DabDab
Ah mud, splendid
Woe is me.
Gordon Elliott
- Thread starter Clodagh
- Start date
Woe is me.
The Fuzzy Furry
Living in 🦄 🦄 land
Corrected for you.
daffy44
Well-Known Member
Exactly what I thought about the pose, hideous big game hunters posing over a dead lion, that was the first thing that picture made me think of. I dont care how sorry he says he is, words are cheap, the fact that he thought what he did was fine, even for a short while, is enough.
I am also of the opinion that once someone is dead, the body is just a body, the spirit, soul, essence is gone, but that body still deserves respect and dignity. I have held my own and other peoples horses to pts, and I have worked as a small animal vet nurse, so I've handled several dead bodies, and I have never lost respect for that body, and I'm very glad to say that no one I have worked with has done any different. This is disgusting as it shows he has no respect whatsoever for the animal.
doodle
Well-Known Member
Exactly. All “woe is me” just because he has been “caught”.
Flame_
Well-Known Member
I'll make an attempt at a tiny defense. I see dead sheep all the time. If someone got a dead sheep and put a hat on it or something, I don't think I'd care much and might find it mildly funny. This trainer appears to be totally desensitised to dead horses and while the behavior and humour is in poor taste, in fairness his attitude could be, and hopefully is, totally different to horses as individuals whilst they are alive.
You do hear of people like some police and medics engaging in humour (between themselves) about terrible events like fires and RTAs, that they couldn't let people hear or they'd be deemed "sick", but they're incredible for actually dealing with them IYSWIM? I'm not making the point very well but I think what I'm saying is that to be the kind of person who can stomach the really hard stuff, maybe a certain amount of insensitivity and a twisted SOH are actually helpful?
It was dumb though.
You do hear of people like some police and medics engaging in humour (between themselves) about terrible events like fires and RTAs, that they couldn't let people hear or they'd be deemed "sick", but they're incredible for actually dealing with them IYSWIM? I'm not making the point very well but I think what I'm saying is that to be the kind of person who can stomach the really hard stuff, maybe a certain amount of insensitivity and a twisted SOH are actually helpful?
It was dumb though.
meleeka
Well-Known Member
I wouldn’t have thought he should be that desensitised to a dead horse. Presumably he doesn’t see as many as you do sheep? If he does, there’s something very wrong.
I also think that the fact the horse is someone else’s property is relevant. It’s just disrespectful.
doodle
Well-Known Member
This is a general thought but there seems to be a lot of horses dying in racing. Be that in training or in races. Does this make trainers less affected by it? It seems to be a very common thing to happen. If there was such a rate in any other equestrian sport there would be outcry. It just seems to wrong that horses give their all, literally, till their heart gives out and they are gone. I guess a sudden death like that is “better” (for lack of a better word) than a horrible neglected end. There is no end of horses to fill their place and that just seems so wrong.
Crazy_cat_lady
Well-Known Member
Just searched for him on Google- GE racing ' the first thing to come up isn't his website, it's links to articles around that photo
Elf On A Shelf
...
I actually wouldn't say there are more now than ever before but it is seen more courtesy of social media. There isn't such stats in other equine diciplines (except for maybe the Arabs and their endurance racing...) because there isn't the vast numbers of horses in other disciplines.
As to becoming desensitized to death - yes you do become it a little. You don't get used to it but you learn to cope with it better. You learn to whack a smile back on your face and carry on to the end of the day when you can cry in private. Racing still has a tough image to it - rightly or wrongly - and we still have a job to do and other horses to look after.
I am the one who stays with horses on the gallops that have broken or have had a heart attack. I send everyone else home because I know I can deal with what needs done. I can make the phone calls, I can sort the animal. And then I break down after all the necessaries are dealt with. I have never and would never ask anyone else to stay with the horses because I know I can trust myself. And I wouldn't ask one of the youngsters to do it. Nor the jockeys as they will have to deal with it at the racecourse at some point in their careers.
doodle
Well-Known Member
I wasn’t meaning that there are more now than ever. It’s just sad there are such numbers that die.
meleeka
Well-Known Member
Desensitised maybe, but downright disrespectful is unforgivable.
splashgirl45
Lurcher lover
it is sad that so many die, but they are usually gone quickly and although it upsets me i still enjoy watching the racing. i am much more upset about the lives so many horses have to endure, being knocked about by some elements of our society, driven when they are still babies and if they are lucky they get chucked into a muddy field to starve to death. these are the animals that the press should be highlighting and more needs to be done to bring these people to justice....
Elf On A Shelf
...
Exactly, totally unforgivable.
Apercrumbie
Well-Known Member
Makes complete sense to me. I am also of the opinion that once a being dies, its body is just a body, but isn't it just really, really weird to treat a corpse so casually? I don't expect everyone to treat a corpse with absolute reverence, but also, why would you treat it in such a flippant and frankly illogical way? For me, it exposes his attitude perfectly, and IMO he's a bit of a psycho...
honetpot
Well-Known Member
I have seen a lot of dead people, but I have never ever seen anyone be disrespectful whilst dealing with the dead. You learn to put things you see in a box, but that does not mean you lose respect. I have dealt with people who I have never met, never met their families, and you treat them how you would treat your own family. If anyone I was working with did something like that, they would be literally out the door.
My horse died in a period of bad snow, so he had to be left for several days, eventually he had to lifted out by farmer on manitou forks to be put on the wagon. I am sure they had a titter and a moan about it, even in the cold the area smelt, but that's not the same as posting pictures.
Michen
Well-Known Member
Deleted as just can't write what I mean!
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teapot
Well-Known Member
There’s now a video circulating on Twitter, similar situation - dead horse on gallops, about to be moved and a lad jumps on the back of it...
No idea where/what yard.
No idea where/what yard.
Caol Ila
Well-Known Member
Years ago? If only. People do it to this day -- shooting big game in Africa and posing in triumphant photos over the body. It's terrible. But you're right. The photo of Elliot echoes those photos. Ew. God knows what he was thinking, especially when someone (who??) snapped a photo.
I wonder who leaked it. And why. They must have had a hell of a grudge.
cauda equina
Well-Known Member
And now 'his world is crumbling' and his staff are suffering
He wouldn't be using them as a human shield, would he?
He wouldn't be using them as a human shield, would he?
Rowreach
Adjusting my sails
Caroline Flack, anyone?
Apizz2019
Well-Known Member
In the workplace, if you bring a business in to disrepute, you are highly likely to be dismissed for gross misconduct.
It is more probable than not that this dismissal will follow you like a bad smell and you'll struggle to get another job within the same industry.
This man has brought his industry in to disrepute and I'd argue there is no place for him in it any longer.
Fortunately, while he is self employed, there is a governing body that will investigate and appears to, on the face of it, view his actions to be incomprehensible, as do most of the general public, fellow trainers and racing enthusiasts.
Racing is a tough sport, constantly under scrutiny and one which doesn't have a glowing reputation at the best of times.
I worked at a racing yard and was fortunate to work for amazing owners and trainers who treated their horses with the utmost care and respect.
I think it's fair to say we can all be confident that Gordon Elliott is not the only one in the industry who has less respect for horses than we'd like.
I have friends who still work in the racing industry and some of the things said casually in passing conversation have made my toes curl.
Gordon is only sorry because he's been caught and that's the end of it. No ifs, or buts.
He not only 'took a quick call and sat on the horse', he also raised his fingers to indicate victory and posed, while beaming from ear to ear.
He's not sorry for what he's done, he's sorry he's been caught and sorry for the mess he's made for himself. And that's all.
Someone who displays this level of contempt, for the very being that funds his lifestyle, is shocking.
Yes, it's just a moment in time and we have no context as to why he did this but I'd say his body language in the photo appears to show he's proud of what he's doing and clearly has no care about being snapped for a quick pic.
He deserves to be banned for good, in my opinion.
It is more probable than not that this dismissal will follow you like a bad smell and you'll struggle to get another job within the same industry.
This man has brought his industry in to disrepute and I'd argue there is no place for him in it any longer.
Fortunately, while he is self employed, there is a governing body that will investigate and appears to, on the face of it, view his actions to be incomprehensible, as do most of the general public, fellow trainers and racing enthusiasts.
Racing is a tough sport, constantly under scrutiny and one which doesn't have a glowing reputation at the best of times.
I worked at a racing yard and was fortunate to work for amazing owners and trainers who treated their horses with the utmost care and respect.
I think it's fair to say we can all be confident that Gordon Elliott is not the only one in the industry who has less respect for horses than we'd like.
I have friends who still work in the racing industry and some of the things said casually in passing conversation have made my toes curl.
Gordon is only sorry because he's been caught and that's the end of it. No ifs, or buts.
He not only 'took a quick call and sat on the horse', he also raised his fingers to indicate victory and posed, while beaming from ear to ear.
He's not sorry for what he's done, he's sorry he's been caught and sorry for the mess he's made for himself. And that's all.
Someone who displays this level of contempt, for the very being that funds his lifestyle, is shocking.
Yes, it's just a moment in time and we have no context as to why he did this but I'd say his body language in the photo appears to show he's proud of what he's doing and clearly has no care about being snapped for a quick pic.
He deserves to be banned for good, in my opinion.
Gingerwitch
Well-Known Member
What so because people cannot live being caught out for there actions and who they really are, we are supposed to go " oh never mind you carry on. Do what you like"
Crazy_cat_lady
Well-Known Member
Dear goodness, if true and correctly identified on the racing forum I linked to above, on Twitter there is now a video of an amateur jockey sitting and bouncing on a dead horse on the gallops!
Elf On A Shelf
...
I'm too scared to ask if you have a link ...
Roasted Chestnuts
Well-Known Member
That photo is horrendous, what he did was inexcusable. I have just read a very thought provoking post by Phoebe Buckley on Facebook about trials by social media and the harm it can do. He did a very very stupid thing and no amount of apologies will make up for it.
Apizz2019
Well-Known Member
Trials by social media are the worst.
I've seen it play out many times, much more so since lockdown but maybe that's because I've spent more time on social media.
Frankly, I think Gordon should have been truthful in his explanation - in that his ego got the better of him, he thought it was funny, an opportune moment that had to be snapped. Too big for his boots and too stupid to realise that friends today will sell your soul tomorrow.
If he'd have been honest about why he did this, I think there would be a lot more respect to be had for him but his explanation is pathetic at best.
But 'I sat down briefly and took a call' just doesn't cut it.
Sad for him in so many ways but he deserves the negative attention he's receiving from not only the general public but also fellow trainers, who often close ranks when the poop hits the fan.
That they haven't on this occasion says it all.
Crazy_cat_lady
Well-Known Member
Rowreach
Adjusting my sails
I'm assuming that's directed at me.
I believe if you do the crime you deserve the time, but that the judgement and punishment should be dished out by the appropriate authority, not a load of increasingly vicious keyboard warriors (who clearly have never done anything stupid or inappropriate in their entire lives).
ycbm
Einstein would be proud of my Insanity...
I agree with you on the punishment but anyone is entitled to form a judgement.
It's not as if there's any doubt about his guilt.
ETA the trouble with the power of social media, though, is that the mass judgement of consumers can cause commercial decisions that are greater than the deserved punishment.
I don't know what the right punishment would be in this case, he's brought the entire industry that he works in into disrepute and handed a massive gun to the anti racing lobby to shoot it down with.
.
It's not as if there's any doubt about his guilt.
ETA the trouble with the power of social media, though, is that the mass judgement of consumers can cause commercial decisions that are greater than the deserved punishment.
I don't know what the right punishment would be in this case, he's brought the entire industry that he works in into disrepute and handed a massive gun to the anti racing lobby to shoot it down with.
.
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Tiddlypom
Carries on creakily
Sometimes the appropriate authority needs a kick up the backside to realise just how badly an action may reflect on their cash cow.