Curious to know if anyone knows who I’m talking about and if there is a way to take action without naming names. Myself and several others have attempted to get USEF involved but they are slow to respond. This trainer is extremely litigious and known to have clients and staff sign NDAs to prevent reporting. They have been set down by usef in the past for abuse, and myself and many others have witnessed it at home on numerous occasions. They are comfortable providing negligent care and training, as they fall back on legal council any time questions are raised. They have threatened to take ownership of nearly every horse that has left their property and have been known to harass previous clients with unfounded legal threats. The trainer grossly misrepresents themselves and their program. Unfortunately, this isn’t something that safesport governs and until USEFs proposed rule change to allow reporting outside of official show grounds passes there is no way to bring this to the forefront of any governing body. If anyone has any ideas I am open to it!
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What? How do you ‘take action’ ‘without naming names’? What action would that be if you won’t reveal the name?
Rhetorical question: Why do people cover for abusers by refusing to name them? Why do they try to ‘warn’ the public while protecting the abuser by withholding their name?
Also, you say ‘DFW area’ … do you mean all of northeast TX, or just DFW, or what? There are hundreds of horse professionals in all disciplines, very many horse & show types, in that geographic area. I don’t get what you are trying to accomplish.
This is a h/j trainer. This individual is prone to retaliation, and like I said in my post has clients and staff sign NDAs. I’m wondering if there is a way to anonymously report that isn’t USEF, as they have not responded to multiple inquiries from multiple individuals. Has anyone else ever dealt with a situation like this?
I can not see how a non-disclosure agreement covers illegal activities.
if this is abusive care report to animal control who at least where I live near Ft Worth animal control is a division of the police department and will enforce correction
as others have noted just Where in DFW as the defined area of DFW is 9,286 square miles which is larger than the states of Connecticut, Delaware and Rhode Island combined.
If they are abusing at home and providing negligent care, you can get proof and report it to AC/PD. You can also report to USEF, they do have guidelines for that:
https://www.usef.org/compete/resources-forms/rules-regulations/reporting-equine-abuse
Harassment, bullying, intimidation, etc by trainer to clients can technically be reported to SafeSport, if that is what you feel like he/she is doing. If they have been sat down before, they should be keen to have a closer eye on them.
Lastly, I’d suggest getting out of there and not being quite about why when others ask you about said trainer. People that just play hush hush and never say anything are the reason these types of people are in business. Unfortunately, I can think of a couple “trainers” that this could blanket cover in the DFW area. Get out. Take your horses. Likely he/she doesn’t have a case for litigation when it comes to an NDA & reporting abuse, as well as take your own horse off the property, as long as you don’t break contract. Which, if it’s bad enough, just pay it in small claims and go about your business.
I am so curious about to whom you are referring.
I personally am no longer there. This trainer is located in the Pilot Point area.
This is bigger than DFW
I bet I know. If it’s the guy I see at shows who’s pretty rough on his horses. I’ve heard him say some pretty horrendous stuff to clients as well.
Brandon Clinton is the trainer?? That’s in Pilot Point…. He was sat down in 2022 by (USEF) for abuse. I’ve heard back things about him. So, I did my own search. It’s amazing what you find.
Type his name in the forum. Do a google search. It depends on where you look and how much you want to uncover about Brandon Clinton Sporthorses, BC Sporthorses, Equipoint Equestrian and Equihope.
It’s possible but I have doubts based off the lack of show record.
if Brandon Clinton is the trainer I know him from NJ…Beware
“Growing up forty-five minutes west of Chicago, Brandon began riding quarter horses at the age of five. Two years later his family switched barns and his riding styles. He immediately fell in love with show jumping. It was in that same local Illinois community that Brandon first got a taste for the professional industry as a junior instructor.”
What is it with these people originating from the Chicago area? So many weirdos from there…sheesh.
How do we have multiple people in DFW this could apply to? 
Unfortunately, there’s not much you can do unless there can be criminal or civil charges brought. And beyond that, there have been trainers for years that can get away with things at home that they know to keep quiet at shows.
The area surrounding DFW has the highest number of horses per capita of any location in the U.S. There are an estimated 1 million horses and over 300 farms & ranches (the larger outfits) in the giant square that would encompass a box from the rural areas west, south and east of DFW, and north all the way to the Oklahoma border.
The OK border is roughly 50 miles from northern DFW and has vast open spaces dedicated to raising horses (aka “Texoma”) (and cattle, of course). Some of the largest horse breeding farms in the world are in the Texoma area. Mass acreage with herds of broodmares. Mostly QH, some appendix.
This is a HUGE area. In addition to the the rural areas surrounding two large cities, it is about 20 miles on I-20 between them, from the western city limit of Dallas to the eastern city limit of Ft Worth.
Just west of Ft Worth (I lived in the area for 4 years), horses are DENSE among the human population. Not in the suburbs, of course. But there are still a great many ranchette-sized properties that have one to five horses on them, mile after mile after mile.
Among the riding public in the area, every discipline one can think of seems to be represented.
If one wants to compete doing something with horses, that is the place to be. There will be a lot of whatever you want to do.
So yes, there is a lot of good and a lot of bad, as in any human population.
I was simply laughing (so as not to cry in horror) about how six friends have seen this post and we all thought it pertained to someone different…
I live here. I served on the local H/J board for the better part of a decade. I know how big it is and am very aware of the horse scene.
You didn’t share that with your remark.
Part of social media – people don’t know your expression, tone of voice, or personal context. Unless you participate more fully by clueing them in. 
Not much that can be done? Just imagine what this human is capable of back home?
BRANDON CLINTON, of Pilot Point, Texas, violated Chapter 7, GR7021d and GR702.1.f, Chapter 8, GR801.2, GR8484a, GR83B.4.b, and GR838.4.m; and the USEF Code of Conduct, in that on or about May 21, 2022, during the Show Jumping Classic Horse Show held May 18-22, 2022, in Fort Worth, Texas, he was witnessed excessively whipping the horse REMINGTON STEEL in an aggressive manner at the in-gate after the horse refused to perform in the arena. Mr. Clinton proceeded to mount the horse without the mandatory protec tive headgear and rode to the warm-up ring where he continued whipping the horse. The result of
his actions caused multiple visible and palpable whip marks on the flank and neck areas of the horse.
During this incident Mr. Clinton was averheard using profanity.
The incident was witnessed by competition officials, emplayees, minor exhibitors, trainers, and spectators.
The Federation resolved this matter through an informal resolution with Mr. Clinton, following an investigation and review of competition records, with which Mr. Clinton fully cooperated with the Federation and was represented by Counsel. In determining the proper penalty, the Federation took into account the seriousness of the violations and determined that the following penalties were appropriate.
For his violations of the Rules, it was determined that BRANDON CLINTON be fined in the amount of $6,000, pursuant to General Rule 703.1.k
It was further directed that pursuant to General Rule 7031.b and General Rule 709.1.f, BRAN-DON CLINTON shall be found not in good standing, suspended from membership, and forbidden from the privilege of taking any part whatsoever in any Licensed Competition for four (4) months and excluded from all Competition grounds (cannot be on grounds from the time participants are admitted on the Competition grounds until the last time for departure). For example, suspended individuals may not be on Competition grounds during schooling or other such days prior to the start of the Competition for any purpose, including such things as coaching riders, training or schooling horses, or trailering horses on or off Competition grounds) during Licensed Competitions for that period: (1) as an exhibitor, participant, or spectator, (2) from participating in all Federation affairs and activities; (3) from holding or exercising, office in the Federation or in any Licensed Competition; and (4) from attending, observing or participating in any event, forum, meeting, program, clinic, task force, or committee of the Federation, sponsored by or conducted by the Federation, or held in connection with the Federation and any of its activities. Regulations as to suspended persons are set forth in detail in General Rule 704.
The four-month suspension shall commence on October 28, 2022, and will terminate at midnight on February 28, 2023. Any horse or horses, completely or in part owned, leased, or of any
