[QUOTE=MHM;5338384]
I was watching the clinic online during that exchange, and before GM said a word to her, I wondered why she was completely missing the point of the exercise, and why she hadn’t paid attention to what he asked of the previous riders.[/QUOTE]
Stage fright?
Something you have to get over if you want to be a top rider, but that could be why you saw so many silly mistakes.
[QUOTE=Jumphigh83;5338377]
It is not the word, it is the technique. Insults and name calling are hardly motivational. But different strokes for different folks.[/QUOTE]
You do know that GM is from NYC, right? :lol:
Somebody calls me a dumbbell. My voice inside my head interprets that to mean “I am stupid”. Self-talk may continue that thought in a totally down ward direction.
NOT OK!
[QUOTE=equidae;5338394]
Oh for Christ’s sake, if this thread is going to revert to this level of EXAGGERATION, then I’m done. Seriously?? I have no words. Seriously, none. Pathetic.
This is where George is right, Americans are too **ing SOFT. GM is not inflicting PTSD level abuse on these privileged kids. He’s trying to pull their head out of their a long enough so they can make it over the fence. They know better and WILL survive. Jesus Christ, if they can’t, then they’re simply not cut out for that level of riding. Survival of the fittest, let the wimps go home.[/QUOTE]
No, but some trainers do. And some trainers use GM as an example of why it’s okay for them to behave the way they do.
I haven’t read every post but I’ll say this, he’s only human. We all say the wrong thing once in a while. Have you never lost your temper or patience and called some one a name? Not a great thing to do but I think people just look for a reason to hate people. No one is perfect, get off your high horse!
[QUOTE=BLBGP;5338366]
Wow, OP, I can’t imagine getting so worked up over the word dumbbell. Is that really a first-class insult? Enough to warrant returning the word (which wasn’t even directed at you) with moron, jerk, and idiot? There may have been more, but I am too lazy to go back and find all your posts.
Given the choice, I’d rather GM call me a dumbbell than a moron, idiot, or jerk…but if I rode in front of him, he’d more likely call me a fraidy-cat (presuming we’re still working in the second-grade vocabulary level).[/QUOTE]
Again, you’re missing the point. The point is, its “name calling” and its unproductive, mean, and has nothing to do with “teaching”… whether you use the 2nd grade version (dumbell) or an R rated version.
And I believe I have only called GM a jerk. Not an idiot or a moron. And I stand by my opinion on that. As a public figure, he’ll have to tolerate it, because it is the most accurate English word for what I want to express. If I wanted to be more “colorful”, or more like GM himself, I’m sure I could think of some better words. “Jerk” is the most gentile I can think of that accurately characterizes my feelings. I also reserve the right to think that Sarah Palin is an “idiot”. But expressing one’s opinions on a public board about a public figure is a bit different than calling someone an idiot to her face. If I met Sarah Palin in person, I certainly wouldn’t call her an idiot… because it simply isn’t very civil.
[QUOTE=sptraining;5338405]
No, but some trainers do. And some trainers use GM as an example of why it’s okay for them to behave the way they do.[/QUOTE]
It’s not his fault that they’re negligent. Imitation is the best form of flattery. Those trainers need to find their own talent in teaching and not simply copy-cat GM. He is not responsible for the ineptitude of others.
[QUOTE=sptraining;5338395]
Stage fright?
Something you have to get over if you want to be a top rider, but that could be why you saw so many silly mistakes.[/QUOTE]
I saw kids chatting to each other in the background, rather than paying attention, which seems to be a more likely explanation to me.
And all those kids have ridden and shown a LOT to qualify for those clinic slots. They didn’t just mail in a check. So stage fright does not seem like a probable major factor to me.
it’s like anything else. don’t like him? talk with your wallet. don’t clinic with him, don’t watch the video, don’t read the article. otherwise, don’t complain about it. you know who and what he is, whether you like it or not, he’s not going to change and the NGB isn’t going to remove him. don’t complain about that which you can not or will not change.
so, he’s got a potential TEAM member who’s not listening, not exerting any discernible effort, he calls her a dumbbell and you get insulted? hell, i kick my kids out of thier lessons for not paying attention and not trying thier best. this is too damn dangerous for a rider - any rider - to be fiddle-farting around on top of a horse and not listening to the instructions being given. does that make me a bully too??
[QUOTE=sptraining;5338389]
If he knew he made a mistake and was clearly paying for it in pain, how would you yelling at him help the situation?[/QUOTE]
Yup, because he sure as heck would never do it again… (and never has! :lol: )
Guess I should stroke his ego more, when he makes a stupid decision on a 6-figure horse (or ANY horse). Most husbands, most soliders, most showjumpers, and most MALE showjumpers don’t listen to “Oh, honey… Better luck next time…” Bet GM wouldn’t listen to that crap any more than he thinks his students would.
[QUOTE=rileyt;5338417]
I also reserve the right to think that Sarah Palin is an “idiot”. But expressing one’s opinions on a public board about a public figure is a bit different than calling someone an idiot to her face. If I met Sarah Palin in person, I certainly wouldn’t call her an idiot… because it simply isn’t very civil.[/QUOTE]
:lol::lol::lol::lol:
HEY!! You once told me I was riding like a drunken monkey.:lol: Or was that “riding with my head up my @$$?” I was of course, so you were right.
My guess is that GM knows this young woman and has taught her before and if this was what he needed to do to get her focused, it was worth the try. I did audit on of his clinics once and also found him to be quite encouraging as well.
i really doubt he cares what anyone here thinks of him. :lol::lol::lol:
[QUOTE=JFJ;5338411]
I haven’t read every post but I’ll say this, he’s only human. We all say the wrong thing once in a while. Have you never lost your temper or patience and called some one a name? Not a great thing to do but I think people just look for a reason to hate people. No one is perfect, get off your high horse![/QUOTE]
Of course I’ve lost my temper and said things I don’t mean. To err is human. Although I think I swore off “name calling” somewhere in my mid 20s. But part of the reason I outgrew it is because I really actually felt badly when I did it. On the contrary, when someone like GM repeatedly and unabashedly continues to behave in such a way, I don’t think it is deserving of quite so much understanding. There is a difference between an occasional slip up on a bad day, and someone who clearly thinks the rules of common civility don’t apply to him because of his lofty position. I find the latter reprehensible.
[QUOTE=Doctracy;5338403]
Somebody calls me a dumbbell. My voice inside my head interprets that to mean “I am stupid”. Self-talk may continue that thought in a totally down ward direction.
NOT OK![/QUOTE]
You’re sensitive and probably know better than to sign up for a clinic with G. You also could benefit from some cognitive therapy. Someone calling you a dumbbell when you are failing in a situation should not automatically equate to you being ‘stupid’. Your negative ‘self-talk’ is not George’s responsibility to fix. It’s yours. Not everyone is so sensitive.
[QUOTE=hollynanne;5338425]
Yup, because he sure as heck would never do it again… (and never has! :lol: )
Guess I should stroke his ego more, when he makes a stupid decision on a 6-figure horse (or ANY horse). Most husbands, most soliders, most showjumpers, and most MALE showjumpers don’t listen to “Oh, honey… Better luck next time…” Bet GM wouldn’t listen to that crap any more than he thinks his students would.[/QUOTE]
Oh trust me, I’m not one for misplaced compliments. I just don’t like pouring salt into open wounds. 
I grew up with a family who didn’t place much concern on broken bones and I have a beat up body to prove it. It’s taken me time to learn that you have to care for your body because you’ve only got one!
And men ARE different from women. Children are different than teenagers who are different from adults. That is a factor in how you should address each individual.
[QUOTE=JFJ;5338411]
I haven’t read every post but I’ll say this, he’s only human. We all say the wrong thing once in a while. Have you never lost your temper or patience and called some one a name? Not a great thing to do but I think people just look for a reason to hate people. No one is perfect, get off your high horse![/QUOTE]
It’s just that he seems to make a living of saying the wrong thing.
And how long ago was everyone upset because he killed a horse with a metal pole, then continued on with the clinic?
Anyone else think it’s funny that folks are coming on here saying “GM is a jerk!! Doesn’t he know that name calling is mean?”
I’m on the fence. Do I think he should resort to calling the young woman a dumbbell? Not really. There is probably a more diplomatic way of saying, “You are not listening. When you are ready to listen, come back. Otherwise stop wasting my time”.
But these are supposed to be the best of the best. I would expect them to listen to simple directions, especially when he gave them more than once. And comments like being a “dumb bell” are going to have to slide off this girls shoulders if she wants to be a top rider in the country. Period.
[QUOTE=Doctracy;5338440]
And how long ago was everyone upset because he killed a horse with a metal pole, then continued on with the clinic?[/QUOTE]
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