# Showjumper accused of beating horse



## Ignition (13 April 2010)

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/397/296909.html


What do we all think? Justified or not?..


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## lukeylou (13 April 2010)

disgusting


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## snaptie (13 April 2010)

It's cliche but makes you wonder what's going on out of general view in some stables/trainers yards. 

Stupid pointless actions of a frustrated control freak. He is no sportsman. If that horse is so 'difficult' I'm sure there are plenty of people who would be happy to take him in despite his terrible crime of spooking at a water jump once...


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## Scheherezade (14 April 2010)

(Just waiting for the "it's what you have to do to win. Anybody who doesn't beat an animal to death/permenant lameness and disability is a "fluffy bunny tree hugger" as happened last time a 'professional' was accused of animal cruelty").

The sad thing is people think this is acceptable. People on this forum. Same people who would also accept hanging an animal up so it can't run away and whipping it to death.


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## prosefullstop (14 April 2010)

Absolutely awful.


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## Hedgewitch13 (14 April 2010)

Saw this on Fugly last week... From watching the video it doesn't even look like he presented the horse correctly at the fence. And if the horse has so many issues with water why the feck is he jumping it at that level? Lets face it beating the **** out of it isn't going to make it want to go near water again anyway... no surprise it has problems! The man's a tw*t.


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## sarahs (14 April 2010)

what a nasty arrogant c*ck !


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## PaddyMonty (14 April 2010)

Totally unacceptable but why did it take the posting on youtube before an investigation was started? Surely action should have been taken at the time by the judges / ground jury?


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## icestationzebra (14 April 2010)

Disgusting.  Clearly a show of temper.

If he thinks that is acceptable behaviour out in public god alone knows what goes on at home.

Agree with Juno - what on earth were the ground jury/stewards doing?  He should have been dealt with there and then.


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## BBH (14 April 2010)

I think there is a huge difference between a short sharp correction and what was seen here, which cannot have been nice for the spectators to watch.

My view is that if you can't train a horse to want to work with you without bullying then you are not really a trainer so find another job.


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## Amymay (14 April 2010)

Appalling behaviour by the rider.  

Hope he get's the book thrown at him.


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## BuckedOff (14 April 2010)

Absolutely disgusting & very uncomfortable to watch.  I ditto AmyMay - I hope he gets the book thrown at him.


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## SonnysHumanSlave (14 April 2010)

horrible to see - i thought 3 smacks was the maximum allowed.

Using a whip like that in racing is not allowed, so why is it allowed in SJ??


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## zefragile (14 April 2010)

MistralS_shining said:



			Using a whip like that in racing is not allowed, so why is it allowed in SJ??
		
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It isn't... but for some reason he got away with it at the time. He should have been ordered to leave the ring, disgraceful.


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## UnaB (14 April 2010)

Disgusting.  

I agree the stewards should have done something at the time.  But I saw a rider beat their horse after having a refusal doing the hickstead derby a couple of years ago.  Even the commentators noted that she shouldnt have done it but as far as im aware she didnt get into trouble for it.

There is a big difference between a smack behind the saddle coming into the jump and beating it all the way into the jump.


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## Rhiann0n (14 April 2010)

Awful!!

Can't see why the Ground Jury at the time didn't do something.


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## Farma (14 April 2010)

I distincly remember as a kid - me and a friend did junior bsja together all the time - one time her pony stopped and she whacked it 3 times - when she came out the ring her mum pulled her from the pony and smacked her 3 times across the legs with the whip she had used - we never dared use our whips other than to tap again after that.
Shame she wasnt there that day.


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## SonnysHumanSlave (14 April 2010)

zefragile said:



			It isn't... but for some reason he got away with it at the time. He should have been ordered to leave the ring, disgraceful.
		
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ahhhhh i see.


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## Chestnuttymare (15 April 2010)

Farma said:



			I distincly remember as a kid - me and a friend did junior bsja together all the time - one time her pony stopped and she whacked it 3 times - when she came out the ring her mum pulled her from the pony and smacked her 3 times across the legs with the whip she had used - we never dared use our whips other than to tap again after that.
Shame she wasnt there that day.
		
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flippin brilliant lol.
as a teenager, i got the ride for the day once on a really quality horse because of the same sort of thing. Kids dad hauled her off and handed the horse to me. Never been so delighted, i had never ridden anything that talented.

Hope they throw the book at that rider. I sometimes wonder how people like that get into horses,  i wanted to ride because i loved horses, do they get so competitive that the love of the horse is just forgotten?


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## k1963 (15 April 2010)

Absolutely disgusting behaviour . The rider needs to get another career , that doesn't involve animals .
I used to enjoy watching showjumping , but have seen some idiotic riding that saddens me ( though thankfully it is still quite rare .)

There is no excuse for excessive use of the whip , spurs , jabbing the horse in the mouth , etc . 

PS - I understand where a couple of slaps are justified , but when the horse isn't ' playing the game'  , surely more scholing at home is needed or sell the poor animal .


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## dotster (15 April 2010)

Farma said:



			I distincly remember as a kid - me and a friend did junior bsja together all the time - one time her pony stopped and she whacked it 3 times - when she came out the ring her mum pulled her from the pony and smacked her 3 times across the legs with the whip she had used - we never dared use our whips other than to tap again after that.
Shame she wasnt there that day.
		
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I'd pay to have seen a mum (or other person of authority) do that to him!  Just wrong, awful treatment - might be a pro but has he never heard of the other aids.......?


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## VoyPor (15 April 2010)

That looked absolutely awful!

Disgusting.


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## Dottie (15 April 2010)

Disgusting


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## WoopsiiD (15 April 2010)

I was with a friend many moons ago when she was a junior BSJA member. We witnessed a 'name' at the time getting a few short sharp slaps from her dad for excessive use of the whip and throwing a barny at her pony.
Have to say, after that she kind of lost the 'hero' status we had placed on her.
I was told by an older and wiser SJ'er many moons ago that if punishment or enforcement is to be used via the whip it should be there and then and quick otherwise poor horse has already forgotten what its getting beaten for!


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## zefragile (16 April 2010)

What makes this even sadder is that plenty of people on other forums are defending his actions. Urgh.


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## Onyxia (16 April 2010)

Farma said:



			I distincly remember as a kid - me and a friend did junior bsja together all the time - one time her pony stopped and she whacked it 3 times - when she came out the ring her mum pulled her from the pony and smacked her 3 times across the legs with the whip she had used - we never dared use our whips other than to tap again after that.
Shame she wasnt there that day.
		
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A lesson that will have been of great use to her and any horse she came into contaact with in the future-but can you imagine the outcry if you did it today?

I find it impossable that anyone could defend him.A smack as a correction? Well,a lot of horses would be better for it.Use the whip to back up your leg(which unless I am missing something is how it SHOULD be used) fine,but there is no excuse under any circumstances to hit a horse again and again......lets hope the FEI do throw the book at him.
We might be able to see that very few riders think this is OK,but to the general public its yet another case of horse abuse


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## Amymay (16 April 2010)

zefragile said:



			What makes this even sadder is that plenty of people on other forums are defending his actions. Urgh.
		
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## miss_bird (16 April 2010)

those actions are completely out of order, i think throw the book at him.
I only wish the horse had dumped him in the blasted water


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## animal (16 April 2010)

That man is whipping that horse with all his might!  The sad thing is he thinks he can get away with it, hopfully not for long though.


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## daizylindsay (17 April 2010)

Stupid man, hes obviously got a temper, imagine what he would do if he was at home, if he has the temper to do this in front of an audience.  Would love to see him flogged then thrown in a river or similar to teach him a lesson!


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## TinselRider (17 April 2010)

I do hope the FEI get their backsides into gear and ban / fine this individual! He should have been removed from the ring there and then  !

Also I would hope that any sponsors withdraw their backing to make an example of him and hit him where it hurts....in his wallet!


If that sort of behaviour was seen at say fox and below, IMMEDIATE action would have been taken, I have unfortunatley seen someone belt a horse with a whip at a show ( I do believe it was disco / newcomer class) and the person was asked to leave the ring and was immediatley called to the judges box for a few stern words of warning!


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## teddyt (17 April 2010)

I hope he gets a decent reprimand- fined AND banned. You could see the stop coming from a mile out and his timing of the first hit was far too late, let alone continuing to use the whip like that. Poor horse- disgusting riding.


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## Bojangles (17 April 2010)

OMG!!!! He didnt even get the horse right to jump it poor thing!!! I do hope he get's the book throw at him!!! Nasty man indeed!!


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## prosefullstop (17 April 2010)

zefragile said:



			What makes this even sadder is that plenty of people on other forums are defending his actions. Urgh.
		
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Yep:

http://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/showthread.php?t=252882&page=7


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## Onyxia (17 April 2010)

From a post of one of the forums linked :



			There were 12 smacks (in a row) because there were 12 strides between the Impulsion Sucking Corner and the Big Scary Water. He did take great care to take away the "straight" excuse second time around. All smacks aside the reproach was ridden very well, I'm guessing he knew that even the best ride wouldn't cut it.
		
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:s Legs each stride,fair enough. BIG crack with whip every stride(even when horse was facing away from the bloody jump!) never OK.

It is abuse-of the horses trust,of his willingness to work for us and physical abuse.That was not a lesson that needed to be taught,but a rider having a temper tantrum-learn to get off a hit a wall.


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## Jump2It (17 April 2010)

definately excessive, if thats the only way to get it over the waterjump probably needs a bit more training at home...

some rather excessive retribution on here tho what?


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## snaptie (18 April 2010)

Jump2It said:



*definately excessive, if thats the only way to get it over the waterjump probably needs a bit more training at home...*

some rather excessive retribution on here tho what?
		
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The horse probably needs a bit of re-schooling too.


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