Another Parent/Trainer Lawsuit.....

[BAC]

[QUOTE=Groom&Taxi;8496620]
Well, that was an entertaining read. I am absolutely flabbergated at how long it took the plaintiff to get a clue. I don’t know anything about law, but anyone who gets taken for a ride that extensive doesn’t deserve any relief.[/QUOTE]

Yup even after having purchased multiple unsound horses the plaintiff offers trainer a full time position as trainer at her farm which includes free board for 20-30 horses as well as housing! How stupid can you be? That does not excuse trainer for cheating client however.

[McGurk]

And the minor child in the lawsuit is prominently featured on the website as well.

[d1277]

One thing that I have always wondered about is why USEF doesn’t make trainer show records available? Right now you can just get horse results from USEF right? Am I right about that?

When you are choosing a trainer it’s very helpful for a lay person to be able to verify and know what they’ve done. Parents are very vulnerable to a smooth talker.[/QUOTE]

I believe this guy has a very good show record, so that wouldn’t help in the case, but it might help with others.

This stuff is killing the industry. How many wonderful owners would we have if they never encountered crooks like this?!

[APirateLooksAtForty]

While I am not a huge DC/MM/Peggy Weldon fan (and have had multiple dealings with them in order to form an opinion, trust me), this kid’s riding could have contributed to the stopping. The lawsuits make no mention of the few who were successful, which is an amazing feat considering this kid’s riding. In this circumstance, I am not sure that MM is not guilty of nothing but trying to suitably mount a more novice-level kid attached to an overbearing mother …

[Ponytoes]

Ok - know nothing of the circumstances. But aside from all the shady dealings - if this kid was such a sketchy rider why was she not in an appropriate division that would not over face her or her horse - thinking that is trainer choice too unless mom overruled - again many sides to this story

[2bayboys]

That’s a pretty crappy thing to say about a minor child who did not ask for critiques from the peanut gallery.

[Lizrd]

WOW! Have you looked at their website? They appear to be reality TV stars waiting to be discovered…

http://bijouxshowstables.com/ourteam.htm

Make sure you search the menu on the side of their website to see everything including the purple painted walls, chandeliers and “genuine Swarovski crystal hardware throughout.”

Slogan: “It’s where charming Old World Equestrian meets Chic Modern Glam!”

[equisusan]

I just looked at some YouTube videos of the daughter and she was riding fine so I don’t think it’s fair to say it’s all the junior’s fault for riding badly.

[equisusan]

[QUOTE=Lizrd;8497777]
WOW! Have you looked at their website? They appear to be reality TV stars waiting to be discovered…

http://bijouxshowstables.com/ourteam.htm

Make sure you search the menu on the side of their website to see everything including the purple painted walls, chandeliers and “genuine Swarovski crystal hardware throughout.”

Slogan: “It’s where charming Old World Equestrian meets Chic Modern Glam!”[/QUOTE]

Yes that is rather odd.

[equisusan]

[QUOTE=findeight;8496921]
Even in my own circle, I hear people talking about how good their Pro is. All I can do is drop hints, they pay no attention, denial is a wonderful thing when you sink a bunch of money into a fraud and refuse to believe it. Just ask the victims of those spectacular Ponzi schemes. They aren’t stupid but get sucked into trusting somebody they think really cares about them.

Dont blame the victim on this. She hasn’t been around long enough to develop the deep skepticism long time horse folk have. The kind of skepticism that always makes me wonder when a friend raves about how their Pro cares for them as a friend and has their best interests at heart…

Skepticism is your friend in the horse world, I don’t care who you are dealing with.[/QUOTE]

So very true. I’ve had a few friends deceived and ripped off by various pros and it pisses me off but I usually don’t have enough hard evidence to bring it to them when they tell me how much they “totally trust” their pro.

Buyer beware.

[AliCat]

Now that I looked at that website…

[Perfect10]

The website makes the plaintiff lose a lot of credibility in my eyes. It’s less a barn and more a chance to show her wealth.

[PonyPenny]

[QUOTE=d1277;8497624]
One thing that I have always wondered about is why USEF doesn’t make trainer show records available? Right now you can just get horse results from USEF right? Am I right about that?

When you are choosing a trainer it’s very helpful for a lay person to be able to verify and know what they’ve done. Parents are very vulnerable to a smooth talker.[/QUOTE]

USEF Riders reports are available, but you can only access your personal one using your id and password. For some reason it is not available to the public like the horse report which is weird. It also only goes back about five years.

[meupatdoes]

[QUOTE=starhorse;8496792]
Question from the complaint:

“29. Ultimately, the horse was declared to be unable to be used and Kassem was forced to make an insurance claim on the horse for loss of use. Unfortunately, Kassem was only able to recover 70% of her loss and so Kassem sustained damages of $82,500. Kassem was also required to surrender the horse to the insurance carrier to be destroyed.”

If you collect on loss of use through your insurance company, is it typically a requirement that you surrender the horse to be put down? I suppose it would deter insurance fraud but… if your show horse has an irreversible injury, it seems sad that you have to choose between using a policy you paid for and giving a happy retirement to your horse.[/QUOTE]

This is pretty much why the first and last time I inquired about loss of use insurance, even the insurance company’s rep was like, “NO NO NO.”

ETA: Just looked at the website and holy mcchrist… :dead::dead::dead::no::no::no::disgust::disgust::disgust:

[anicolle]

Ok the website looks like a reality TV show :eek:

[APirateLooksAtForty]

That’s a pretty crappy thing to say about a minor child who did not ask for critiques from the peanut gallery.

You are right 2bayboys and on second thought I would like to edit my post; however, you have already quoted it.

I’m sorry, but it just gets my blood boiling every time I see the litigious, nouveau neophytes further giving our sport a bad name. But you are right, she’s a kid and didn’t ask for my critique.

[Plumcreek]

“Real Wives” website and Charismatic Trainer aside, in ~4 years of horse showing didn’t this woman talk to anyone else at the shows? Newbie owners usually wise up much faster than she did, if only from overheard conversations.

[equisusan]

[QUOTE=APirateLooksAtForty;8497869]
You are right 2bayboys and on second thought I would like to edit my post; however, you have already quoted it.[/QUOTE]

I removed my copy of your quote. Maybe 2bayboys will do the same.

[EllenMCM]

[QUOTE=equisusan;8497784]
Yes that is rather odd.[/QUOTE]

Are they also trying to position themselves as an event venue? The chandeliers in the barn aisles might be interesting to brides or photographers who are looking for visual drama.

[bjd2013]

Really the website doesn’t bother me. I think it’s cute actually

Anyway, even if the kid does ride bad, the trainer shouldn’t be taking them for a run and doing bad business. I know many kids that can create a stopper, you just have to find them a horse that will put up with mistake after mistake and never get sick of them.