My horrible experiences with Texas horse trainer/instructor Ellen Doughty-Hume

[Impractical_Horsewoman]

On the other hand, the main selling point of the article about why EDH’s facility is acceptable is how “beautiful” it is. The arena, the stall walls behind the horses being shod, even the condition of some of the horses–for a lesson program or camp scraping by, let’s say those seem rather unexceptional. But for an upper-level eventing facility that caters to athletes aspiring for the top levels, and these are the curated pictures they offer?

I also thought the dog was an odd inclusion–even the flattering article couldn’t cover up how many complaints there were about the dogs! I can understand a dog occasionally getting loose at an event, but if that is your “signature” when you are coming that’s a whole 'nother thing.

[OverandOnward]

Word is that at horse trials the dogs are a) loose and b) unvaccinated. Remember the ‘no vets’ thing. And undisciplined, although ED insists that they will come if she calls them.

Her dogs are not the only issue organizers complain about, but they are a major organizer headache.

Part of her bad rep in Tx are the horse trials problems that continue. Problems that have nothing to do with Stormy Daniels. The article didn’t mention any of this.

[LemieuxTasteonaBarebackBudget]

One of them was a pit, the other a Cane Corso Put Mix.

[anon6923113]

Powerful dogs. Responsible ownership is key.

[Ghazzu]

@Bluey

I thought it was illegal for anyone but a properly certified veterinarian to treat other’s horses?

The precise wording varies by state (sometimes, IIRC, it requires money changing hands) but typically it isn’t on any radar until an owner complains to the state board.

[OverandOnward]

@Ghazzu

The precise wording varies by state (sometimes, IIRC, it requires money changing hands) but typically it isn’t on any radar until an owner complains to the state board.

And an owner may not be aware of the law / regulation.

[sami-joe]

There is nothing helpful she could have said five minutes before Trump’s hush-money/fraud trial.

This story is a hit job, possibly orchestrated by someone in Trump’s stable.

[Old_Mac_Donald]

@LemieuxTasteonaBarebackBudget

When Ellens boyfriend’s dogs attacked another horse on property, she told the new horse owner everything was just a surface wound and the horse didn’t need to go to the vet. Ellen knew the novice horse owner did NOT have resources to take the horse to the vet: no trailer, no truck, no vet contact. Another boarder took the horse to the vet where they found deep lacerations in the legs, 1/4 of the skin ripped off of his face and cartilage chunks taken out of his ear. The vet commented that he should have been brought in within 4 hours of the attack. Ellen was present and witness to the attack around 6:30 that morning, 13 hours before the boarder was able to get him to the vet.

This, right here, to me, is unforgivable in a BO. As a horse owner, this would be an absolute “No way, never again” line in the sand. I’d be taking ED to civil court for all vet costs and having the dog declared a menacing dog. Imagine if it was a boarder’s child that had a chunk taken out of their ear?

[OverandOnward]

You think like Stormy Daniels.

Whose horse drowned in a known risky pasture during heavy rains, who had other horses with serious vet issues that ED refused to take to the clinic, with unfortunate results.

Part of the thread shock was the ED ‘supporters’ who came to COTH to explain how excellent the in-barn care was, only to clearly not understand that it was nothing of the kind – but they all thought so because they had all learned from the same source.

Too far upthread for me to find & link now … it’s an adventure in barn management concerns to find it.

[Old_Mac_Donald]

I’ve followed the thread from the beginning, but the stories never cease to surprise me.

[Bogey2]

Except when the horse is insured…insurance companies won’t pay out if a person who is not a vet gives an IV injection and the horse gets injured or dies.

[Ghazzu]

@Bogey2

Except when the horse is insured…insurance companies won’t pay out if a person who is not a vet gives an IV injection and the horse gets injured or dies.

ayuh.

[FjordBCRF]

I did it! I started reading Friday and made it through.

This is worse than a nightmare.

[OverandOnward]

@FjordBCRF

I did it! I started reading Friday and made it through.

I have to take a moment and congratulate you. For making it through, for taking the time … and for sticking out what is, at several points, a gruesome story.

I learned stuff from some of the posts about how terribly things could go wrong for horses when they need a vet, but don’t get one. It wasn’t a happy lesson, at all.

This thread is also where I learned the value of quoting posts to keep them from disappearing.

[FjordBCRF]

It’s a thinker for sure. I know people can be susceptible to being duped and taken advantage of but my gawd, it never ended with this no matter how much more worse it got! Makes me very thankful for the horse community I am a part of.

[OverandOnward]

As some who know more of the back story keep mentioning, there has been a lot more that never made it to this thread. Starting long, long before the SD saga. There are people who could tell their own russian novel of an ED story, but who will probably never post on COTH.

[FjordBCRF]

I have to assume what has been publicly shared is a drop in the bucket.

[OverandOnward]

All from December 2016 in this thread, just a smattering, a teaser, for those who haven’t dived in yet … guess the article-writer didn’t read up-thread?

Quoting only 3 posts from early days. And this is not getting to the sad & gruesome no-vet happenings.

@MinnieMouse

The fact is that Ellen has been asked to leave 4 different barns in the area in 6 years time.

For those of you supporting Ellen Doughty-Hume, giving her the benefit of the doubt or trying to cast a doubt on Stormy17’s post, please by all means, DO NOT DO YOUR RESEARCH and offer Ellen a training/coaching job (preferrably as far away from Area V as possible).

imo “asked” is a generous term, given the history

@CrankyOldWoman

Here are the facts.

Fact #1
Ellen Doughty-Hume worked out of my barn at one point.

Fact #2
She is NEVER welcome back!

Fact #3
I will call the cops if she ever steps foot on my property and have her immediately escorted off the property.

@patalane50

I am one of the barn owners that booted Ellen off their property. It was not easy. Had to get her evicted but even though we won the eviction, when appealed. Once we finally got her off the property ($6,000+ in legal fees) she took everything. we had purchased $5,000 worth of equipment to help her get started at our facility that she was to leave. She took all that plus some things that were ours. The Sheriff’s dept. said this was a civil matter. Going to court would probably cost anywhere from $30,000 to $50,000. Spending more to get back less. All we really wanted to do was try to keep this from happening to anyone else but it was too costly. It took us about two months to clean up our facility after she left - it was filthy. Luckily nothing happened to our horses because we took them off our own property and boarded them elsewhere until we could get her out. We witnessed the neglect, not only for our property but for the horses that were under her care and the people she was using to further her own goals. I also have talked with all the other barn owners that have booted Ellen off their property. She has used threats and intimidation to keep some of them from speaking up. My goal would be to get her out of this area and keep her from doing to others what she has done to so many of us. I am just not sure how to go about doing that.

[anon6923113]

@OverandOnward

As some who know more of the back story keep mentioning, there has been a lot more that never made it to this thread. Starting long, long before the SD saga. There are people who could tell their own russian novel of an ED story, but who will probably never post on COTH.

Interesting.

Is ED still active as an upper level rider? On has it been awhile since she had a serious horse?

[OverandOnward]

In 2022 she had the TB mare Breakin’ All The Rules in the Kentucky 3 Day 4*-S. Didn’t finish XC. The pair were 28th in the 3*-S at Stable View and didn’t finish the 4*-S in Georgia (2022).

The pair have been out a couple of times this spring at Prelim & Intermediate. Finished, scores not great but jumped clean on XC.

She has/had a couple of others at Prelim & Intermediate in the last 2-3 years, I believe.