lorenababbit
Well-Known Member
I like to think i am quite good at letter writing as i have won three bottles of H&H bubbly for other efforts this is what i have sent to several FEI members
" Your Royal Highness, FEI committee members and delegates,
With regard to the recent investigation and hearing into the alleged abuse of Le Samurai at the Rolex International, Lexington, Kentucky, i would like to express my disgust at the result of these proceedings and make the following observations.
1. It seems to me incredible that the evidence of the video itself and also the comments of experts like the Roycrofts and Christian Landholt in particular, should be so disregarded. It is quite clear that well before the injury to Le Samuai occured, that the horse was tiring and therefore Ms Tyron has made a conscious desicion to keep riding and finish. Any Pony Clubber knows a tired horse is more prone to injury.
2. When the injury occurs, you can clearly see Ms Tyron glance down and once again, as the horse stumbles and looses its action, that she makes a clear choice to ride on, to the point of setting it up to jump the last.
3. She does NOT immediately upon landing after the last, start trying to pull up. if anything she continues to ride horse to the line.
Now i may not be an experienced three day eventer but I do not either see or accept that a fine of less than £500 and a ban that takes place when there is little for ms Tyron to miss and does not affect her participation/qualification in other high profiles events reflects her actions regardless of her 'intent'.
i have competed to national level in dressage and am a Listed Judge. I have over twenty years experience of riding and teaching (i am a BHSII) in the UK, Europe and the USA. I have also worked with top class bloodstock, managed yards of all sorts and groomed both dressage horses and eventers to championship level. I think this makes me qualified to analyze the video as much as any and more than some. Though i accept that sometimes what you feel is very different to what is seen (as a dressage competitor and judge, i am accutely aware of this fact), and also that Ms Tyron had no way of knowing the extent of the damage, it is quite obvious that she continued BECAUSE she was one fence from home, when in a leading position. It is inconcievable that a rider at that level could not feel the difference between 'equipment failure' and an injured horse and even if she was that lacking in feel or so 'focused' the fact that she makes no effort to reduce her pace, ask the spectators or stewards if she is fit to continue or pull up quickly after the last is despicable in the extreme.
I think the result of the FEI tribunal was a sad reflection on horse sport in general and it is lucky for eventing in particular, after the debacle of Badminton (another shocker for which no heads have rolled) that the general public and especially the animal rights lobby have not really picked up on this despite enormous amounts of interest on the web amongst the horse fraternity. What exactly must happen before riders are made to take responsibility for their actions and are not excused because of their 'competitive focus'?
On a personal note, I love the sport of eventing above almost everything and am saddened that i did not discover the joy of watching horses and riders master and excel in three separate disciplines until the last ten years or so. I am well aquainted with a great many of the competitors, owners and trainers as well as their equine partners. Therefore, it distresses me intensely that because of the, albeit momentary, stupidity of one rider and the failure of the ruling bodies to properly address and compensate for this, that those who oppose the sport of horse trials have been given proper ammunition twice in the last six months on the grounds of animal abuse, to portray eventing as the pastime of uncaring, glory hunters. It seems to me to be extremely shortsighted of the FEI to have treated this matter in such an apparently lax way. Surely everyone realises that if we lose the support of the general public, then eventing is doomed?"
I would have liked to say more about the fact that the horse actually died as a result but thought i probably said enough....
" Your Royal Highness, FEI committee members and delegates,
With regard to the recent investigation and hearing into the alleged abuse of Le Samurai at the Rolex International, Lexington, Kentucky, i would like to express my disgust at the result of these proceedings and make the following observations.
1. It seems to me incredible that the evidence of the video itself and also the comments of experts like the Roycrofts and Christian Landholt in particular, should be so disregarded. It is quite clear that well before the injury to Le Samuai occured, that the horse was tiring and therefore Ms Tyron has made a conscious desicion to keep riding and finish. Any Pony Clubber knows a tired horse is more prone to injury.
2. When the injury occurs, you can clearly see Ms Tyron glance down and once again, as the horse stumbles and looses its action, that she makes a clear choice to ride on, to the point of setting it up to jump the last.
3. She does NOT immediately upon landing after the last, start trying to pull up. if anything she continues to ride horse to the line.
Now i may not be an experienced three day eventer but I do not either see or accept that a fine of less than £500 and a ban that takes place when there is little for ms Tyron to miss and does not affect her participation/qualification in other high profiles events reflects her actions regardless of her 'intent'.
i have competed to national level in dressage and am a Listed Judge. I have over twenty years experience of riding and teaching (i am a BHSII) in the UK, Europe and the USA. I have also worked with top class bloodstock, managed yards of all sorts and groomed both dressage horses and eventers to championship level. I think this makes me qualified to analyze the video as much as any and more than some. Though i accept that sometimes what you feel is very different to what is seen (as a dressage competitor and judge, i am accutely aware of this fact), and also that Ms Tyron had no way of knowing the extent of the damage, it is quite obvious that she continued BECAUSE she was one fence from home, when in a leading position. It is inconcievable that a rider at that level could not feel the difference between 'equipment failure' and an injured horse and even if she was that lacking in feel or so 'focused' the fact that she makes no effort to reduce her pace, ask the spectators or stewards if she is fit to continue or pull up quickly after the last is despicable in the extreme.
I think the result of the FEI tribunal was a sad reflection on horse sport in general and it is lucky for eventing in particular, after the debacle of Badminton (another shocker for which no heads have rolled) that the general public and especially the animal rights lobby have not really picked up on this despite enormous amounts of interest on the web amongst the horse fraternity. What exactly must happen before riders are made to take responsibility for their actions and are not excused because of their 'competitive focus'?
On a personal note, I love the sport of eventing above almost everything and am saddened that i did not discover the joy of watching horses and riders master and excel in three separate disciplines until the last ten years or so. I am well aquainted with a great many of the competitors, owners and trainers as well as their equine partners. Therefore, it distresses me intensely that because of the, albeit momentary, stupidity of one rider and the failure of the ruling bodies to properly address and compensate for this, that those who oppose the sport of horse trials have been given proper ammunition twice in the last six months on the grounds of animal abuse, to portray eventing as the pastime of uncaring, glory hunters. It seems to me to be extremely shortsighted of the FEI to have treated this matter in such an apparently lax way. Surely everyone realises that if we lose the support of the general public, then eventing is doomed?"
I would have liked to say more about the fact that the horse actually died as a result but thought i probably said enough....
