We believe the revisions to GR838, coupled with the existing process and procedures, protect both our horses and our members.

Lead with us.

William J. Moroney
Chief Executive Officer"

[Demerara_Stables]

@anonevent

" **Changes to GR838 Addressing Unethical Treatment of a Horse

"At US Equestrian, we fully believe that the care and welfare of horses, both inside and outside of the competition arena, must be held to the highest standards and levels of ethical behavior. Good horsemanship and a positive image of our sport is, now more than ever before, of critical importance to our social license to continue to operate our sport. It is the duty of each one of us to do our utmost to preserve and safeguard the integrity of our sport.

Individuals who engage in unethical treatment of horses—regardless of location—are compromising the integrity of our sport and endangering its viability, sustainability, and public perception at a time when all equestrian sport, including USEF-governed breeds and disciplines, is under increasing scrutiny.

Situations such as those that have come to light recently via social media are unacceptable. US Equestrian has heard your concerns and appreciates the courage it takes to report alleged incidents of cruelty to and abuse of our equine partners. We understand and share your frustration that, in many instances, we could not act on incidents that occurred outside of the competition environment.

Based on your feedback and conversations that occurred during our annual convention, the USEF Board of Directors approved revisions to GR838, the rule addressing cruelty and abuse. The revised GR838 will go into effect December 1, 2024.

||•||The revisions replace the phrase “cruelty to and abuse of a horse” with “unethical treatment of a horse” to more accurately reflect US Equestrian’s role as guardian of both sport and our horses.|

|•||Most significantly, the revised rule applies anywhere, regardless of whether the unethical treatment is in connection to or occurring at a USEF licensed or endorsed competition. ||

To be clear, this new rule does not mean that US Equestrian will be coming onto your property. We will not.

Rather, we will continue to rely on you to report incidents of unethical treatment of the horse. Once a report is received, US Equestrian will work diligently to interview witnesses with personal knowledge and authenticate any photographs, videos, or other physical evidence related to the alleged incident. This takes time. All allegations are taken seriously. While we are eager to hold wrongdoers accountable, fairness and the integrity of the process dictate that they have the opportunity to be heard and offer evidence in response.

The time has come for the US Equestrian community to strengthen our existing leadership on this issue for the betterment of horses and equestrian sport. This also means that each of us must model exemplary behavior at all times. We believe the revisions to GR838, coupled with the existing process and procedures, protect both our horses and our members.

Lead with us.

William J. Moroney
Chief Executive Officer"

Thank you very much for posting. This is a great thing to hear from USEF, and I’m hopeful they will actually put their money where their mouth is and follow through on these cases.

[FitzE]

But why the delayed effective date of Dec 1? Their own docs state that an extraordinary rule change takes effect immediately unless a different effective date is provided. I.e., if they had NOT set a date of Dec. 1, 2024, this rule would already be in effect. They had to actively create a situation in which it did NOT take effect immediately. If I were a member, I’d want a clear explanation of the rationale behind the delayed effective date.

Also, USEF, see your CoC which applies ‘at all times’. If you only look to your rules that address competitions and ignore your CoC, then I’m not surprised you found you had no reach in all these cases that happen outside competition. It’s like someone asking me to tighten a screw and I reach into my toolbox and pick up a hammer and tell them, ‘sorry, I can’t tighten a screw with this hammer here’ but they are looking in my wide-open toolbox at the screw driver I refuse to pick up. Madness! And dereliction of their duty to follow their own org docs and their duty to protect horses and their duty to protect the sport.