Has anyone else started reading the book “Off Course” that was just written and released about the USEF?

[REH]

“Having seen same sex marriage approved, and support for transgenderism, pedophiles think it’s only a matter of time before they too as Minor – Attracted Persons (MAPs) will have their sexual orientation legitimized.

Even bestiality, once considered unspeakably loathsome, now goes by the cozier term “zoophilia” (animal love) and has adherents who are hopeful of validation.”

I’m going to need some supporting documentation for the pedophiles and zoophiliacs she interviewed who indeed think that. Le sigh.

Conclusion: Please don’t waste your money on this book like I did.

[Pennywell_Bay]

Is the author listed? I haven’t looked but I’m shocked ETA- Judy Berkley. A quick search of her name on FB and whoa. The people promoting the book have some vile things to say.

[Paint_Party]

Nothing like a lack of focus. Presents that it’s about the unspiraling of USEF but then unravels itself to include a wide range of bigoted screeds and rants based on conjecture and paranoid delusions.

@REH

Conclusion: Please don’t waste your money on this book like I did.

Oh, I think you’ve done an excellent job of preventing this from happening.

Maestro’s book was worth an easy read because it was comical in its misremembering of facts and its self-aggrandizing tone. But this thing is unhinged and off the wall in its bigoted views and ugliness. I don’t need to be reminded that there are humans among us who actually entertain these thoughts.

[MunchingonHay]

@FrittSkritt

We really need an ESPN 8 (“The Ocho”). Dodgeball reference, if you’ve seen the movie.

If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball!

[pennylaneplainjane]

I just wanted to jump in here and thank all of you who are correcting the misinformation being pushed by this poster and author about DEI and anti-lgbtq+ rhetoric. I don’t know much about USEF, but using DEI and “woke” to draw a conclusion for why participation in a luxury sport is declining is the most ridiculous, asinine thing I have ever heard. Not to mention based on zero facts.

It makes me really happy to see so many people here calling out the blatant racism and hateful rhetoric. I am especially happy to hear there are officials in this sport who are openly “woke liberals” (I am a “woke liberal” too ).

I didn’t renew my membership this year and haven’t been paying attention to the sport since February as I have found, personally, it’s too hard to focus on the sport given the state of the country. I respect those of you who are still participating and I hope to start going to the show to watch again soon. I live in a red state- down the road from a major horse show. I personally struggle with how many maga are in this community. So, I have decided to take space away from the show and enjoy my farm. It truly makes me so happy to see there are others who oppose this type of hateful rhetoric too (seems like we are the minority, at least where I live).

It’s funny, I just got asked if my pony (a national hoty champion) could be used as a guest star in a program for kids in an underserved area to get to experience horses and learn to ride. I am happy to say I am 100% going to allow her to be used in this program and look forward to volunteering my time as well.

Anyways, thank you so much to those of you who are supporting horses and humanity during these dark times. I was close to turning my back completely on this industry, but it’s nice to see others who share similar values.

[albytb]

@pennylaneplainjane

It’s funny, I just got asked if my pony (a national hoty champion) could be used as a guest star in a program for kids in an underserved area to get to experience horses and learn to ride. I am happy to say I am 100% going to allow her to be used in this program and look forward to volunteering my time as well.

Yes!!! This makes me so happy to read.

[dags]

@pennylaneplainjane

So, I have decided to take space away from the show and enjoy my farm.

I have a friend who has all but quit her sport (endurance) because she was physically unsafe out in the middle of nowhere with the hard core magas. Also a red state; I’m fortunate to live in the blue island but she’s in another county and chooses to stick close to the farm these days.

[MHM]

@dags

I have a friend who has all but quit her sport (endurance) because she was physically unsafe out in the middle of nowhere with the hard core magas.

Ugh. That is really horrible.

[eq_gem]

Not an endurance rider, but I understand what both you and @pennylaneplainjane are talking about. I live in a blue state, and my barn is in a blue state (I live on the border), but the amount of MAGA, homophobic, anti-women’s rights kinda people I encounter every day is scary. My close friend is LGBTQ+ and has a transgender sibling. She does not talk about her sexuality at her barn/certain events, and is scared to bring her sister to any barn/equestrian events. We need the opposite of what the author of this book is talking about. We need a more open and accepting community.

[Graymaresrule]

@MHM

In recent years, USEF has added a whole category called outreach, which does not require the exhibitors to be USEF members, I believe.

I think those classes can happen at either USEF shows or unrecognized shows, so people can show in some classes at recognized shows at a more affordable cost.

But obviously, owning or leasing a horse and showing is still expensive, even when you’re taking the more economical approach.

Define affordable.

I did some showing back in the '70’s and about10 years ago I thought I might work for a bronze medal. I had a good horse and access to good instruction and time so why not?

I found out why not when I looked at the prize list for one of our local shows. Holy crap there were a lot of fees, even more so when one weekend show was actually run as two shows and yes I do know the advantage to do it that way. Nope, not for me.

[poltroon]

@Graymaresrule

Define affordable.

I did some showing back in the '70’s and about10 years ago I thought I might work for a bronze medal. I had a good horse and access to good instruction and time so why not?

I found out why not when I looked at the prize list for one of our local shows. Holy crap there were a lot of fees, even more so when one weekend show was actually run as two shows and yes I do know the advantage to do it that way. Nope, not for me.

Outreach is for very entry level exhibitors.

No question it’s expensive, but a Bronze medal is hardly the grassroots of the sport. It was really the fees that killed you in all that? Not your lessons or your boarding or your shipping (or the value of your horse)?

The two one day show trick IME made it more affordable, not less, by letting you get more scores in a single weekend at what is hopefully a local venue, or if not, to let your travel expenses span two “shows.” I also though often just did one day of the four day shows and would haul in.

One thing I love about the Dressage medal program is that it’s just you and your horse against the rubric, and a fairly serious accomplishment if you can get it. You can start on the first level scores, making you feel like you’re working on it fairly early on, but to get the two third level scores is challenging. But in theory, you can get it done in just 6 classes at three shows, if you’re canny and can nail the scores, and that’s regardless of who shows up that day, whether you’re the solo entrant at 3rd or one of twenty.

[DMK]

Every time I read about “the fees”, I giggle. Anyone who shows any amount fully understands they are barely a rounding error in the total sum of things.

If someone just ONCE said it was the final straw in an ever increasing avalanche of expenses? Now that I get. It’s that last drop of water that officially drowns you even though the reason you drowned was the cumulation of the other trillion drops.

[cristalle]

I looked on Amazon, and sadly she is getting good reviews (4.3) and the reviewers seem to agree with her.
NB: Amazon also gives people the opportunity to report issues with a book or author.
Does blatant racism count?

OFF COURSE: Detours, DEI, and Duplicity at U.S. Equestrian Federation

[Annie10]

You could probably report but I doubt anything will happen. She has a right to her opinion and to express it just like anyone else . Of course no one is required to buy or even read the book.
Personally I wouldn’t want to see it removed any more than any other book, even though I may not agree with it or even like it. We can learn from everyone, even if we don’t agree with them or even like them or what they are saying.

But then that would get us into a whole other discussion about book banning etc and I’ll stop now.

[DMK]

There’s only 5 reviews so that means less than nothing, especially when you consider the title, which is practically click bait for a certain audience

[enjoytheride]

There are 3 reviews and you don’t have to have a recorded purchase of the book to leave a review. One of the reviews is even anonymous.

[Pennywell_Bay]

I kind of want to go on and write my own review…

[cristalle]

@Pennywell_Bay

I kind of want to go on and write my own review…

That’s what I’m thinking.

[Go_Fish]

My AHSA membership started in1963. I was 10. USEF was screwing us over way back then. My father never had a good thing to say about the organization, and I maintain my membership by holding my nose. Oh, the stories I could tell…

[Go_Fish]

And it’s getting worse. A subject for a different day.