My daughter had a similar experience. The local paper did an article on her and the picture they chose was basically looking up from the horse’s nostril. 🤦
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But was it the right horse? Lol.
With the pictures, I could see those being pictures coming out of a good, conscientious program - particular horses new or with special needs, weeds on the edge of the arena aren’t my priority over the horses’ needs - but they’re also not evidence of a good program.
It remains remarkable to me that they footed the expense to send a reporter and a photographer out to Texas for this story and didn’t manage to contact (or I should say report on the contact of) any of the people who had complaints against EDH. Not even our OP.
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Our OP is Stormy.
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It’s definitely weird.
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Some of the issues in the pics though cost $0 to remedy, regardless of who owns the place.
Railroad ties sticking up, kid leading two horses at once both with lead ropes around necks rather than held properly… hazards that are easily remedied, for $0
These are safety issues.
Sound like from other comments this place puts kids safety very low…
Those speak volumes to me. 🤷
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Yes! But It was a ridiculous picture.
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I have to say I am very disappointed with this article. The blatant bias doesn’t seem to me to be good reporting. How did WaPo even latch on to this story at this moment? Except to discredit Ms. Daniels on the eve of trial. Blech.
As to the farm, it definitely seems to have a lot of neglect and clutter. I had a dressage arena with rr ties, so I can’t say much about that. And I expect fit event horses to look a little thin to me. But the footing looks awful and the lack of just upkeep seems very careless. I get operating on a thin margin,but weed whacking, sweeping barn aisles…those are pretty easy to do.
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I’m aware. Don’t you think it’s interesting that she wasn’t contacted for comment? Not like they don’t know where to find her.
The “I don’t use vets, I treat the horses myself” is a long-standing ED mantra. Refusing to take a horse to a vet, even if the owner wants that. It has led to a long series of very bad, escalating health situations for various horses. Including an SD horse or two, as seen in the early thread. It doesn’t change.
Why a vet gave her an endorsement is a story I’d like to hear more about.
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Didn’t the article state that both Stormy and her attorney declined to comment?
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I thought it was illegal for anyone but a properly certified veterinarian to treat other’s horses?
Even those under your care need to be diagnosed and following a treatment designated by an attending veterinarian in place, and then, if instructed, you can treat someone else’s horse legally?
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Correct.
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I don’t know about the treatment legalities In Texas. But if so, someone would have to make a case, and the prosecutor would have to decide it was worth following up.
Plus “helping” treat other peoples horses goes on all the time here.
It’s not exactly California where ED lives.
That doesn’t make it any less of a terrible idea, regardless of the legalities of the situation.
Especially from the sounds of her past results.
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This needs to be repeated. This is why there was a reporter flown to Texas for this article at this time.
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My understanding is those two particular dogs are not on site for the most part. Apparently, this was the FOURTH large animal the dog had attacked. The first three attacks were on her boyfriend’s personal property with his livestock. Absolutely insane to me that they would bring dogs with a history of attacks to a facility with other people’s horses. They said they were going to put them down, but never did. Fun fact, Ellen originally told the owner the day of the attack that the horse was ok for her young daughter to ride the horse, but that she may consider using a hackamore bc of the skin torn off of his face. Although, by the time the girl got to the barn, her horses legs were so swollen it could barely walk out of its muddy run.
One time the dogs ran into the arena terrifying a horse and a little girl fell off and broke a limb. My understanding was that Ellen was not terribly concerned with the girls’ well being after the incident.
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What a POS.
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Meh. Vets have to be non-partisan.
A few years ago my vet was contacted by the press about a high profile abuse case at a local barn. Now, I KNOW my vet did not approve of that trainer because he and I had discussed her in the past. But he also couldn’t say that to the press for several reasons. So it came across in the press like he was defending her in a way, when really he just said he never witnessed any abuse.
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Wow. 
Aren’t the dogs pit mixes? I seem to recollect that. If that is the case… this is a very dangerous situation.
It’s terrible that a child has already been hurt as a result of this reckless situation.
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