Apparently a well known serious news organization took it up the challenge to investigate Helgstrand yard.
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Reserving judgment until it all comes out but it does seem like his influence has bought him quite a bit of cover since the blue tongue/rolkur scandals. I’d like to believe he’s cleaned his shop up, but someone on such a meteoric financial streak, well, it’s rarely to the benefit of the animals. All hail our COTH overlord.
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There is another thread on this topic started here:
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The problem with private equity groups (ie Waterland Private Equity Group) is their business model. They pile the money into the companies of ambitious entrepreneurial owners, until they look like worthwhile and glamorous investments. At some point this will be unsustainable and the “attractive” investment is sold out from under the guy who thought he owned it, rewarding the equity group with the proceeds of an over-inflated value. It seems that quite a few companies in the equestrian world have been victims. That’s why Smartpak is now run by the guy who used to run Velcro.
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Ah interesting. I had no idea SmartPak had changed hands. For sure it seems their service has changed, but I was thinking they had not recovered from Covid.
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They are owned by Covetrus Co. now. Part of the problem with the services these days is like everyone else they are short staffed.
Reposted from the other thread.
I think it’s creepy that someone working for them was spying. Don’t care who you are or your practices… my gut reaction is this is wrong and it feels like an invasion of privacy to me; and for that alone, I’m with Helgstrand.
If they are doing something wrong find that out thru legal means… and yes I’m judging from a US legal point of view; it’s my personal point of reference from the culture I grew up in.
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Read all about it ; https://www.americanfarriers.com/articles/10814-smartpak-announces-new-ownership-and-leadership
In today’s day and age you have to be a fool to think that animal abuses won’t be exposed. Anyone see Blackfish?
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I’m sure the ladies that started SmartPak made major $$$$ and good for them. But under corporate leadership it will be a far different company.
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Platinum was also bought out by the giant Zoetis, Ramard was bought by Acumen Health Holdings.
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There is no doubt that it already is and has been a different outfit since 2014.
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The point is this. Helgstrand is in the hands of an Investment Group. The attention from TV “investigative reporters” could have a negative impact on their investment decisions, and the whole thing crumbles.
From H&H;
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Didn’t Reiner Klimke say something like “the open barn door is the horses best friend ?”
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Are they calling Andreas a “Major stud”??? 
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His farm. Not him.
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A stud refers to a breeding farm, as well as a horse.
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Nerdy trivia
The word “stud” originally meant an establishment of mares and stallions for breeding (1000, spelled stode)
Then it meant a collection of mares for breeding (1300 AD)
A mare kept for breeding (1480 AD)
It wasn’t until 1803 (and then only in the US) that “stud” was used to mean “stallion”.
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More trivia: it wouldn’t be until 1980 that “stud”
was used to refer to Tom Selleck. 
At least according to my mom
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