This article has a bit more detail than what I had read in the past. I cannot vouch for the accuracy.
Sad indeed … seems the solution is fairly simple (all injections to be signed off or handled by the designated show vets) BUT terribly unpopular, so unlikely that anything will change.
I very much doubt that EM is the only injection-happy-owner … what an appalling list of substances to be injected into supposedly healthy ponies :no:
NY times article
I was shocked to see this, I guess I got it earlier in Europe.
[QUOTE=cek;6744122]
I was shocked to see this, I guess I got it earlier in Europe.
This happened back in May, it’s not exactly new news to most on this board. There were multiple threads about it when it happened.
Just a note–to simplify things, we have merged two threads that were started about this topic.
It’s A1 today - just read it online.
Is it on the front page of the print version?!? :eek:
Edited to add: It looks like it is indeed on the front page of the New York Times, above the fold. Yikes.
I thought David Wright did a nice job on the interview for the video.
It’s so irksome that there are so many horsemen who take great care of their horses, follow the rules, and do right by the animals and the people, but those stories rarely make the news.
I think this article in the NYT should make the USEF ( who let EM off) feel like idiots, because they certainly look like ones. Ug. Though I actually was glad to see the article, it made me as a horewoman cringe. It really hit on how the horses that are quiet are the high dollar winners. And drugging them was how it can be accomplished.
Kudos to the mother who filed the protest. She may not have been the most experienced pony-mom (her words) but she certainly knew when there was a rat in the woodpile.
I wonder if she’ll try to sue the NY Times.
I am glad to see this topic getting attention from the mainstream press. I think it is swept under the rug too much within the horse show world. I agree there are lots of people who do the right thing, but it is up to us to clean house before outside influences do so, and hunter/ jumper competitions end up with a black eye with regard to how it is viewed by the outside world. How can we ever hope to attract sponsors with that kind of press?
I have said multiple times that I think that penalties for positive drug tests need to hurt more, and hurt the person who is ultimately responsible for the welfare of the animal- the owner- in addition to hurting the trainer. 1) fine AND set down the owners for a month (i.e. no other horses owned by that person can show, similar to what the trainers get), and 2) fine AND set down the trainer and ALL trainers associated with that facility. I understand that will be painting with a broad brush, as one bad apple can affect an entire business, but it may make people think twice about policing themselves and their associates. I understand people will still look for the next big thing that doesn’t test, so I think these changes need to be made along with changes to the judging rules where a little exuberance and personality on course are not punished in the judging.
The solution to this insanity lies within all of us as individuals. i know that social media has power. i am not advocating an all out assault on EM since frankly i think she is a jumped up pony mom who is only ineptly following trends which are escalating. “training wheels on a pony” ?
IF you are a “friend” of hers, go to the facebook pages of the farm and of elizabeth mandarino and unlike. its not hard one click. if you are not a “friend” go to her page and just look at the plethora of so called and REAL BNT who are on her list some of whom are good friends of mine. there are TOO MANY. if you ride with one of her “friends” , express to your trainer that you are concerned that they may support this lunatic and her abuse. this is NOT about a personal vendetta, or about the fact that mama mandarino has a nice kid. this is about taking that step. if you are on her page you are ENDORSING this woman. post this on your own media.
if the woman who saw humble fall could take the step to do SOMETHING you can do this. you don’t have to hire an attorney. you don’t have to have the presence of mind to take a photo of the drugs list. all you have to do is dump mandarino.
[QUOTE=M. Owen;6744347]
I have said multiple times that I think that penalties for positive drug tests need to hurt more, and hurt the person who is ultimately responsible for the welfare of the animal- the owner- in addition to hurting the trainer. 1) fine AND set down the owners for a month (i.e. no other horses owned by that person can show, similar to what the trainers get), and 2) fine AND set down the trainer and ALL trainers associated with that facility. [/QUOTE]
Totally agree with this. The current fines and suspensions are a JOKE. The owners and everyone else at these barns know their horses are being drugged to death, they don’t care. And I think it should be for 3 months, one month is not enough.
I briefly leased a horse with a big hunter trainer, every horse was drugged, several were aced at home every single day! Huge amounts of dex was used before shows. The trainer has been suspended, it was treated as a joke and a nuisance. Hit the owners and everyone involved and make it hurt.
[QUOTE=M. Owen;6744347]
I am glad to see this topic getting attention from the mainstream press. I think it is swept under the rug too much within the horse show world. I agree there are lots of people who do the right thing, but it is up to us to clean house before outside influences do so, and hunter/ jumper competitions end up with a black eye with regard to how it is viewed by the outside world. How can we ever hope to attract sponsors with that kind of press?
I have said multiple times that I think that penalties for positive drug tests need to hurt more, and hurt the person who is ultimately responsible for the welfare of the animal- the owner- in addition to hurting the trainer. 1) fine AND set down the owners for a month (i.e. no other horses owned by that person can show, similar to what the trainers get), and 2) fine AND set down the trainer and ALL trainers associated with that facility. I understand that will be painting with a broad brush, as one bad apple can affect an entire business, but it may make people think twice about policing themselves and their associates. I understand people will still look for the next big thing that doesn’t test, so I think these changes need to be made along with changes to the judging rules where a little exuberance and personality on course are not punished in the judging.[/QUOTE]
at one of the small show associations I belong to/show at, their policy is that if you have a horse test positive for a banned substance, every. single. horse/rider associated with that barn/trainer is disqualified for that year, and one year following. as a result, every single one of us has to be very careful if one of the horses needs a bute, etc, and we’ve been known to break out the calculators to figure how much bute a horse could get within the allowable time before the next show time. horses are tested at random, but every one of us is accountable for the actions of anyone on the team. this is a non rated show series.
I can’t even begin to explain how THRILLED I am to see this on the front page of the NY Times! If USEF isn’t going to recognize the real issues at hand and act upon them; then someone else is going to take action and draw even more attention to it. It’s no secret that the, said-owner of the pony in this article, has a “shady” reputation in recent months: but it’s about time this story gets some REAL press-time. Action needs to be taken and the USEF honestly looks like laughing stock right now; I’m glad I’m not a member at this point in time. Way to go NY Times for getting this out there
Thanks for the link to the story, and especially the video.
Just wanted to comment, I think there are owners that don’t have any idea their horses are being drugged, and parents who own horses their children ride/ compete that have no idea their child’s horse is being drugged. Three months punishment is fine with me, and potentially disqualifying the horse for that year for any USEF sanctioned final events. The current punishments just aren’t strong enough to act as a deterrent.
Also, just want to say that i think it is disheartening to see industry magazines published by our federation and its affiliates include cover photos of professionals that have been fined/ set down in the current year.
dupe post, sorry
“Ms. Mandarino declined to be interviewed for this article, but her lawyer said in a statement that she had done nothing wrong, and that Humble had most likely died from an undiagnosed lung disease.”
Oh, dear. :rolleyes:
[QUOTE=M. Owen;6744428]
Just wanted to comment, I think there are owners that don’t have any idea their horses are being drugged, and parents who own horses their children ride/ compete that have no idea their child’s horse is being drugged. Three months punishment is fine with me, and potentially disqualifying the horse for that year for any USEF sanctioned final events. The current punishments just aren’t strong enough to act as a deterrent.
Also, just want to say that i think it is disheartening to see industry magazines published by our federation and its affiliates include cover photos of professionals that have been fined/ set down in the current year.[/QUOTE]
Oh I have no doubt, especially some pony-moms. But that’s no excuse for the behavior Maybe if the owners and riders are suspended along with the trainers it will cause clients to be more vigilant, and to actually LEAVE trainers that are drugging horses!
Just watched the video. Really great video. I’m impressed. They didn’t dumb it down and explained things well.
