I don’t know anything about the rider in question (not sure if this was his first time up here in Canada?), so I appreciate the commentary. Actually all of the commentary/linked articles on this thread have been eye opening. I hope that people in the right places have taken notice.
5 Likes
You guys should go read the posts on the eye candy jumpers page. Apparently posting photos of their horses crashing through jumps is hilarious and nothing more than a learning experience. There aren’t enough eye roll emojis in the world for this crap.
6 Likes
I’m losing my sh-- for so many reasons.
I’m returning to jumping as an adult in my late 30s. I ride a horse who has talent but neither of us will ever be more than a “do it for fun and because we’re pig-headed” duo. We’re jumping 18" cross rails at a freaking trot and my instructor (and I) would firmly rip me to pieces if I jerked on Teddy’s mouth or hammered on his back the way this guy is. I can tell when Teddy’s potentially getting tired because he’ll start breaking into canters, rushing fences and over-jumping. We try once or twice to see if he just needs me to make adjustments; if it doesn’t work, we call it a day and move onto something less taxing mentally and physically.
I’ve heard it said that some men can muscle their way around a course without needing the hard-won talent and sensitivity of smaller riders. I never understood what that meant until I watched the videos in this thread and looked at the photos on that horrific profile. If national associations care at all about getting amateurs like me to pay for memberships or competitions or any of that crap, they better take a good hard look at this and ask themselves how it’s allowed to continue. Because I would give up riding in a heartbeat before I subjected my horse to the pain and mental stress that I’m seeing here.
If it’s not about the horse, what are you in it for? I’m just sick.
8 Likes
My question after scrolling through that nonsense is why is every horse he’s on have a two rein bit and a flash.
5 Likes
That is not the mark of a poor rider - Beezie Madden rides the majority of her 1.50m+ horses in pelhams or gags with flashes or figure 8s. And her horses are overall higher quality than most.
8 Likes
Beezie also rides with a hell of a lot more finesse.
23 Likes
I’m not saying she doesn’t… but bit choices over 1.50m+ courses are not necessarily a good component for judging a rider’s skill (if they were, Kent Farrington would just be the worst rider we have) and using them in this conversation really has nothing to do with the very real issues others have brought up.
6 Likes
I question it because of his track record of “mistakes”. Monkey and a razor blade comes to mind.
I’m not saying every horse should go in a snaffle.
7 Likes
Andy is often riding his horses in a h#ll of a lot more than a Pelham or gag and a flash. https://www.noellefloyd.com/blogs/sport/what-s-in-my-ring-bag-7-items-andy-kocher-s-groom-won-t-leave-the-barn-without
There is absolutely NO comparison between Beezie and Andy. As a horseman, he couldn’t polish her boots. He is a disgrace to US showjumping.
13 Likes
However, the stewards at the competition must give a yellow card or disqualification. If the steward or the ground jury does nothing, the FEI is unlikely to become involved.
In Endurance competitions in region 7, there have been people filming horse abuse who have then personally filed a complaint with the FEI using video evidence, with the result being that the perpetrator is brought to justice, and the officials at the competition scolded by the FEI for not doing their job.
Apparently, in these cases, the FEI has to pick and choose who will be disciplined under their rules.
I can’t believe how many people are standing up for him (there’s A LOT that aren’t)… but those still congratulating him or ripping Roy apart for his post is just disgusting.
This world of horse showing can be so ugly when it comes to it being all about the money!
3 Likes
I just saw the video of this round on facebook and it made me absolutely sick to my stomach. How can people like these get such good horses and people backing them?
I showed the video to my husband who is not horsey at all, and even he said that you could tell the horse was struggling and asking why he was pulling on his mouth and manhandling him around the course.
What a disgusting ride and a stark opposite of good horsemanship.
ETA: My mare would have tossed his butt and stomped him into the ground for good measure. This video shows what a good heart and how much try this horse has which is even more sickening 
5 Likes
Y I K E S
I’m out of the loop - who is “eye candy” or where can one fine the FB page? feel free to PM if you don’t want to share on an open forum.
I need that horse in my life.
May we all be so blessed in our lives to come across a horse who treats us so kindly, forgivingly, and tries so hard for us regardless of the questions we pose to them.
And may we all be wiser and gentler in our expectations and know that as stewards of their care, it is our obligation to never ask unfair questions of them.
This is horrifying and I am equal parts devastated and outraged. I sincerely hope this continues to be a kicked hornet’s nest that mandates some response from the powers that be. To implicitly sanction it through ignoring it is incomprehensible and unforgivable.
22 Likes
How did I know who this was about before even clicking on this thread? I’m sorry. My 12yo could manage her horse’s welfare better than this fool can. Smdh.
5 Likes
I have never been one to judge a bitting rig set up, but it took me at least 5 minutes of studying to even figure out how that all works together.
12 Likes
IIRC, because his mommy is/was some sort of name in the biz.
Eye Candy is a joke, so I doubt they will pull their horses from him. Their FB page is abominable. The language (really…keep the F word off your business page) and the pictures of their horses crashing through jumps? No thank you!
8 Likes
I found this: https://www.chronofhorse.com/article/tbt-no-hands-no-problem-spooner
Richard Spooner apparently won both in 2002 on Robinson.
I am a low-level amateur and I only enter my horse in one to two shows a month, so I cannot relate to the schedules that professionals undertake with their horses. However, being professionals, I am absolutely going to hold them to a higher standard.
I can imagine that there are horses and riders out there that can handle doing both shows back-to-back. I have a lot of respect for Spooner and I would guess that if he and his horse were able to win both, they were fit enough to do both.
That being said, I don’t think that is even the point in Kocher’s case. I would expect a ‘pro’ that knows their horse is exhausted before the derby would not start. And if they made the mistake/misjudgment to try and start anyway, I would expect them to pull up and retire after 12… 16… 20 faults… crashing through the wall standard… etc.
It is irrelevant whether or not other teams have been able to win both. This team did not have the fitness to even try, and sadly, from the video of a tired Carollo, I think they knew it. This was an embarrassing display of poor horsemanship all around.
9 Likes
