Mine was Mikolka…loved his exercises
2 Likes
Hebert Rehbein. Gone way too soon.
1 Like
She sounds like a fantastic individual.
The video of that poor guy just coming back in work— I was literally physically ill watching it and couldn’t even finish. WTAF.
13 Likes
I saw the video of Alicia riding that poor horse. The video was on eventing UK Facebook for about a hour but got pulled for some reason. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black for her reporting CDJ. I actually thought this video was worse as far as abuse even though they are both bad. The poor owner in the end in tears then Alicia saying not my problem about the $3000 broken wall boards and saying you two deal with it when she was the cause by causing so much distress to the horse he kicked out. Imagine paying almost $800 a lesson for that. I hope she is reported as well to the proper channels and is suspended as well. Disgusting!
24 Likes
This thread has disappeared from the list of topics in the dressage forum. I can find it if I search the forum for “whistleblower.” @Moderator_1, what’s going on?
3 Likes
The video of AD riding the horse and breaking the arena boards etc etc has to date from 2016-2017, probably dates, from around the time she was hounded out of Australia. It can’t be from her more recent times in UK as the accents are Australian and they speak in terms of dollars, not pounds.
There is a podcast she posted in July, just before the CDJ revelations, in which she mentions the likelihood of there being videos of herself being not nice to horses from a time when she knew no better. I guess she knew this one was heading down the tracks. EDIT: In the article at the top of this OP they refer to that comment as being from the 56 minute mark on the podcast
1 Like
Aaaannnd it’s back. I noticed it last night. But it’s resolved now.
1 Like
My gut tells me someone riding at that level and posing as a trainer, that she very well knew better, she just hadn’t been outed till then. Sounds like she’s trying to cover her tracks. Just my opinion for what it’s worth.
8 Likes
Ah. So releasing the CDJ video was intended to be deflection but backfired because we didn’t even know who this person was until they got linked to CDJ. Without the CDJ link this video would just look like some random crap low level coach ripping the crap out of a clients horse. Bad riding but not uncommon at the levels where people have no tools in their tool kit.
13 Likes
If you think that was terribly abusive, your head must be in the sand. That was training gone wrong or bad training.
2 Likes
You may not have but she has a very large following.
1 Like
Her at the end “don’t tell people I ride like that”
4 Likes
Maybe a large following of people who don’t necessarily overlap with COTH, being a lot of clueless beginners with too much money getting ripped off? 
The Your Riding Success bumpf came across my FB at some point years ago and did not look useful to me, very focused on fearful beginners.
I’m sure we’d still be interested if the gallop video had been released in a vacuum but it’s also true everyone went looking for data on this person after she was linked to the CDJ video leak, so if she was hoping to deflect with the CDJ video, that backfired. Because now every single person following dressage is curious about her! And her Australian antics are now known in Britain.
14 Likes
Repeated double-handed whipping with a longe whip isn’t abusive? God help the horses you deal with.
16 Likes
Yes I’m not sure who her subscribership is, she took over for the original host of YRS when that woman had to move because her parents sold her farm. I’m guessing YouTube generation. I only knew of her because I use social media quite a bit. I saw the video where the original YRS woman told what happened and that she was starting a new channel with a new person and then saw a couple of the first videos with this Alicia woman and I honestly couldn’t watch it because her voice seriously bothered me lol
4 Likes
Me neither. On the one hand she seems to attract people who have done enough riding to think they are up to buying or leasing an Advanced level horse from AD. But how have they progressed that far without meeting any other professionals or knowledgeable people; what makes them go to t AD who has no credentials and sticks a zero on the end of everything on her price list.
Having said that, it seems increasingly difficult to find any trainer who isn’t roughly handling a horse behind the scenes. With AD you get all that - PLUS the privilege of waving goodbye to your life savings.
1 Like
There is apparently a sales pitch to investors from AD that circulated last year, offering a special “VIP” investment op to people to contribute to buying a horse for AD to ride at LA 2028. Again, who would pay out for that at face value? There is NO record of her competing in FEI at all. The way the pitch was worded, recipients would be given to believe that anyone can just turn up at the Olympics and have a go! I am sure the Australians wouldn’t want her on their team.
6 Likes
Both videos were bad. Just stating that right up front.
CDJ’s video was improper. It was abusive. But this one made me ill.
This poor horse was trying SO hard to do the right thing, and she was just…gah. It’s especially triggering for me as I bring my guy back into work after we’ve both been off for my medical reasons. I’m trying to be so careful with him and so appreciative of what he’s giving me…and to see this just…that is so heartless and cruel. Maybe she’s having a change of heart or something but…I’m so sad…that poor horse.
12 Likes
