This is a weird argument. Parents already spend money so why should they care about being asked to spend more money while getting nothing extra for that extra money that they are being asked to spend??
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We are talking about $80/year and 4 hours over one year. Are you serious?
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Are you talking to me? I have no idea what the current rules are for banning due to drug abuse. I was just answering your question about who could be punished if the trainer is not a member. The horse seems an obvious choice.
And I would argue that the money is ostensibly going to increased accountability for those who support youth in our sport. So it isn’t for nothing!
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That’s not the way the USEF horse doping rules are written, so what you are suggesting would require a change in USEF drugs and medications rules. Much easier and more logical to have responsible parties be members.
Why did this thread get people so testy? 
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Because: anything to avoid cleaning up our sport. God forbid people act like professionals!
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Look, I get it. I have spent, literally, millions of dollars on horses and horse shows. I will not bat an eye on spending money on my horse that I could never justify spending on myself. It’s very hard to take people seriously when they complain about the cost of whatever when you know that it’s a very small amount in the grand scheme of horses. But their perspective is not your perspective, or my perspective. And it’s certainly serious to them. The average non-horsey parent is not going to see costs in comparison to what it already costs anyway, or what it could cost, or even necessarily in relation to how much money they have. It’s a value question. Am I getting a return on my money, could this money be spent differently in a way that is more beneficial to me and my family. When you are talking about fees that occur prior to any actual participation, that is a hard sell. It gets harder whenever those fees increase. No matter what the amount.
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Yes. This is just another example of the USEF making the sport more and more inaccessible to those who aren’t buying six figure ponies and horses and spending their lives on the road going from show circuit to show circuit, year after year. Do you really think that regular people should just shut up and keep writing the checks for more money every year, year after year? If you really want people to stop showing rated and stick with local shows, congratulations; you’re almost there!
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On this you and I can agree. But I would then say that the conversation has to be: “what is realistic for Buffy given your expectations and financial limitations?” That’s the tough part of being in the horse business… or any business at all. Uncomfortable truths.
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You asked a question and then got upset that no one answered it, so I gave an answer. You don’t have to like my answer. I wasn’t getting feisty, I was just responding to you because you seemed upset that your question was ignored. I really don’t care how the USEF handles this issue because I don’t drug my horse. My apologies for responding to you.
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Explain to me how $80 and 4 hours are part of this problem?
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I just did:
It’s not just about this year’s increase in cost; it’a also about last year’s increase, and the year before, and what will they come up with next year and the year after. Believe it or not, there are a lot of families that live on strict budgets even though they are not struggling financially, because they have things like future college costs for multiple kids in mind, and then retirement after that, and every extra $80 or more per child per year gets noted. Regardless of your personal financial situation, this kind of cost increase is very much noted in many families today.
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Um, I wasn’t upset in the least. I just asked again since no one responded.
I didn’t dislike your answer. It just wouldn’t be feasible for USEF to go down the long road of revamping the D&M rules.
Again, I don’t actually care if Buffy does her two rated shows a year. I’m perfectly capable of telling Buffy’s parents that they don’t need to fork out the money and providing her with plenty of other opportunities. My business is set up that way for a reason. Buffy probably cares a bit, but she’ll get over it as kids do, as long as there ARE other opportunities for her to enjoy riding. The problem is that there are lots and lots of Buffy’s, some of whom won’t get those other options and who think if they can’t do the real shows there’s no point. The fewer Buffy’s that show, the more it costs for everyone else, and eventually those drops in the bucket add up enough for everyone to notice.
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Exactly!!!
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And then I responded and you suggested that my response was too complicated and accused me of getting testy?? Anyway, if your question requires an answer that cannot involve a rule change, there isn’t much value in asking the question to begin with, don’t you think?
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Hmmm. I am not clear on how your business is so solid that you don’t care yet come here to rail. Regardless, as I stated upthread, our sport had a lot of issues to contend with… the requirement that adults vouching for juniors be accountable and pay fees to be so, isn’t one of them.
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You all talk like rated shows are nothing, and that child safety is also nothing. No wonder your clients aren’t excited to pay the extra money.
BTW, I took the SS training for my son’s soccer team. Even did the concussion training in case I had to be a referee. Because it’s something my kid is invested in, why wouldn’t I? Yes I work full time, too.
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I’m sorry if providing a different viewpoint is coming across as “rail”. It is actually possible to be personally uninvested but still care about how things affect other people. I’ve also spent a lot of time at the top of this sport and I do care about the direction it goes, whether it directly affects me and my business or not.
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I have no desire to argue with you. I really don’t think that my posts are contentious but it seems that I’m not understanding how much the rule changes are upsetting people on this thread, several people, not just you. I’ll toddle off now.
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