“Never meet your idols.”
Nobody should be put up on a pedestal. We are all human, we have flaws. Even the best of us has a bad day, and regrettable action. And sprinkled among us are also people with high competitive streaks, mental illnesses, personality disorders, and the like.
All of this, which I think also encompasses the reality that a lot of these opinions are based on repeated instances of these actions/choices and not just one moment.
I can (and do) hate the choices that some riders have made when they should’ve known better (PD with QC this year, the aforementioned UL rider whose horse collapsed after the last fence because they didn’t pull up sooner on course, etc.) while also recognizing that we’re all human, we all make errors in judgment especially when amped up on adrenaline, and they don’t have to be written off permanently as long as it’s not a habitual thing/the rider demonstrates they’ve learned from their mistake and changed their behavior. I’d rather they were never making those mistakes but that’s not the reality we live in.
I’ll also admit that I hear stories from my trainer about how certain people behave back at the barns around their fellow riders rather than their fans/the general public and that colors my opinion too, but when I see the public choices that some people make… it’s hard to not have opinions even without that added information.
and I remember the black hand towels to mop up the blood from the horses so it wouldn’t show., yeah I do not have fond memories of her.
FEI Combo Bits are allowed. So…someone (FEI steward) needs to go read up on their rules.
For your reading pleasure regarding the conversation around Zach Brandt: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/k99GgXeWKyME25Zh/?mibextid=WC7FNe
Image 16 on the tack app, shows what looks to be the combo bit in question (or similar) as not permitted. Unfortunately, it is the 16th photo after showing a lot of home made items, but this photo looks the same as the myler. But a lot of scrolling through photos of not the same thing to finally find it.
so, everything in his camp is hearts and flowers? No mention of his being exhausted. Not a fan.
I work a lot with recognizable (non-horsey) names in my 9-5 role, and can reiterate never meet your idols. So maybe that’s why I feel, and this might be an unpopular opinion, that when it comes to people who work with horses, I’d rather they be good horsemen than nice people. Sure, I want them to be nice if I’m taking a clinic with them, but I’d much rather attend a clinic with a rider who is kind of a dick to me but is an excellent horseman.
I don’t care if OT is the nicest person in the world and giving grants to underprivileged children, if he’s overwhipping the snot out of his horse he shouldn’t be celebrated.
is this the horse that collapsed in the vet box? Or was that rumor?
I’m sorry, but some of those bitting contraptions, including the one in question, look like torture devices. Not picking on the person who used it—a lot are using them—but seriously if you can’t get your horse around in something that doesn’t require an instructions manual maybe you shouldn’t be showing at that level. The crazier the equipment can be the crazier the courses can be, and while you could say more poll action eliminates mouth sores or whatever, there’s a point where it’s just wrapping a horse’s head in ropes and pulleys and metal and they have no choice but to obey. Probably this will outrage some people but shrug
Correct. And as far as I am aware, that rumor has only been stated here.
Whether it is true or not, the horse was visibly exhausted on course. I agree with the frustrated comments only to the extent that the horse should have been pulled up by officials sooner instead of at the end.
It was @Bobuddy who posted this. So far this is the only place I’ve seen anything about ZB’s horse going down. Bobuddy is there any chance it could have been PD’s horse getting eval’d that you saw?
I understand what you’re saying, give absolutely no credit to a video of links by someone I’ve never heard of who’s got an agenda, and say again that the ride I watched - albeit on live video - at KY was very good according to the horse’s expression as well as the score. I don’t specifically recall the Badminton ride and if you can tell me where he was I’ll surf it up on Badminton TV and watch.
ETA had a little time over lunch so surfed - I think he’s no 7, so in the 1st set of XC rides here - https://watch.badminton-horse.tv/player/24927/movies?assetType=movies - if anyone has interest in more than a clip. The horse was going great until he tired, and then he was pulled up. not seeing abusive riding here. Tired horse and maybe should have pulled up sooner? Sure. If you think this is an OT issue, well, ok then.
Nope. The vet net was reporting on two separate incidents simultaneously. Phillip’s horse and a horse down in the box.
I talked to a volunteer (XC jump judge on the back third of the course) at the final jog who said she told the vet at her fence that she thought Direct Advance looked really tired when they went past and the vet’s response was essentially “Yeah but they were already cleared for the jump.” The volunteer then heard the chatter about DA being down in the box over the vet’s radio.
I recognize this is third-hand information so take it with a grain of salt. I heard it before I’d even had a chance to look at what was being said online, it just came up as we were talking about the various horses at the jog and who had withdrawn/retired/been eliminated 
Good grief, did these people actually watch his round? Literally pony club kicking, full body flapping at the end. I don’t get it.
ETA - Sorry, I didn’t mean to reply to you. I was trying to reply to the person who posted the link to the FB conversation about Zachs horse. Sorry, fat fingers on a small keyboard!
No, by the time ZB’s horse went down, PD’s horse was already in transport to the vet
The bit you are referring to is not a combination bit like the one that was used. The have added a string to normal bits and although there are a couple of mylar bits, the nose band is too narrow or is the old rawhide which is not allowed.
Unfortunately, it sounds like this is a personal issue for the steward and it needs to be addressed.
All this certainly brings to light some rule ambuitgy that should be rectified. Particularly when folks have been using that bit at the fei level, as well as at this event, with no issue. Three other stewards deemed the bit legal. There was only 1 who had issue. This should never have happened and highlighted areas that need improvement in the processes.
Combination bits are allowd in Jumping and Cross country with exceptions.
The nose band
The leangth of the shank.
This one has been modified so that the rope is looped anchored around the upper ring. You can see where it’s been melted together. In the normal version, a single rope slides through the top ring and connects to the chin strap.
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