I’ve edited my punctuation to (hopefully) better clarify tone (that EQ is a better, if not perfect choice). Lots of Equitation horses don’t live perfect lives, I recognize that. I also recognize that lots of event horses die/are maimed on xcountry. At least some portion of those horses were not truly suitable for what they were being asked to do. One more unsuitable horse is now out of the UL- Boyd himself alluded to a death scenario (lights out). I’m not going to apologize for reminding the world wide web that Eventing is a sport with serious consequences for the unsuitable/unprepared horse or rider (though not always their fault, see numerous other threads on the topic). It’s commendable that Boyd put his horse’s well being first rather than try to nurse along a career for a horse that really couldn’t make it. Really a hard choice and an excellent display of horsemanship.
NCRider why is it obnoxious? It’s the truth. You don’t like it, work on making the sport safer. Quite frankly it’s rather irresponsible Boyd & our US coaches kept pushing a horse that shouldn’t have been competing at that level. Boyd & Oscar are very lucky they survived.
And honestly - is flying around the world better traveling than by road? 
get a grip. Life of an UL event horse is tough. How many horses have been broken by UL riders & then cast aside?
[QUOTE=goodmorning;8055170]
NCRider why is it obnoxious? It’s the truth. You don’t like it, work on making the sport safer. Quite frankly it’s rather irresponsible Boyd & our US coaches kept pushing a horse that shouldn’t have been competing at that level. Boyd & Oscar are very lucky they survived.
And honestly - is flying around the world better traveling than by road? get a grip. Life of an UL event horse is tough. How many horses have been broken by UL riders & then cast aside?[/QUOTE]
This.
I’m glad TA has been directed into a more suitable career. I saw him at Rolex in 2013 - just a few fences from home - the fence before Boyd retired him - and boy, that was ugly. He was/is a trier with an eventer’s heart but he just didn’t have the stamina.
And yeah, UL event horses’ lives are not all petals and roses. Give me a break.
Do you know what I find obnoxious? The fact that Marcia Kulak “converted” him in less than a month. OMG really? Between this and Amber Eyes it makes me just want to line everyone up on a bridge and then …
I think it was a great decision in my humble, certainly not an insider, opinion.
I wish them all the best!
What’s so obnoxious about that? He’s been jumping courses that already resemble equitation courses anyway. The adjustment needed is just in his head carriage and speed. He’s already got the dressage moves that is asked of the riders on the flat. So what’s the big deal? And I’m afraid I don’t know about the Amber Eyes reference, so forgive me on that one.
[QUOTE=Robby Johnson;8059309]
Do you know what I find obnoxious? The fact that Marcia Kulak “converted” him in less than a month. OMG really? Between this and Amber Eyes it makes me just want to line everyone up on a bridge and then …[/QUOTE]
The fact he made the switch so smoothly is a testament to his excellent schooling. There ARE differences in the way the horse is expected to go. Same as with Amber Eyes. The natural pieces were there, and very solid schooling in place, it just has to be redirected a bit.
We’re in the process of turning my (albeit much, much lower level) mare into an Eq horse. The dressage training has set us up for success, but we have to add some extra tools to get the hunter smoothness.
[QUOTE=woodhillsmanhattan;8053985]
I too hope they don’t change his name! [/QUOTE]
They probably will. Pretty standard proceedured in Hunterland so that it opens up what the horse is “qualified” to do. They generally don’t like rules to get in the way and it is very inconveient when an event horse has already competed at 4’. They’ll change it so he can be “brand new.”
[QUOTE=sockmonkey;8059364]
And I’m afraid I don’t know about the Amber Eyes reference, so forgive me on that one.[/QUOTE]
http://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-405773.html
and
http://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-405698.html
[QUOTE=subk;8059520]
They probably will. Pretty standard proceedured in Hunterland so that it opens up what the horse is “qualified” to do. They generally don’t like rules to get in the way and it is very inconveient when an event horse has already competed at 4’. They’ll change it so he can be “brand new.”[/QUOTE]
If he’s to be an equitation horse, they’re probably not going to bother with all the green status stuff.
[QUOTE=supershorty628;8059535]
If he’s to be an equitation horse, they’re probably not going to bother with all the green status stuff.[/QUOTE]
You don’t think they are going to pay all that money and not keep their options open?!
[QUOTE=subk;8059520]
They probably will. Pretty standard proceedured in Hunterland so that it opens up what the horse is “qualified” to do. They generally don’t like rules to get in the way and it is very inconveient when an event horse has already competed at 4’. They’ll change it so he can be “brand new.”[/QUOTE]
Oh please, way to trash a whole discipline :rolleyes: He’s not even going to hunters, he’s going to do the EQ, which doesn’t have height/green horse restrictions. At least educate yourself on the rules if you intend to spout crap about other disciplines.
And depending on which divisions he’s doing, he’d break his green status on his first show anyways… (ie if the kid is doing BigEq, it’s 3’6"+)
[QUOTE=subk;8059536]
You don’t think they are going to pay all that money and not keep their options open?![/QUOTE]
Do you really think, given that the buyer’s identity is public knowledge, and the horse is VERY recognizable, that anyone would really be thinking of trying to sneak the horse in the green hunters under the guise of a name change :lol: That’s ridiculous. And, if you look at the WEF results from this past weekend, you will see that the new owner showed him under the name Trading Aces in a jumper class and the Eq., just as one would expect. I’m so happy to see this lovely horse get a chance at a career change, and hope it works out beautifully for him and his new owner.
[QUOTE=subk;8059536]
You don’t think they are going to pay all that money and not keep their options open?![/QUOTE]
In hunter/jumper world, the more $$$$$ you pay, the higher the chance the horse will specialize in one ring. If you have the money to buy that kind of horse, you have money to own a hunter AND a Eq horse, if that’s what you want to do.
I wonder whatever happened to Amber Eyes/Commentary.
I think she was sold and her name changed again…
[QUOTE=lep;8059610]
I wonder whatever happened to Amber Eyes/Commentary.[/QUOTE]
For some reason I thought she was sold… and she had a name change again.
She has a great home and has been very successful in the Amateur owner hunters and regular hunter divisions.
Good lord! Some of the comments in this thread made me forget I was reading the eventing forum instead of the H/J forum. This coming from someone raised in the H/J world just making the switch to eventing. I expect snarky, catty responses from them not from you all.
Good for Boyd, the syndicate and Oscar for his new future! I think it is wonderful!
