Terranova-Lauren Nicholson what happened?

[Xctrygirl]

Like I said, total game changer for when I needed it. Much like the good Intermediate event I had years ago, as we got better together the bits got less and less complicated. And in that horse’s case the most complicated bit he had was a slow twist loose ring. So when we ran intermediate he was down to just a thin loose ring snaffle no twist.

Cudo has gone from a slow twist loose ring through the Waterford through a different thinner loose ring bit to now a Novo connect bit that he just lives for with a regular nose band, that’s it. But we jumped some pretty big fences and I wouldn’t want to have hydraulic anti-lock brakes on a hair trigger when I’m coming down to something that’s sizable and if we get it wrong and change our rhythm it could be very bad. In those cases just like in upper level eventing now, there’s something to be said for less is more in their mouth so you don’t really mess it up when it counts.

I fully embrace the fact that I’m maybe a rarity that if I’m fixing a problem I don’t mind using tools to fix it but I’m in it for the long game to take everything, equipment wise, down a notch as the increase of difficulty rises in the challenges we face on course.

Em

[Bays4days]

I don’t know about that… but if you know, why don’t you tell us?

[Djones]

@Bearx2

That is why smart people are very very careful of what they put on social media. It can take years to get a good reputation and minutes to lose it.

Crashing Johnny at the last fence is what blew up her brand, not whether or not she runs the business with her dad or not.

[No1]

That would also be elimination. So, I’m not sure what your point is?

[LadyLawyer]

I also heard that

[Kirikou]

Ok, trying to sum this all up because I’m thoroughly confused by the “all the vagueness”—and since I live in the middle of nowhere, I’m not privy to the “behind the scenes” gossip.

So the consensus seems to be:
Someone (CP) ran so many horses at that show that she had her groom(s) warm them up, which is apparently against the rules.

Someone else (LN) saw it, reported it to the officials, and then… nothing happened (or at least, nothing she could see). So she posted a super vague message on her socials—probably to avoid clashing with the FEI’s frankly bizarre social media policy.

Do I have that right?

Also, isn’t there another way for her (LN) to report what she saw if she felt strongly enough to post about it days later? Like a “can I speak to your supervisor” kind of situation—some higher authority (than the show official she talked to) she could go to?

[Ottbaxel]

That seems to be the case - the thing that I’m confused about is the comment above saying that didn’t happen, and also Lauren’s post seemed to imply there was a horse welfare issue as well? Unless I am misinterpreting what she said.

[beowulf]

I’m surprised that a ring bit would be deemed unsafe on XC but any variation of gag and elevator bits, wild west shanks, chain nosebands, and curb chains are fine. All also strap to the mouth and are built of “unbreakable” components and could get snagged on things.

I’ve used a ring bit. I am all for riders using what keeps them (and the horse) safe.

[Xctrygirl]

On the LN topic…

Realistically is it insane to anyone else that any old bystander could have seen “the situation” (At any show, not just here, not just eventing) and posted about it.

So why not let folks who are team riders with more knowledge more experience, a better handle on how the sport needs to be viewed by the public to remain in existence, actually speak out and use moments like this to educate???

I get we’re all afraid of the power of social media. (That vet in Nevada is another example of the overwhelming amount of judgement and damage that can be caused)

I just think, and this could just be me, but being transparent and talking about the problems, doling out proper punishments across the sport no matter if a person is a “name” or a “nobody” would be a much more logical way to try to invest in ourselves and our sport. The hide the bad things behind a curtain of hierarchal power seems less useful.

Em

[endlessclimb]

@Xctrygirl

(That vet in Nevada is another example of the overwhelming amount of judgement and damage that can be caused)

The one who was heel-kicking the horse in the face?

[Xctrygirl]

The one who has police and other respective outfits currently combing a lake to see if he killed himself in it.

Yep.

Em

[endlessclimb]

If the person is capable of doing this, then they get what they get.

GRAPHIC: Video shows Las Vegas veterinarian handling horse

[Xctrygirl]

FULL STOP. At no point should anyone be harassed or abused to the point of killing themselves as a way out.

That’s a beloved family member for others and for sure everyone in life has done things that are mistakes and they wish they could change. Big or small.

Death should not be condoned.

Em

[endlessclimb]

Never condoned death.

But when you do heinous things and then are soooo sorry (because you got caught), the backlash of people being horrified and saying (thousands of times) that you shouldn’t have a practice anymore and that you should be prosecuted? There is absolutely nothing wrong with that. He is unable to face the consequences of his actions? How is that the fault of the person who posted the video, of a factual event that happened?

EDIT: You’re acting like he only has one way out. No, he has the ability to face the results of his own actions, and likely lose his license to practice. If that is too hard for him to handle, perhaps he should have thought of that before he kicked a down horse in the face, or when he whacked a sedated horse with a syringe in the face.

[Marigold]

@Xctrygirl

In those cases just like in upper level eventing now, there’s something to be said for less is more in their mouth so you don’t really mess it up when it counts.

I fully embrace the fact that I’m maybe a rarity that if I’m fixing a problem I don’t mind using tools to fix it but I’m in it for the long game to take everything, equipment wise, down a notch as the increase of difficulty rises in the challenges we face on course.

This is a great comment. Could not possibly agree more.

@Xctrygirl

as we got better together the bits got less and less complicated

I had the same experience. My mare is fairly sensitive, so depending on your standard has never had a whole ton in her mouth, but by her own scale we’ve done exactly the same. Noseband and bit got less and less complicated as she progressed, and once she hit FEI she just went in a Micklem with a double-jointed loose ring for everything. She knows her job now, and I stay out of her way while she does it.

[OverandOnward]

There is a local vet who was reported by her own assistants for being similarly abusive to a dying horse, who was in her care overnight. There was video that hasn’t been published.

There are multiple other reports that this was common behavior from her when a horse was left in her vet hospital.

She is now losing her license and her job. But, interestingly, this case wasn’t widely presented on social media, it got brief local news coverage, and many people don’t know about it.

She was starting to make her way back into the horse world as an off-brand natural-sources healer of some kind.

So some locals who know her story, and some of them know her, started the social media campaign. Not hysterically, just informatively. That is how I found out about her.

This former vet needs to work in another field with no contact with animals. Apparently some career direction changes away from animals are now underway, thanks to the social media campaign.

[Xctrygirl]

@endlessclimb

If the person is capable of doing this, then they get what they get.

THAT to me is condoning that it’s reasonable (Possibly the wrong word) to kill himself.

I am not going to agree with you here. Folks make mistakes and it happens, not saying it’s right but it’s life in all facets and parts of it.

Go to any kill pen auction weekly and you’ll see worse behavior without thousands of internet folks trolling the people. So just remember that folks are not “Saving” horses as a whole by pushing a vet to off himself.

Em

[endlessclimb]

They get what they get, regarding public backlash. I never said he should go kill himself. He should 100% face the consequences of his actions - losing his license and perhaps some prison time.

If you look through his yelp reviews, punching horses in the face and roughing them up seems like a long-standing trend.

@Xctrygirl

Go to any kill pen auction weekly and you’ll see worse behavior

“There are worse people out there” is an excuse you trot out often.

[Xctrygirl]

Because it’s true and I have seen plenty of them.

Em

[endlessclimb]

That in absolutely no way negates the horrific actions he committed. He is responsible for those.