I saw a few other comments about show ring politics and other excuses why some commenters no longer compete or never competed, so I suspect it’s a combination of animal rights people and “I was a better rider than her but I can’t prove it to you because I was WRONGED!” people.
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Yes, Little Nicky does have a lot of supporters - mostly older females who have nothing and nobody but themselves - in the “I’m a misanthrope and misfit who loves horses because the world (other, less mentally off-balanced people) doesn’t understand me and can’t accept how great I truly am!” types, who feel that like Little Nicky, they were wronged, persecuted, and shunned because of their way of thinking/innate greatness/life choices/whatever.
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A lot of the posts I see claim the horses should all be doing the GP bridle-less, because that would be a true test of skill 
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Currently, on Nick’s own fb page (always a special treat!) he’s posted about the World Championships. He gives kudos to Denmark, mainly for being humble (?). Then he slags the US team, especially since they’ll be representing America at the Olympics. Why? Because those selections are based purely on scores.
He thinks that basing team selections on objective scores ruins the Olympic dreams of so many other riders, which is a shame because there are so many better riders and horses than those selected but gosh darn, they just don’t have the scores.
It’s pretty much the same Whine Fest and victimhood he’s tried to parlay into a pseudo dressage career for years. Apparently, documenting your ability and talent through verified testing in a public competition is asking too much.
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So given that we don’t choose a team by scores, because that’s so unfair because only those who score well get in. We all know that these spaces will all be taken by rich people on Warmbloods, we’ll need to find another way…
Americas next Dressage Idol?
Send video of you and your horse performing airs, or piaffe, etc. sorry but then we do have to narrow down the crowd by making some choices, but those who remain can come in and prove their worth by performing in public, the audience can then vote on who goes into the team…that will be fair.
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If I were fabulously wealthy, I would so underwrite this!
It would be epic.
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We are all jealous of his riding lower level horses and training lower level horses while trying to show fourth. In our bathrobes and awesome slippers. On our parents’ dime.
We are all lonely and jealous of Nick’s 40-something percent scores in dressage at upper levels.
A sarcasm note isn’t even needed.
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I just happen to know of someone with an Olympic dream who has a video. Doing piaffe. Of a certain fashion. On an appaloosa!
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Exactly the sort of thing we are looking for.
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I would pay money to watch Nick ride any of Charlotte’s horses on his own. GOOD money as long as the ride was able to be pasted without comments on Youtube.
By your description, I’d pay serious money to watch him ride Isabell Werth’s horses or any German GP-level or even FEI-level horse. Youtube rules apply. Catherine Haddad’s horses with her tack. Hell, any FEI horse which he’s never shown evidence he can ride. HELL, even a third level horse which we’ve never seen evidence he can ride. A first level horse?
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Not every Olympian can perform the Maestro’s passionate humpiaffe or humpassage.
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More importantly, why did the poor horse head for the shelter of the corner?
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I find it oh so amusing that he always refers to his testimonials on his website or FB page as evidence for his competence at training upper level or frankly any level. None of those people are what I would call upper level riders. Maybe they could put together a decent intro level test. But none of the videos or statements would induce me to seek out his expertise to help me bring my horse up the levels.
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I wish I could find the video of a cowboy on one of Hilda Guerney’s grand prix horses. He’s just about launched on the first trot steps.
HIlda: Are you going to call dressage riders wusses anymore?
Cowboy: No, ma’am.
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Like who, I wonder… 
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Didn’t R Dover have a show like that?
I’m going out on a limb here, but Nick, you’re not getting to the Olympics that way either.
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I think The Maestro along with many/most of the posters that frequent Dressage Hubris are really just textbook sour grapes with a dash of Dunning-Kruger thrown in the mix…
“I don’t want to ride like Charlotte. I could if I wanted to, but she’s a bad rider and competitive dressage is cruel so I don’t want to. Besides, Dobbin was abused before I got him so I’m still regaining his trust.” Proceeds to totter around on a floppy rein on Dobbin, the 20-year-old ex-schoolie who is nearly falling asleep from boredom, convinced those floppy reins are in fact made of silk.
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After they bought his former lesson horse, Carpathia, and that new owner/rider and horse got actual training from their new trainer.
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Think he’d make it 8 seconds?
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He might. The horse could just stand there wondering what the heck he wanted.
