Andrew McConnon horse abuse

[JenEM]

@JER

USEF is conveniently forgetting about the USEF Code of Conduct which would most definitely cover AM’s actions.

I would think the Code of Conduct we all agree to when we join USEF (likely by clicking a button without reading) would cover this incident on multiple fronts.

Code Of Conduct | US Equestrian (usef.org)

In addition to the earlier point about putting the welfare and safety of the horse first, there’s also the point about not doing anything detrimental to the image of equestrian sport.

[endlessclimb]

Them claiming they can’t do anything is just… baloney.

How many people have been fired for not following a company’s code of conduct, when they were not on the clock when the violation happened?

Comeon USEF. Stop passing the buck.

[Jealoushe]

and since they couldn’t suspend him, surely they could have revoked that grant???

[Virginia_Horse_Mom]

The grant came from USEA. Apparently they were kept in the dark on the abuse report.

At least that’s what they seem to be claiming

[Jealoushe]

remember how quick Derek Duvander was let go?

[Highflyer1]

This Rule Change is so stupid!

https://www.chronofhorse.com/article/usef-expands-its-authority-to-police-horse-welfare-beyond-the-show-grounds/ No No No No No No I am certainly all for USEF taking action and disciplining its members when abuse is proven. But this is not the way to do it. This is incredibly stupid. It opens the door for anyone who has a gripe against a trainer or other horseperson to report “abuse.” But the potential for weaponization is not what I’m on about. It’s the fact that USEF is essentially a club. …

Fwiw, here is (dressage) thread from when the rule change allowing USEF to sanction riders for non-show behavior was announced in June. I feel like public opinion has changed a great deal just since then.

[nwjumper]

Erik Duvander? And was his departure related to abuse?

[DogWithBigEars]

Why was he let go? I never saw a clear answer.

[LilyandBaron]

Hound & Hare dropped AM as well.

[DownYonder]

@JER

BTW, I might have turned out very differently if I’d had a father who said that getting punched in the head isn’t necessarily abuse.

Astute comment. Children are by and large reflections of their upbringing.

[Jealoushe]

I don’t know why he was it was never stated, just that it was quick and he was gone. Just an example that they can remove people if they want to.

[ghst13]

Thanks for digging up that thread, I’ve been thinking about it since this new incident occurred. One of the disappointing things about the thread was that the rule change came out after the Parra incident in which USEF also had to rely on FEI to take action to suspend him, but there was a lot of pushback in the thread of allowing USEF to be able to take action for things occurring outside of competitions.

[No1]

Who’s to say he didn’t? If the official position is that things that happen outside of competition are outside of the organization’s purview, everyone may have felt their hands were tied.

And USEF has proven that they will drop anyone at the tip of hat, while keeping others that should have been gone a long time ago. Maybe some of these people feel that keeping a low profile and trying to do what they can to create change within the organization is a better choice than being ousted for being very public about what’s going on.

I can see both sides; where you would care about the sport and the horses and quietly work to better both and the side that says this is intolerable and will loud about it on social media.

[Mondo]

@LilyandBaron

And then, when his vague statements to people who understand the situation far better than he doesn’t bring them to his desired point of view, he tries to go political (arguing with Trump supporters) -

I’m still reading through, but I missed where he did that.

[risuenaVT]

It was there and I saw it this morning but I think the moderator probably removed the comment

[Jealoushe]

I would hope Rob Burke would stop the grant going to him if he was informed…surely

[Mondo]

@TXnGA

There is way more appalling videos.

Have you seen them? Shouldn’t they be shared as well? Maybe not here, but on some of the other social media places where pictures and video are already out there?

[trubandloki]

@ghst13

but there was a lot of pushback in the thread of allowing USEF to be able to take action for things occurring outside of competitions.

Wasn’t some of the pushback the ever so common poor wording of what their actual power was in relationship to what things?

[FitzE]

According to the one article, one of the people who reported in May said that neither of the videos released are from among the ones submitted. They also stated they thought it better to submit to the authorities and not release to SM. They are currently standing by that stance I suppose in hopes that the orgs will do something. Presumably they could be released at any time but the people who submitted them wish to follow the reporting process.

[Djones]

@Badger

In the second video where the horse jumps a jump, I see a rider hitting the horse repeatedly on the side of the head with a whip being held in his right hand.

This is way uglier than the mouth yanking the writer describes.

Do the rest of you see a whip in that hand in the second video?

I could swear I watched a short version of the horse getting yanked in the mouth then the video ended. Then later I saw the version where yes he follows the yanking with a nasty spanking to the right side of the horses head.