I guess it is all in what you’re used to. We have some really nice grass rings here, and the only time I am cautious about riding on them is when it would ruin the turf. I’m lucky that mine are all sensible about their feet and used to grass.
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It’s not just about what you’re used to.
There was a show I did with the real JB where some Hunter classes were held in a temp ring on grass, not the normal sand/screenings rings at that facility. It was Summer, and as typical, hard-pan red clay with short grass. A lot of horses slipped going around one end of the ring, including mine. It hadn’t ever occurred to me that we’d slip, as I rode him around that grass pasture on a regular basis (I boarded there), but we didn’t jump out there, and we didn’t make those kind of turns in that particular area.
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Not sure of the reason for your snarky comment, but we all know that if those top hunter trainers owned those $500,000 horses, and had to pay the vet bills, they’d be more interested in protecting their horses.
Um, I find your comment far more insulting. Insinuating that top trainers don’t care about the well-being of their horses simply because they don’t own them? 
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I love when posters from other disciples come on threads and claim to want to understand the rules and common practices in a different discipline, then proceed to trash said discipline and practices 
Folks, it’s simple. Boots/leg wear are not allowed in the Hunters. You will be disqualified if you step foot in the ring with boots/leg wear on. If you don’t feel comfortable putting studs in without protective leg wear of some sort on your animal - that’s fine. Don’t do it. But you don’t have to sh*t on those of us who do, and have done so for years without incident. And cast aspirations on the discipline at large, it’s participants and trainers, saying they don’t care about the horse. It’s not good look.
It would be like me stumbling into a reining forum, asking questions about their rules and practices, claiming to want to understand their discipline. Then turning around, telling them all the reasons why what they do is wrong, saying I would NEVER do that, and then ending with they must not care about their horses. Good grief!
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Hence why the necessity of hunters needing to ride on more grass. It would be like so totally chill, dude.
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Yes, it happens.
When I lived in southern pines grass arenas were the norm and I rode on one every day with no studs, both with shod and unshod horses. But the soil was sandy and really well drained. When I came up to Virginia, I found you couldn’t get away with that if you had shoes on your horse. The clay is too slippery. Even barefoot horses sometimes struggle for traction on the clay soil.
So I’d say it really depends on the soil.
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This 
. I ride on grass at several shows throughout the year in the A/O hunters. Never seen a horse hurt by studs
Hi. I own two very nice horses who have won at some of the biggest venues in the country, and I pay their vet bills. We board/train with one of those top trainers you malign (who had a very good night in the Derby finals last night, so def “top trainer” category). You will literally not meet anyone who cares more for the safety and well-being of all of the horses in their care than they do, from the head trainers all the way down to the grooms. You just won’t.
And even if they didn’t care and didn’t like the horses and use their clients like blank checks, an injured horse dramatically reduces their income (they go from full training to layup board, no lessons or showing, etc) so that argument doesn’t really work either.
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I’m glad you have a trainer where the care and and safety of your horse, and others in his barn is a priority. That’s the way it should be.
Although an injured or sick horse reduces income, there is still some kind of fee to stay in the trainer’s program while it recovers. Trainers won’t tolerate a horse occupying a stall at home that isn’t providing revenue for them. As for show costs trainers have their own policies for how, or if, they’ll make up for the reduced income.
Question: If the client’s horse is so vital to the trainer’s income (in any discipline), why do some trainers drug the horses before competing, risking a positive test and suspension ? Add the word “repeatedly” and you have top trainers who are featured in COTH articles.
Not every trainer is 100% committed to the well being and career longevity of the horses they’re paid to look after.
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Most winning trainers in the hunters will do anything in their power to keep the horses sound and maintained as perfectly as possible, from vet to acupuncture, etc. having several farriers to shoe horses with different needs, etc. A vet comes to our farm 1 day a week for nearly 6 hours to attend to the horses, checking soundness, injecting, etc. Are the motivations all “pure” in this case, those of the trainers I mean? No, it is part of their business model. Never had a trainer dumb enough to risk suspension administering illegal drugs or supplements. That is super bad for business. I don’t think it does much good to think of hypothetical bad apples. There are bad apples, as with every single profession there is. Show hunters, the business, is hard to swallow. It is for the very rich and the fantastically rich at the top level (thinking of cap challenge and indoors coming up). But poor care of the horses, even if not for the rightest of reasons, is not the problem in my experience.
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There is a bell curve of EVERY type of profession. BNT included. Smaller trainers also. A few are excellent. The majority are competent. A handful are horrific for various reasons.
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Look, someone has clearly done you wrong and for that I’m sorry, but I give my money to trainers, BNT and otherwise, who put my horses first which is, truly, the majority. There are better-paying, less stressful jobs out there than horse trainer.
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Understatement!
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I literally was about to ask “who hurt you?” If someone did, then I am very sorry, but I know that it is not true of the majority. If they didn’t, then you are just coming in here to trash BNTs with no first hand evidence.
To the OG post, I personally would feel more comfortable using a few small studs than risk my horse’s confidence jumping on uncertain footing. That said, unless it is slippery, I would probably just go without studs.
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Dude, they need some grass man. Just stop harshing the buzz.
For full disclosure, as an eventer I install traction control all round on turf once running at prelim (1.10m) and up.
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No, no one has done me wrong, but I can understand how you could infer that from my posts.
I’ve been around the h/j world for 50+ years, and have seen a lot, either while working for show management, or back at the home barn.
I’s really nice to read that many of you have faith in your trainers, have good experiences with them, are enjoying the sport, and your horses are doing well.
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Dude, you’re dating yourself. The hip young people don’t call it “grass” anymore.
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Kids these days.
That’s the problem. All about hip and new. Yeah, everything new was once old. 
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