HOYS today - shocked at 'professional's' behaviour

[conniegirl]

I've sat on many powerful, nervey, over sensitive, het up and even paniced warmbloods, arabs and other horses (comes from rehabbing problem horses, including those that proffesionals have said need shooting) and never once has it ever crossed my mind to pull one over on itself or for that matter rein it back as its somewhat counter productive to make one go backwards when you actualy need it to go forwards.

I have had one go over on itself despite me doing everything to just sit still and get him back on all 4 feet (he went up because he had been stung by a wasp) I ended in hospital, the horse fractured his pelvis which is very common when horses go over backwards, thankfully horse survived the injury (many dont) and came back into full work, but he was not a showjumper, an injury like that would have been career ending for a serious showjumping horse!

It was cruel, unessecary and down right dangerous for both him and the horse.
Have now lost all faith in the FEI.

 

[JCWHITE]

Was there an official video made at the event? If so, it would show more clearly exactly what happened. I would be interested to see this if it exists. And if it supports Ben Maher's case, maybe he will be pressing for an excerpt to be released.

As I have stated, BM Videos were filming.
My reply from the hoys press office was along the lines from the FEI.

 

[AmyMay]

..... falling over its own feet when the rider firmly reined it back after a stop.

Ah, so that's how you rein back.

 

[Bustermartin]

Ah, so that's how you rein back.

Note to self - must yank harder in future 'cos that's how the 'pros' do it!

Another one who has totally lost all faith in the FEI - very sad and unsatisfactory all round.

 

[twiggy2]

Good God, there are some ridiculous people on this forum.

When you've all had a minor misunderstanding with a het up, over-sensitive, mid-tantrum warmblood show jumper (labelled 'crazy' before Ben got his hands on it, FTR), then you may be in a position to judge.

Interesting that everyone I know who was actually THERE agrees this was nothing but a mid-strop horse falling over its own feet when the rider firmly reined it back after a stop.

many of us have sat on horses like that, I ride a horse like that at least twice a week at work and because he is like that I am particularly sensitive as a rider when I am on board.

do you rein back by socking a horse in the teeth with a lump of metal? cos I know I don't,

 

[PolarSkye]

Good God, there are some ridiculous people on this forum.

When you've all had a minor misunderstanding with a het up, over-sensitive, mid-tantrum warmblood show jumper (labelled 'crazy' before Ben got his hands on it, FTR), then you may be in a position to judge.

Actually, I have . . . Kali's default when stressed is to rear and then pivot/spin (at speed) . . . he's done it with me (on a road with traffic behind/in front of me) and with both of his jockeys . . . it is neither fun nor funny . . . but I can pretty much guarantee that asking for rein back from a horse whose "go to" is to rear is a recipe for disaster . . . as proved by this rather unedifying display by Ben Maher. Showjumpers like rein back because it sits the horse on its hocks . . . rearers are already sitting on their hocks and are very good at tipping their pelvises and going up as an evasion . . . a horse that naturally "backward" should be sent forward, forward, forward.

Yes, I have experience with stroppy, hyper sensitive WB types - I own one - but I'm not at the top of ANY equestrian discipline and neither are either of his competition jockeys . . . I sort of expected more from BM, tbh.

P

 

[claracanter]

Have a look at this. HE's getting an apology from FEI now

This thread gets a mention though

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/ol...pping-incident-at-Horse-of-the-Year-Show.html

 

[doriangrey]

That's pretty good PR. He gets an apology for causing the horse to come over backwards (whatever the reason).

 

[bakewell]

That's pretty good PR. He gets an apology for causing the horse to come over backwards (whatever the reason).

Yes, but his "flipping incident" (!) video is on the Telegraph website. Worth more than all the words.

 

[Clare85]

I'm just at a loss with this whole thing! I've watched the video a number of times and you can clearly see him hauling and hauling on that horse's mouth until she goes over. I just don't understand why he has been allowed to get away with it. Shame on Ben Maher, shame on HOYS and shame on the FEI. Disgusting!

 

[Honey08]

I've never been totally sure what happened from what you can see from the video, but it's the facts that people's Facebook comments and questions regarding the incident were not replied to and were deleted, and that there was no official comments from any of the organisations involved. Had HOYS or Ben Maher bothered to release a statement of their opinion of what happened and what they concluded, rather than treating the concerned public as hysterical fluffy bunnies whose opinions don't matter, this may well have calmed down immediately. As things stand, it has been handled with arrogance and left a bad feeling among people who usually enjoy HOYS.

 

[amandaco2]

Hormonal women of the internet?!
Odd no other footage has appeared, you'd think they would get the clear up close video released asap to show hes done nothing wrong (!)

 

[madmav]

The horse refused, it appeared to be heading towards an official. Rider puts on emergency brake to avoid collision. He over does it and the horse falls. The video isn't clear. You can't condemn the rider on that. But you can condemn him for a big fail on how the ensuing row has been handled.

 

[Landcruiser]

Reading the posts on his fb page you'd think the sun shone out of his backside! It makes my blood boil. Hauling a horse backwards by the bit as "punishment" is very bad horsemanship at best and cruelty and abuse at worst. I have no further time for this person.

 

[Lexi_]

Didn't someone earlier in this thread get a reply to their complaint which stated that he *had* been given a reprimand? Yet now he hasn't? Confused!

 

[cptrayes]

The horse refused, it appeared to be heading towards an official. Rider puts on emergency brake to avoid collision. He over does it and the horse falls. The video isn't clear. You can't condemn the rider on that. But you can condemn him for a big fail on how the ensuing row has been handled.

The horse refused, it appeared to be heading towards an official. Rider puts on emergency brake to avoid collision. He over does it and the horse falls. The video isn't clear. You can't condemn the rider on that. But you can condemn him for a big fail on how the ensuing row has been handled.

You can actually see what I saw from quite close and directly alongside. He takes a pull to stop the horse running into the official and she moves back, then he pulls again, hard, and she goes over backwards. It was a two stage thing, and I can assure you that from up close it looked exactly as if the second stage was done in temper. The horse was in a long shank bit with very heavy poll pressure if the rein was pulled.
An American gag, I think.

 

[Jach]

My first ever post on this forum but had to join to agree with the majority. Awful horsemanship, no regard for his horse's welfare. My daughter regularly competed against BM on ponies and I never saw this type of behaviour, however, I was more naive then so maybe didn't notice. Used to admire BM, no more, his silence and one patronising statement on this incident speaks volumes.

 

[JCWHITE]

You can actually see what I saw from quite close and directly alongside. He takes a pull to stop the horse running into the official and she moves back, then he pulls again, hard, and she goes over backwards. It was a two stage thing, and I can assure you that from up close it looked exactly as if the second stage was done in temper. The horse was in a long shank bit with very heavy poll pressure if the rein was pulled.
An American gag, I think.

This is what I saw too, I think the crowd were too stunned to react.

 

[AmyMay]

Didn't someone earlier in this thread get a reply to their complaint which stated that he *had* been given a reprimand? Yet now he hasn't? Confused!

He was reprimanded, but as formal procedures weren't followed (ie BM wasn't informed that he was receiving a reprimand), it was recinded.

 

[Bustermartin]

Yes - this passage in the Telegraph makes Amymays comment quite clear

'The FEI announced on Wednesday that Maher met FEI officials after the incident, but that due to a procedural error "from a legal perspective it cannot therefore be considered as an official warning or reprimand". The FEI said Maher had not been informed this was an official warning.'

I take from this that the FEI are aware that he should have been given a warning, but that, due to their mistakes, they were unable to do so.

I only hope that Mr Maher realises he has overstepped the mark and will not let it happen again either in public or at home...

 

[Lexi_]

Ahhh thanks for the clarification amymay and Bustermartin.

FEI not exactly showing themselves in their finest light, yet again.

 

[onemoretime]

I spoke to someone who lives close by to me and who's other half is a senior BS judge and they have tried to make light of it by saying that the horse just freaked out and that it was not nearly as bad as everyone WHO SAW IT has been making out. I have only seen the video clip but it looked pretty nasty to me and I would not want to see any horse of mine being ridden in that way. The officials are playing it down no doubt because he is a high profile rider.

 

[Dobermann Girl]

Ben Maher you treat your "Fans" with a contempt they do not deserve. We have been named "pony patters". Fluffy bunnies ect. You do not deserve their loyalty. I'm sure most deservedly you have lost their respect.

 

[cptrayes]

Ben Maher you treat your "Fans" with a contempt they do not deserve. We have been named "pony patters". Fluffy bunnies ect. You do not deserve their loyalty. I'm sure most deservedly you have lost their respect.

ME a pony patter?!?!? What a patronising man. Three of us went. Three of us had a perfect view of what he did. Three of us gasped. Three of us have no problem with hitting a horse if we think it will achieve the result we need, nor, in an emergency, hauling its back teeth out to keep a human safe.

Man up Ben, admit you were wrong.

 

[nicolenlolly]

I'm happy to be a "pony patter" and have a clear conscience at night that I have not in any way hurt my horses or behaved in a way that might negatively influence my children

 

[Clare85]

I'm happy to be a "pony patter" and have a clear conscience at night that I have not in any way hurt my horses or behaved in a way that might negatively influence my children

This! My Mum watched the video and said that she thought it looked like a child having a tantrum. She told me that if she had ever seen me behave like that as a child she would've dragged me off my horse and not allowed me to ride again.

 

[madmav]

Fair play to you cptrayes if you witnessed it. Then he has done wrong. I was just making the point that he shouldn't be condemned on a not very clear video. Saddened that he has done that. Thought better of him. Poor horse.

You can actually see what I saw from quite close and directly alongside. He takes a pull to stop the horse running into the official and she moves back, then he pulls again, hard, and she goes over backwards. It was a two stage thing, and I can assure you that from up close it looked exactly as if the second stage was done in temper. The horse was in a long shank bit with very heavy poll pressure if the rein was pulled.
An American gag, I think.

 

[Jach]

This! My Mum watched the video and said that she thought it looked like a child having a tantrum. She told me that if she had ever seen me behave like that as a child she would've dragged me off my horse and not allowed me to ride again.

I agree with your mum! If I had ever witnessed my daughters treating their ponies this way I would have done the same! I would drag them off even now if I saw them treat their horses in such an abusive manner...my daughters are 30 and 37! Never an excuse in the situation BM was in...in a dire emergency maybe but it would have to be life or death. Should have been booed out of the arena.

 

[Echo Bravo]

But it has been said No Reprimand from the higher ups, says a lot don't you think, well payed cushy jobs they don't want that to end. Pity the owners of the horse cann't see what he did was really bad for the horse and the sport they say they support, face it, it all comes down to money and plenty of, that is why I no longer watch Show Jumping, lost interest when Harvey Smith let one of his old horses go through a meat market and it had won a lot of money for him in it's past

 

[fburton]

Fair play to you cptrayes if you witnessed it. Then he has done wrong.

Hang on - opinions differ. Munchkin wrote: "Interesting that everyone I know who was actually THERE agrees this was nothing but a mid-strop horse falling over its own feet when the rider firmly reined it back after a stop." Maybe they had a better view; maybe a worse one. Maybe it's different interpretations based on different backgrounds/prejudices. Maybe we're all ridiculous people to a greater or lesser degree - who knows!