100%! This is where learning to ride tighter lines come in to play riding smaller horses. It’s doable. Galloping your horse off its feet and getting the short distance to every single fence is not smart and not fair to the horse……
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I agree with you and @RAyers that things need to change and it needs to start at the top of the sport with the governing bodies. I can also understand why someone who makes a living by going to FEI events is hesitant to call out individuals on social media when it the FEI has the social media policy that it does.
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I too have seen this horse go in person, and they run this horse at the max all the time, no rideability = Dangerous riding especially at the highest levels. There is a reason he is most likely on a “watch list”. I think this horse looks like it is running scared all the time, and not confident. Kentucky will be scary to watch.
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Here is a 2023 article from COTH https://www.chronofhorse.com/article/one-to-watch-briggs-surratt-and-his-pony-aim-for-highest-levels-of-eventing/
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Rick speaks endlessly on the podcast about the special bits they have tried to manage the pony on XC with the one that “works” being shot down by stewards.
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I agree with the stewards that a ring bit is unsafe to use on cross country. For anyone unfamiliar with Dexter ring bits: https://www.bigdweb.com/dexter-ring-bit?gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI7dGJmJrEjAMVn9HCBB2fxCYLEAQYByABEgIuofD_BwE
Racehorse in white bridle has a Dexter ring bit on https://paulickreport.com/.image/c_limit%2Ccs_srgb%2Cq_auto:good%2Cw_700/MjAyMjM2OTMzNDA1ODc3MjYw/nose-breathing-nosebands-blinkers-bits.webp
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Agreed, my comment was meant to support that there is history of the pony’s lack of rideability.
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Understood.
I’ve never seen a ring bit used outside of racing. Definitely the pony has some training issues.
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There are a lot of very scary moments with that pony over the years. Rideability issues on XC especially. Plus she’s run quite a bit this spring, to not a whole lot of success. At what point is enough, kind of enough?
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As a spectator the last thing I want to see is an animal overfaced and being ridden in a dangerous manner. If the rider wants to injure themselves, go for it, but don’t take your horse down with you. Riders like that are the reason I don’t support eventing.
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It seems like Lauren and Rick are complaining about opposite things. Lauren’s concern was not taken seriously by the officials, and the officials concerns were not taken seriously by Rick/Briggs.
I think it’s long past time that USEF limit the amount of times a horse can compete in a certain timeframe. It’s too easy for people do convince themselves that they’re the exception, and having a “rules is rules” approach would be a good way to not single anyone out. If you start at a competition, you can’t compete for another X days or weeks, no ifs, ands, or buts.
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The issues that Lauren was concerned about at Terranova seemed to have been in the cross country, so it wouldn’t have had to do with Surratt, since he was eliminated in the show jumping and didn’t start the cross country?
I think it would be better if Eventers could air their concerns, whether they are concerned about other competitors, or officials. The FEI muzzling of their members is unfortunate and odd. It’s not in any way (that I can see) a helpful policy.
Everyone would be better served by open and honest dialog, whether they agree with each other or not.
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I don’t necessarily disagree with your premise. BUT (the exception to your “no buts!” clause) sometimes the ride is going badly. Especially on xc, there is a runout or two.
It is common for eventers to pull up, retire and ‘re-route’ – perhaps at an early point in the course. They don’t complete xc or the event, intentionally saving the horse. So they can run the horse again sooner than they normally would, with plans for a better day.
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I think a lot of people are feeling this way. It’s a special pony no doubt, but it’s has to run at least 5 times in 2 months just to get ready for Kentucky? Is it really worth this year? It just did 3 back to back competitions.
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The Rick post concerning Briggs and the pony could probably have its own thread. Based on how it’s gone this spring probably less than 30% chance they get around Kentucky. His post isn’t going to age very well then.
Sure looks like she’s lost some confidence and would benefit from a step back.
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The fact that the FEI had to nix a Dexter bit on this eventing pony, a pony that has had so many big name trainers coaching it (and its rider over several years) is telling.
Pony needs a different job if she runs through anything but a Dexter ring bit. The big time coaches/trainers who have advised this pair should have realized this by now.
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On the major league eventing post there was also a super gross take by Denis Glaccum.
Team Wallace said there was nothing to do with the stewards at the Carolina, and another poster said “sounds like CP”.
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I agree with you 100%. His record with the other horse, Bodhran was also very erractic and the riding was the same, go max or go home… just not good horsemanship, bottom line and these horses get fried.
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The Wallace universe is constantly being bombarded by yellow cards, sketchy riding, and injustices. 
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[quote="Texarkana, post:136, topic
I saw two major, legitimate welfare issues at advanced last season with my own eyes. The kind of welfare issues that show the true character of the individual, not just a mistake or “heat of the moment” kind of thing. If I’ve seen it, undoubtedly others have too. Yet where’s the public censure for those riders? There isn’t any. I don’t say this to create more confusion and speculation, but social media is not always an accurate reflection of the real problems.
[/quote]
Did you report the two incidents that you saw? Did anyone? Or did “everyone” just hope “someone else” would and no one did?
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