I’m going to send you one of my babies for 30 days. Only half kidding.
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Ignoring aids could be disagreeable as its been repeated numerous times this wasn’t some up down lesson and was with riders who had a certain proficiency.
So given the rider should have kept the horse straight and was unable to that’s still no reason to chastise with the cherry on top flipping the horse bravado.
So, your comment STILL doesn’t make it right.
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Well I was going to flip you all over backwards but SS told me I can’t.
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The reason everyone is arguing about this topic can be summed up in two words: poor leadership.
- USET made poor decisions that ultimately harmed the students, the clinicians and created negative impacts for thousands of equestrians who pay their dues.
- They clearly don’t have the right thinking in the right roles at the right moment for this industry. And whoo-boy it shows. If I was a Board Member, I’d vote to fire the President for this. Zero questions asked.
Think about all the productive communication campaigns and efforts the USET COULD be engaging in and the opportunity cost of this silly fiasco. They don’t even have a horse welfare statement within easy and ready access on the website. It’s buried in the bottom paragraph of their ‘About Us’ page.
They’ve overdue for competent leadership.
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Rider was not even remotely pulling on horse.
This is clear from watching it.
Horse was blowing through the aids because rider was allowing it. They weren’t doing anything different. No harder pulling, no change in pressure, no wiggling of the bit back and forth, nothing - the rider was simply being a passenger and allowing the horse to blow through the aids and canter right or left instead of halting.
The chastising was meant for the rider. They needed to DO something and they were not. They needed to quit letting the horse carry them off and do something.
When you have the determination in your body that the horse WILL stop, they often will. That’s what needed to be conveyed and that’s what the comment was about. That conviction that you, as the rider, will stop that horse no matter what.
I don’t know why you are being deliberately obtuse about this, but it seems you enjoy it.
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Also just a note that I’m not sure if everyone can see all my edits, I’m not editing substance but I am a super fast typer and also a former editor so cannot bear to not edit my own posts for typos and clarity and the like. Sorry 
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Again, you prove my point. If what you say is true and it was the RIDER not doing their job, then of what benefit would it be to flip the HORSE over backwards? Where is the logic in that?
And please refrain from demeaning me. It really weakens your position though I’m sure your emotion of frustration is causing you not to see that right now.
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Welcome any time!
PM incoming!
Just because someone doesn’t see or interpret something the was someone else does not mean they are being obtuse. @Knights_Mom 's interpretation can easily be seen as one that the public may have. That is one of the issues. One’s perception comes from previous experiences and knowledge. So, for example, there’s some BNRs that I wouldn’t trust with a hamster knowing what they do off the showgrounds. One may have a perception of KMP language because of her affiliation and gross loyalty to GM and his practices.
If I said “I’d flip a horse blah blah blah”, anyone I knew would know 1) I would never ever do it, and 2) I’m for sure a weakling so physically couldn’t. They’d also look at me weirdly for my choice of words-because no normal person in my circle would say that.
And again, I’ll reiterate. We need to be careful these days what we say as anything can go viral. And now with AI, that’s just going to get worse. PETA and the likes don’t think beyond shutting it all down. They don’t care what happens to the horses or the industry. The general public just thinks Pookie will go and live happily in a great big field and run free with their friends. They do not understand the real consequences of shutting it all down.
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But this goes back to the SLO discussion we were having above. It’s not wise to give the power to those masses.
KnightsMom hasn’t watched the whole clinic. They are willingly staying uninformed. That’s why I used the term - they are being deliberately obtuse. It’s the very definition of it. It’s not a difference of opinion - that is a much different conversation.
Someone who has a simple differing opinion or perspective can engage in conversation and are willing to investigate further to see if there are other ways the ideas could be examined. Opinions held firmly without knowledge are not useful.
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Um, you know she DID do this, right?? And she started with half Xs that some horses didn’t even jump because only one end was in the cup and it was maybe 18 inches off the ground. She HELPED the horse that didn’t want to jump the skinny panel, noting that maybe he didn’t know how so they would teach him. Not with chasing or whipping but by just being human wings. Horses that couldn’t pace themselves between the elements? She gave them something to look at by placing a pole on the ground. A POLE ON THE GOUND.
A DMK noted above, the idea that this level of rider had trouble answering pretty basic questions is rather astonishing. The jumps were not high. The questions started very easy and grew in technicality but did not challenge the abilities of the horses. The riders, however had giant gaps in their educations exposed.
I appreciate your passion but it is clear you are arguing from ignorance.
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No, she doesn’t know this because she didn’t actually watch the clinic.
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Again, the rest of the clinic doesn’t matter.
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Ok - I’m really off the thread now but I have to say - this is the worst quote I’ve seen from an organizational spokesperson in a long time - The U.S. Equestrian Federation has removed “problematic clips that were not aligned with our values” from archived video of a gymnastics clinic conducted by U.S. show jumping team veteran Katie Prudent, a spokeswoman for the federation said this week.
“Problematic”? Fire whomever came up with this language - this is not Tik Tok.
It’s a serious organization discussing a serious matter that deserves a serious and thoughtful response. Let Katie speak to the context of her comments or issue a statement if she’d like. You hired her to lead the clinic which she did and she used some language that people didn’t like. Then, someone ruthlessly edited it to show her at her absolute worst, and now, she’s suffering through days of character assassination as a result.
Straight garbage. Apologize to everyone involved for the fiasco, acknowledge welfare is at the heart of USEF’s every action, state you’ve reviewed the video and found no evidence of actual abuse in it, you’ve met with all trainers and riders and horse owners to ensure no horse was flipped, no horse was beaten and they understood the direction to be hyperbole. Then state that you understand some members found the language concerning and you’ll do better for everyone in the future for the sake of the horses.
PR used to be a solid strategic partner to executives, now they just cash checks, tell the clients what they want to hear and ride whatever social tide surfaces that day. Zero strategic offense here and a pretty weak defense.
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I have forgotten the next line and confessed to my super patient trainer that I had been celebrating finding the jump AND getting the lead change!! 
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That’s fancy getting the lead change as well! That does deserve celebration!
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I wish USEF would stop spending money to re-brand every 5 years & build obsolete media networks they inevitably shut down & just hire real world professionals like @anon56064099 to guide & advise us.
Three cheers. No notes.
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Thanks dags, too kind. I actually was just having pangs that I was being too mean online. So, I’ll put the thoughts in a letter to them and send. Skin in the game and all that.
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Again, she said it. Unless she immediately followed up with a no, don’t do that, it doesn’t matter that she managed to do her job the rest of the time.
