This Rule Change is so stupid!

[Mondo]

https://www.chronofhorse.com/article/usef-expands-its-authority-to-police-horse-welfare-beyond-the-show-grounds/

No No No No No No

I am certainly all for USEF taking action and disciplining its members when abuse is proven. But this is not the way to do it. This is incredibly stupid. It opens the door for anyone who has a gripe against a trainer or other horseperson to report “abuse.” But the potential for weaponization is not what I’m on about.

It’s the fact that USEF is essentially a club. It’s a non-profit organization of horse people who wish to compete at shows which are private. The bottom line here is that the USEF can make all the rules they want, but they have NO JURISDICTION to adjudicate anything that happens on private property. This rule change has zero teeth. It even states that the rule applies to persons and/or horses that used to be members/registered with USEF. So, in their eyes, if you decide to just quit USEF, you can still be found “guilty” of horse abuse. What exactly will be the “punishment?” Banning you from membership, showing, show grounds, etc.? If you are the kind of person who engages in horse abuse, I sincerely doubt you’ll change your ways if you can’t show or coach at shows. People who treat animals this way also treat humans this way. They are not moral people. They simply won’t care.

Do I like the fact that USEF is trying to make positive change? Yes. But l don’t think this is the way to do it. JMHO

[clanter]

might as well indict the whole membership now to make this easy to enforce as most all of the allegations are subjective, wording of misuse or excess use are open ended without a clear definition… pretty becomes a Potter Steward moment who was asked to describe his test for obscenity in 1964, he responded: “I know it when I see it.”

and if they Think you saw the miss use or excessive use then you are also included

GR838 also outlines examples of unethical treatment of a horse, including:

• Misuse or excessive use of a whip, spurs or bit
• Misuse of any equipment or device, including tack
• Hyper- or hyposensitization of any physical part of a covered horse to enhance performance
• Using devices or objects to enhance a covered horse’s performance based on fear
• Training, riding or competing a covered horse with raw, bleeding or irritated skin or welts consisted with excessive, persistent or inappropriate use of equipment, including spurs
• Continued riding, driving or longeing an obviously exhausted, lame or injured covered horse

In addition, GR838 now requires any participant who personally witnesses unethical treatment of a horse at a competition to immediately report it to a licensed official.

[trubandloki]

@clanter

Misuse of any equipment or device, including tack

Wording like this is nothing short of funny.

Using an old stirrup leather as a neck grab strap is clearly misusing the stirrup leather. But it also is not causing harm. But that is not what it says, it simply says misuse of any equipment including tack.

[Ghazzu]

"In addition, GR838 now requires any participant who personally witnesses unethical treatment of a horse at a competition to immediately report it to a licensed official. A participant who personally witnesses unethical treatment of a covered horse somewhere other than a competition is required to report it to USEF and relevant local authorities “as soon as practicable.” Allegations that are determined to have been made maliciously or when known to be false “will be viewed as a serious disciplinary offense” and the reporting party will be subject to penalty by USEF. "
.
Does reporting “unethical treatment” come with the protest fee that other complaints have?
Because I’m damnsure not paying usef to look into abuse allegations, especially when it’s entirely possible that they’ll then come back at me if they aren’t “proven”.
.
Honestly, this is soo poorly conceived and written.
Don’t they have lawyers to look over proposed rules like this?

[Libby2563]

@trubandloki

@clanter

Misuse of any equipment or device, including tack

Wording like this is nothing short of funny.

Using an old stirrup leather as a neck grab strap is clearly misusing the stirrup leather. But it also is not causing harm. But that is not what it says, it simply says misuse of any equipment including tack.

To be fair, if you read the actual rule it says:

Except in exigent circumstances, the Unethical Treatment of a Covered Horse is defined as any action or inaction that may negatively compromise the Covered Horse’s health, safety, or well-being. It may include any action(s) or inaction(s) that causes or is likely to cause a horse pain, a state of obvious distress, or unnecessary discomfort."

It then goes on to list the quoted examples. So as long as the “misused stirrup leather” wouldn’t compromise the horse’s safety or cause pain, the rule shouldn’t apply.

Still pretty vague and broad though…

[jvanrens]

@Amberley

@Libby2563

It may include any action(s) or inaction(s) that causes or is likely to cause a horse pain, a state of obvious distress, or unnecessary discomfort."

Like… braids? Using too cold water in the wash rack? This is really poorly written.

LOL My daughter says that our racehorses scream that they are being abused every morning when she goes to feed, and are being starved even though they still have hay in their haynets.

On a serious side, I understand they want to be able to go after dirtbags like Cesar Parra, but they have to craft it better than this.

[SuzieQNutter]

I have never heard the term covered horse. If that means tacked horse. An untacked horse can also be abused.

[Badger]

PETA is going to have a field day with this.

[Huntin_Pony]

Where oh where will they get the funds to investigate these matters? Will they be hiring new staffers to field complaints? Seems impractical/unaffordable in the extreme. And I agree with earlier poster that USEF likely does not have jurisdiction outside its membership privileges and on showgrounds.

I think they are implementing these rules defensively to support “social license” for horse sports. Perhaps this is wise, but speaking as one who no longer belongs to USEF, I think they are pushing horse people away.

The idea that as a FORMER member, I am obligated to do anything they prescribe seems preposterous to me. If I see a horse in trouble, I will deal with it as I see fit, not through USEF.

[Mondo]

SuzieQ - They define what they mean by “covered” here:

A “covered horse” is defined as “any horse that is or has been recorded with the federation, has participated or is entered to participate in a federation licensed or endorsed competition, or is on the grounds of a federation licensed or endorsed competition or is in the care, custody and control of a participant.”

[Mondo]

@Huntin_Pony

Where oh where will they get the funds to investigate these matters? Will they be hiring new staffers to field complaints? Seems impractical/unaffordable in the extreme. And I agree with earlier poster that USEF likely does not have jurisdiction outside its membership privileges and on showgrounds.

I think they are implementing these rules defensively to support “social license” for horse sports. Perhaps this is wise, but speaking as one who no longer belongs to USEF, I think they are pushing horse people away.

The idea that as a FORMER member, I am obligated to do anything they prescribe seems preposterous to me. If I see a horse in trouble, I will deal with it as I see fit, not through USEF.

This x 1000. My whole point. It’s ludicrous.

[clanter]

@trubandloki

Wording like this is nothing short of funny.

I had to confront my local government who was redoing the animal control ordinances regarding the actual number of head allowed. No problem with that but they were using wording of Pony and Horse as a factor. I asked then do you even know the difference between a Pony or a Horse? And can your animal control officer even identify a Pony or a Horse?

I actually took our 14.1h Morgan mare who had an official measurement card and a 15.2h Morgan to them asking them to identify which is the pony, they all selected the Horse

The mare just looked bigger than she was but was a Real pony.

They changed the wording from Pony/Horse to Small/Large with a definitive way to establish the animal’s height

here were the two Morgans I took to the meeting, the Bay is the pony the buckskin is actually 15.2h

[pluvinel]

@Mondo

https://www.chronofhorse.com/article/usef-expands-its-authority-to-police-horse-welfare-beyond-the-show-grounds/

No No No No No No

All the more reason to not join USEF.

I agree that PETA will have a field day with this verbiage…the rule of unintended consequences will strike again.

[Knights_Mom]

I can see the possibility of the rule morphing to include only those seeking USEF team placement now or in the near future.

This way you catch the naughty big names but it’s manageable.

[Helicon]

Seriously? You all are objecting to this? You’re okay with doing nothing and allowing abusers to permeate our sport? Not being able to show most certainly is a penalty that can be effective at deterring horse abusers.

Is this rule going to be problematic ? Of course there will be problems, but can we just learn and improve as we go? The USEF does not need to be staking out horse farms on one extreme, but on the other they should be able to restrict chronic abusers from competing. Parra’s abuse was the worst kept secret in dressage for YEARS. USEF needs to be able to address this kind of travesty, not look the other way.

[Cowgirl]

What I wish they would have done is endow a fund and hire a lawyer to represent TDs and pay their expenses if they are sued because of any action they take at a licensed competition. If TDs remain having to pay their own expenses, they are not empowered to act, and especially not against the rich and powerful.

With respect to what they did do, I want to know how they are going to investigate complaints?

[Cowgirl]

OH! OH! I know!!! The competition release will now contain a release to enter your property to investigate a claim of abuse… OR the membership terms will contain that…

[Cowgirl]

HAHA if that is the case the elite are now busy designing hidden compartments for their draw reins, illegal bits and other crazy gadgets. Of course, a little grease on the palms can cause someone to not turn and find your driveway…

[Cowgirl]

You are right!!! Something needs to be done. Not this.

We need to make a rule to prohibit gifts to judges AND officials (including show secretaries, show managers, TDs, etc), in any form.

We need to empower TDs.

We need to divert the money from the international teams (yep, I said that) to this for a while and solve the problem. There is no point in sending people to represent us if we can’t take care of the horses.

Also we need to penalize the USEF for giving horses cocktails at international competitions without the owner’s explicit consent. Or hey, making a grueling schedule for qualification in Europe instead of using the CDIs in this country so the horses start melting down before they even get to Paris. The USEF is also an abuser and needs a time out. The money can be better used than at international sport.

[Knights_Mom]

In addition to the TD have an official position of an Anonymous Watcher. They are a licensed official but 100% incognito. Because TDs or any known official will catch grief calling out someone for abuse.