I have to say, I have read quite a few eventing articles in my day in which the rider being interviewed maybe said something that didnt read so great on paper. Knowing how to stay composed for the press and deliver a genuine, well thought out response to tough questions (especially regarding misbehavior or infractions) is a difficult thing to get right in any sport…However, Miller’s responses in this article take the cake. It has been a while since I have read something eventing related that made me this sick to my stomach. The thought that this ULR has clients, a string of seemingly lovely horses and still manages to say such things with what seems to be a blatant disregard for not only the rules but her own horses well-fare is nothing short of horrific.
Regarding her yellow card for too tight of noseband:
“I understand the officials are doing their jobs and everything,” said Miller. “I’ve ridden in the same noseband all year. I’ve never had anybody comment on it before at several of the FEI competitions where I’ve had successful results.”
Christian Landolt, president of the ground jury for the CCI* at the Virginia Horse Trials, said that the chief FEI steward at the VHT, Andrea Webb, asked Miller to loosen her noseband in the warm-up ring.
“At the tack inspection following her test, the noseband had not been loosened contrary to agreement, and once undone there was a strong imprint of the noseband on the horse’s skin thus having caused discomfort to her horse,” said Landolt in an emailed response.
Regarding her slapping her horse after cross-country:
“The second yellow card was the consequence of Missy hitting her horse on the head twice at the end of cross-country venting her temper following an unsuccessful performance,” he said. "This is not acceptable behavior of a rider, and it is also the riders’ responsibility to give and maintain a good picture for our sport.
“I understand they were doing their jobs in the 10-minute box, but Limited Edition is a big mare. She’d just come off cross-country, and [in the] heat of the moment she was running a lot of people over,” Miller said. "They saw me raise my hand at her. I actually didn’t strike her, but if you ever saw the mare, she’s big and powerful, and you know how horses are when they come off cross-country.
“I think the officials are pretty proactive right now with everything else going on in the world, so you have to respect their decisions at the end of the day. They’re just doing their jobs like we all are,” she continued. “I went in and was super apologetic. As a professional, we’re all trying to make it in this sport. I do understand where they’re coming from. We don’t always agree, but we have to work together because this sport, we all need to make it our livelihood. We all love it, and we all want the same outcome at the end of the day. It’s not the ending to the season anybody would want, but my horses are all happy and healthy hanging out in the field for a couple of weeks.”
