The thing that I am having trouble with is USEF’a recent claim that the complaint was anonymous (which subtly diminishes credibility, like it or not). In fact, the complaint came from former grooms of AM, one of whom worked for him for years (which substantially increases credibility).
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I think dad’s a good deal older and maybe a little confused by bulletin boards. COTH forums have been around for nearly - what? - 25 years? And I theorize screen names came about because we posted while at work. These days with FB, Insta, etc. it’s not the big deal it once was.
Anyhow, addressing Mr. McConnon. If you’re still reading our replies, know that I’m the mother of a 33 year old daughter who lives a good distance from me. Our relationship is close with each of us texting or calling daily. If she was dealing with this sort of controversy, my first step would be to speak to her before responding pubicly. As odd as it might feel to reach out to Andrew, a quick text asking if he needs help might be appropriate before finding yourself on COTH forums.
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I read it as (i) the complaint was submitted anonymously, and (ii) at this point a former groom has come forward to confirm she made the report in May and is now saying these released videos are not what she sent. She is still remaining anonymous (though I’m sure those closely connected can guess).
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Ok. I see where you’re coming from with that interpretation.
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I could also be dead wrong, so, there’s that, too! 
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Oh, sorry. I missed the point.
This also might be either semantics or a change. The original report the grooms might have asked to not be named and have since changed their mind.
I just feel this is horrible enough that we don’t need to add to the horrible with something that is easily explained away.
It does suck that nothing was done, it sucks hugely.
Edit to add, now that I am caught up again, @FitzE said it far better than I did.
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If there is proof a vet is condoning this abuse, or just covering up due to their personal relationship with AM, what recourse is there to address that? State board or some such? I’m honestly a bit horrified if true and since I have friends in SP, didn’t take much to ID the likely culprit.
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I think it depends on the relationship, is AM abusive to others or just animals?
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Several comments on facebook under real names said he was horrible to people, too.
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So by the Coth article, it was reported twice by two different people with each including different videos?
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Two or more, depending on how you read it.
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This is interesting thought. I dont know that the vet does have an responsibility to report. The Hippocratic Oath is for the vet’s actions. However…if the vet patches up and covers up, repeatedly, then there may be an ethical problem. The state licensing board of the partner’s license would be the place to start. My experience says that a report would have to be filed by the horse owner against the vet/partner.
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I like to hope that the vet does not know that horses have been injured by abuse and assumes (for example) bad cross tie training.
Yikes indeed!
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Basing a big chunk of the horse world on insanely wealthy people’s money-laundering, ahem, taxable-income-reduction schemes, seems not a great idea to me.
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If the vet was his partner/SO, I’d have a hard time believing they did not know. But I hope they didn’t, because that’s really awful if they were aiding and abetting animal abuse.
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I honestly think that is an unfair comment about that family’s generosity to the sport of eventing, and their choice to honor a lost loved one (who loved the sport) via a memorial fund.
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The vet/so does know.
He is heard on the video saying after horse flipped over he needed to sew the head up.
SO is very invovled in AM eventing.
This abuse is not limited to his horses.
There is way more appalling videos.
Horse & Hound has come out to say they are no longer working with AM
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So you’re saying that the puff piece about the dog was… an inaccurate portrayal? It wasn’t the “luckiest dog ever”?
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