Marilyn Little's horse bleeds yet again. Red rag to a groom.

[DrHB]

@Jealoushe

US Eventing posted on FB:

At all phases of competition Marilyn Little and RF Scandalous were cleared to compete: by the stewards for dressage and the official vet and Ground Jury for cross-country. Prior to their cross-country test, Little asked that the official vet examine the horse and she was cleared to compete and re-checked upon completion on the grounds of FEI rule 526.4.

So is it true that all of the blood came from the lower lip on the front right side?

[asterix]

On the subject of the noseband and flash, this, I am sorry to say, is not really up for debate. Mr. Asterix is apprenticing to be an FEI steward and just spent the weekend shadowing the stewards at Fair Hill. I asked him about this. He says that the guidance the FEI stewards are given is that you can slide your finger under the flash and the cavesson without pressure. In Europe, he says, the standard is higher - you have to be able to slide the finger under the leather on the bridge of the nose - that is, where the horse’s face is hard, so there is less room for error. I showed him the picture of Scandalous at the dressage ring (there are several on social media that show her head and bridle clearly…) and he said it looked impossible to apply even the American standard. He did say it is common to have this checked after the test and not before, but if a steward could not easily slide a finger under that flash it should have been flagged. Again, he is just apprenticing, but he just worked at Fair Hill and this instruction is quite fresh.

[ladyj79]

If it were another rider, it would be an unfortunate one-off because bloody mouths are simply not a regular occurrence, except for Marilyn.

And I would still think they should be disqualified.

Because the current rules are bad.

[AZ_TD]

I was under the impression that events do equipment checks prior to dressage tests, not after like regular dressage. No idea about cross-country.

[asterix]

The noseband is a dressage check, and at FEI it can be done after the test.

[fordtraktor]

In all the pics I have seen where the noseband is bulging, the mare is grinding her teeth. That is kind of the purpose of a flash, to close the mouth when a horse is trying to open it.

maybe we should just disallow cranks, flashes, figure 8s and Drops, levers, ropes, etc. I am game. None of my horses use any of those.

[ladyj79]

I don’t think we need to do that, but I do think we need to develop a tool that slides between the cavesson and the face and assesses the force/pressure/psi and have a number limit that is deemed unacceptable. Anything relying on human subjective assessment is not appropriate.

[fordtraktor]

@ladyj79

I don’t think we need to do that, but I do think we need to develop a tool the slides between the cavesson and the face and assesses the force/pressure/psi and have a number limit that is deemed unacceptable. Anything relying on human subjective assessment is not appropriate.

well that won’t fix an issue where a horse is mouthy like this one. You will still get bad photos.

make it impossible…an inch clearance with that tool, only basic cavesons. Then this is solved.

ANy noseband that isn’t a caveson is an indication of tension. Why is that good? If it isn’t good, eliminate if. If you want it, maybe your horse isn’t trained.

[JER]

A tight noseband has never and will never relax a horse’s mouth or jaw. This is really basic horse knowledge.

[roseymare]

And if your horse is mouthy/bracy take your deductions.

[Sannois]

@flyingchange

With regard to the flash used in dressage. I imagine quite a bit of leverage is required to get one that tight. Whoever did that - I don’t know how they are able to look that horse in the eye afterward. That poor mare. What heart she shows and gives to someone so unworthy. Who does that to an animal and then proclaims to even like said animal? If that is what it takes for you to ride, then you need to either re-learn or take up another sport that doesn’t require torturing another life. Makes me so angry and sad. And not one person in a leadership position does or says anything about it. Not. one. They are all part of the problem.

This post says it all! no true horseman would treat a wonderful horse like that.
This was never what eventing was about. IT really breaks my heart to see how things have changed in the last 30 years.

[Sannois]

@JER

A tight noseband has never and will never relax a horse’s mouth or jaw. This is really basic horse knowledge.

AMEN SISTER!! I have been wanting to post something like that for a few days.
If anything most horses will brace and stiffen against them. Especially one that obscenely tight.

[ladyj79]

We aren’t talking about bad pictures though, we are talking about overly tightened nose bands and bloody mouths.

[ladyj79]

@roseymare

And if your horse is mouthy/bracy take your deductions.

And if it’s bleeding at the mouth withdraw or accept elimination. I just don’t understand why this idea is so far out there for eventing.

[pony_grandma]

@Sannois

AMEN SISTER!! I have been wanting to post something like that for a few days.
If anything most horses will brace and stiffen against them. Especially one that obscenely tight.

I agree also. I am supposing that what may have been an original training resistance has magnified and now is perpetually ugly because of the beginning and continued forceful nature of the training, the hardware and the tack. The mares facial grimace shows pain. Mentally and physically. The same as continued strong, and mismanaged, bit use may have resulted in chronic mouth sores.

[JustTheTicket]

@bip

This morning, the COTH headline was something like “Little makes her mark on eventing”. I cringed. I don’t see it now.

I stayed for the CSI showjumping after the xc yesterday, and the announcer kept making a huge fuss over her, calling her a crowd favorite, etc while the crowd enthusiastically cheered. They interviewed her after her round and she was waxing poetic about how lucky she is to be able to run Rolex and then take her showjumper for a round. Ugh. I just couldn’t.

[FrittSkritt]

@fordtraktor

In all the pics I have seen where the noseband is bulging, the mare is grinding her teeth. That is kind of the purpose of a flash, to close the mouth when a horse is trying to open it.

That and the severe head shaking the mare did right after the final halt just goes to show how she feels about all of it.

[McVillesMom]

@fordtraktor

In all the pics I have seen where the noseband is bulging, the mare is grinding her teeth. That is kind of the purpose of a flash, to close the mouth when a horse is trying to open it.

maybe we should just disallow cranks, flashes, figure 8s and Drops, levers, ropes, etc. I am game. None of my horses use any of those.

There’s a photo taken after the test, with the mare on a loose rein, and her flesh is bulging around the noseband. Are you suggesting she was grinding her teeth standing there, without any contact? Because that seems really unlikely…

[CindyCRNA]

@KO

U people need to back off. She cares so much for that horse. I know her personally and have watched her train on that horse numerous times.

Bit she used was legal. Some horses bite themselves all the time. I have CDI GP Dressage horse that has done it. It happens!!!

She is a great rider who deserves a bit more respect.

I’m confused. Did you not see pictures of her flash? Yes, it can happen but 7 times?

I agree, we need to contact her list of sponsors.

[subk]

@Jealoushe

US Eventing posted on FB:

At all phases of competition Marilyn Little and RF Scandalous were cleared to compete: by the stewards for dressage and the official vet and Ground Jury for cross-country. Prior to their cross-country test, Little asked that the official vet examine the horse and she was cleared to compete and re-checked upon completion on the grounds of FEI rule 526.4.

At least US Eventing is publicly admitting what a dumpster fire they and the FEI are. All these officials are implicit in giving nothing but lip service to horse welfare. They are an embarrassment to the rest of us. And for the record I’m not just some johnny come lately. I’ve supported this sport for decades. I went to my first Ky3Day in 1980 and have attended more than I missed since then. I’m a former UL rider. At this point the people leading this sport should be ashamed that we find ourselves here–where someone so lacking in horsemanship skills and basic compassion for her equestrian partners is at the top of our sport. Yep, this is not ML’s fault this is the fault of our obviously unprincipled leadership–ML has just gamed an already corrupt system.