Andrew McConnon horse abuse

[anonevent]

I think it could be a shadow of reins or a breastplate. Not sure. AM absolutely uses reins and bits as tools for punishment in this video though.

If you really scroll through and watch the reins instead of the punching, you’ll see that there are points where he is standing in the stirrups and leaning back, using his entire bodyweight to saw back and forth on the horse’s face.

There are few things as pathetic to watch as a man who is pushing 40 assaulting an innocent victim while pitching a overgrown toddler tantrum during sport practice.

No offense to toddlers.

[jsjumper]

Can a business page block someone? I commented on their post yesterday in response to this screenshot… I just went now to look at their fb page again and can no longer see it at all.

[nunyabusiness]

yes

[Bearx2]

@AMWookey

Empathy: We need empathy for those who have lost their temper occasionally, and for everyone involved on the periphery—the grooms, trainers, students, owners, and partners—who may have seen issues but were afraid to speak out, or who are questioning what they missed.

Overall I loved and agreed with your post, but personally I am much more likely to show empathy for a person if they take responsibility for themselves. I am also more likely to offer grace if it a one time loss of temper. What this rider has show is a pattern of behavior that is toxic and abusive towards an animal that cannot speak up for itself. I think if we want eventing to continue as a sport we cannot and should look the other way when someone has show a pattern of problematic behaviors.

[DownYonder]

In that screenshot posted above, it appears as though it may be a rein - which makes me wonder if the horse was grabbing on that side of the bit. McConnon’s “correction” is to yank back on the rein then drive his hand forward to the face and yank again. And this is supposedly a professional horse trainer?

[jcc813]

Response I got from Emily Pratt, USEF Director of Regulations:

Thank you for your email. Any abuse of a horse is unacceptable. USEF is aware of what is circulating on social media. While USEF has not received multiple first-hand reports of abuse regarding Andrew McConnon, USEF did receive one report that was promptly referred to the FEI because USEF does not have jurisdiction over the matter. The FEI is currently investigating the matter.

Thank you for your commitment to the well-being of horses.

I thought the news articles cited 2 people reporting their experiences? Maybe they combined into one report. In any case it seems kind of a moot point to make given everything that’s now public.

[FitzE]

I don’t think so. Watch it here. The horse is behaving fairly normally, not grabbing, and AM pulls his arm away and then slaps with the rein, twice.

https://www.facebook.com/21312558/videos/pcb.10105252188988174/1263253521331601

[wanderlust]

That “correction” is so bizarre in context of the jump too. It looks like Andrew missed, the horse wasn’t sure he was supposed to take the flyer so added (smart pony), Andrew bends him right on landing, the horse politely acquiesces… and then Andrew hauls off and hits the poor thing with the reins on the right side of the head as a punishment for… politely doing what he was asked?

[jcc813]

It appears his FB page has now been removed as well so curious how he’ll be planning to release his statement.

[anonevent]

Yes. I read that as a single communication signed by multiple parties and listing multiple incidents of abuse. Calling it a single report might teeeeechnically not be a lie.

[Jealoushe]

He can’t control his emotions clearly. Nothing warranted his reaction, pretty scary stuff.

[wanderlust]

Right? I would have patted good pony profusely for saving my butt.

[Djones]

It’s still live. There are 10 comments but only 5 are actually visible.

[RidesintheRain]

SAME & I’ve seen more evidence
#IbelieveAllie

[Jenerationx]

@Badger

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

Yes. Horse being smacked in the side of his face. It looks like a crop to me, but could be the rein,

[AMWookey]

Please take my post as not a reflection of this particular incident, but a mechanism to rehabilitate the image of the sport as a whole. I don’t believe he fits within the initial statement, but I certainly have empathy in this particular case with the folks (like PDF, or the grooms that stayed) that had their own reasons or didn’t know.

[Old_Mac_Donald]

Yep. I got blocked by Parelli. Love, language, and cover up that cheating leader’s ship…

[Bearx2]

I actually loved your post and agree that we shouldn’t be so quick to “be done with people “ over one or two incidents or because circumstances require that they stay in less than ideal situations. I also think we as a sport we need to do better about recognizing when something is a one off situation that someone is actively trying to fix and a pattern of abuse. We have all see and heard of situations where the low name trainer or groom is called out for a situation that happens once and the big name trainer is given a pass for repeated bad behavior. You are right we must do better helping the first group of people and calling out the second!

[ACMEeventing]

And more. Sad and infuriating

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/rtJ1WYJbdP18c9GU/?mibextid=WC7FNe

[JER]

@Bearx2

I actually loved your post and agree that we shouldn’t be so quick to “be done with people “ over one or two incidents or because circumstances require that they stay in less than ideal situations.

Andrew McC has longstanding anger issues that are no secret in his local community. There have been various witnesses to various incidents and there have been various conversations in which Andrew was made aware of the potential fallout from his behaviour. None of this is new, including the videos which were taken some time ago.

It’s too bad it came to this but horses aren’t his to abuse. Punching a horse doesn’t improve a horse’s jump any more than whipping its legs a la CDJ improves its canter. There’s something deeply wrong here in both cases and this apparent break with reality might also signal a good time to take a break and re-evaluate life in general and more specifically, how horses can fit into your life in a healthy way.