Kevin Lemke overuse of the whip

[ester]

Just me that is suprised that the announcer made no further call/they didn't ring him out again when he was clearly going to attempt the jump after elimination for blantantly using the whip in anger? Lots of people suggesting there wasn't time to stop him. . .

https://www.horseandhound.co.uk/new...0lKFI63w651W4jpbxZcVQCU7X0f_JGfp5O0r37i971lkE

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

Whether or not that bell was rung he was doing his own thing. If you can blatantly in the middle of the ring beat a horse that way then someone ringing a bell isn’t going to make a difference.

He’s needing someone to take that whip to him.

 

[AdorableAlice]

Hardly a reminder tap was it. Unpleasant watching.

 

[ycbm]

Professional horse sport isn't covering itself in glory this week, is it?

.

 

[ester]

nope!

 

[Mule]

Professional horse sport isn't covering itself in glory this week, is it?

.

I was just thinking that ?‍

 

[nikicb]

I was just about to post this as well, but thought I would check if there was another thread first. I just can't get my head round how a rider gets to this point. I really just don't understand. If they do that in public, what happens behind the scenes? It just makes me weep. Utterly utterly awful.

 

[fetlock]

If that goes on in the ring, what goes on at home?

 

[mini_b]

What a tosser ??

 

[SashaBabe]

Utterly disgusting. I dread to think what goes on behind the scene.

 

[Rowreach]

That poor horse knew what was coming

 

[AdorableAlice]

Professional horse sport isn't covering itself in glory this week, is it?

.

And may get worse yet if Elliott gets a fine of a couple of quid and a week off.

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

It blows my mind that people behave like this, and have the gall to do so in public! I hate to think of what goes on behind the scenes..
I wonder if the horse is so hot and tense because this happens with regularity or whether it is purely competition induced...

 

[PapaverFollis]

"My horse is unnerved by a scary looking fence, I know I will beat the **** out of him to reduce his fear of similar fences in future. That will work."

I'm pretty sure there isn't actually any thought process though. Just white hot anger and a shaky ego being pushed.

 

[ycbm]

It blows my mind that people behave like this, and have the gall to do so in public! I hate to think of what goes on behind the scenes..
I wonder if the horse is so hot and tense because this happens with regularity or whether it is purely competition induced...

In the 1980's I stabled with a minor non-British non-Irish Olympic level rider. (Few people would even recognise their name today.) But when he was waiting for me to finish riding in the indoor one evening, my husband watched the outdoor as a horse was whipped until it drew blood. I honestly thought we knew better these days, that was 40 years ago!

I think it's pretty likely if this happens in public at least as bad happens at home.

 

[shortstuff99]

That poor, poor horse

 

[GreyMane]

Awful seeing the horse just crash through the fence. Wish someone would buy the horse and take it off him.

 

[shortstuff99]

They also always say 'I didn't mean it' and that 'it won't happen again ' and yet it always seems to and they clearly did mean to do it or it wouldn't have happened in the first place.

 

[CanteringCarrot]

For the most part, if a rider retires on course and just says this is not our day, no one really cares. The horse will have it on his record, but if there is a good competition record prior and post retire, it's not a huge concern. I'd much rather wave and say, I'm out, then beat my horse. ? This tarnished his reputation far more than a retire or elimination.

I know there are pressures on professional riders and trainers, but you cannot take it out on the horse, you've got to find a better coping mechanism. If the horse isn't cut out for it, or you can't get along with it, send it along, many big name trainers do this!

Therefore, I find his actions inexcusable and he should face hefty consequences. Also not a good look for equestrian sports.

 

[Kipper's Dick]

Dignity, love and respect and the best of care should be at the heart of all our dealings with these incredible creatures. We have used horses as beasts of burden, we have taken them to war, we race them against each other for our entertainment and ask them to jump higher and faster and to perform intricate movements for our pleasure.

When I saw the photograph of Elliott straddling the body of a dead racehorse I felt sickened to the stomach. As I did when I saw pictures of Rob James 'riding' a horse that had died on the gallops. And today I see appalling mistreatment of a horse by a German showjumper. And I wonder, not for the first time, whether human beings deserve horses, at all.

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

For the most part, if a rider retires on course and just says this is not our day, no one really cares. The horse will have it on his record, but if there is a good competition record prior and post retire, it's not a huge concern. I'd much rather wave and say, I'm out, then beat my horse. ? This tarnished his reputation far more than a retire or elimination.

Isn't this the normal human response though? Sometimes I am having a bad day, sometimes Jacob is or sometimes we both are and we both get frustrated - at which point I walk him off or go for a wander up the lane and call it a day; I assumed this is just what everyone does, it takes a very specific sort of person to think the resolution at that point is to beat them with a stick.

 

[ester]

Awful seeing the horse just crash through the fence. Wish someone would buy the horse and take it off him.

Awful seeing the horse just crash through the fence. Wish someone would buy the horse and take it off him.

you’d kind of hope the owner would move it anyway

 

[McFluff]

Yet another example that shows the risks (to horses) of combining competitive natures with lots of £££ at stake.
Very sad. And really tough for those who do things correctly and treat horses well. It tarnishes the reputation of all horse sports.

 

[McFluff]

Isn't this the normal human response though? Sometimes I am having a bad day, sometimes Jacob is or sometimes we both are and we both get frustrated - at which point I walk him off or go for a wander up the lane and call it a day; I assumed this is just what everyone does, it takes a very specific sort of person to think the resolution at that point is to beat them with a stick.

If only it was. There are some who have such a competitive nature, they 'fight'. And if money at stake too, the situation is even more magnified.

 

[Quigleyandme]

Clearly a rider who cannot control his temper or choose his behaviours. Disgusting exhibition. I was at an unaffiliated jumping competition at Combe Park some years ago and a horse annihilated an oxer. The rider, an overweight by a good few stone girl, not only repeatedly beat the horse and yanked the reins, she took her feet out of the stirrups so she could repeatedly dig and rake the horse’s flanks with her spurs. Meantime the ground crew is rebuilding the fence and the stewards and timekeepers are doing absolutely nothing so I told her to cut it out and perhaps if she lost 20lbs the horse could perform better. She screamed at me to F off and whacked the horse with all her strength again and still the stewards and audience were totally passive. She had totally lost the run of herself as they say here. I’ve never forgotten it.

 

[LEC]

HN wrote a good article - https://horsenetwork.com/2021/02/co...M9ByVuoEPn8jP2ZDIssxEfoDHsUtHpFCeK7JDgAkpOjKE

I have been discussing with friends this week complicit silence in horses. It happens day in and day out. I have done it myself at an event when a top pro knocked seven bells out of a horse for it just having a pole in the warm up. It makes me uncomfortable that we are all complicit. There should be better protocols in place but there is a high risk of being blackballed if you do say anything. You might not even realise it has happened. Grooms who leave top riders yards (all much admired ones on social media) because they don’t like the treatment of the horses but again say nothing because it’s impossible to report and for anyone to follow up.

This kind of behaviour in the ring at least is governed and can be sanctioned.

 

[Nicnac]

HN wrote a good article - https://horsenetwork.com/2021/02/co...M9ByVuoEPn8jP2ZDIssxEfoDHsUtHpFCeK7JDgAkpOjKE

I have been discussing with friends this week complicit silence in horses. It happens day in and day out. I have done it myself at an event when a top pro knocked seven bells out of a horse for it just having a pole in the warm up. It makes me uncomfortable that we are all complicit. There should be better protocols in place but there is a high risk of being blackballed if you do say anything. You might not even realise it has happened. Grooms who leave top riders yards (all much admired ones on social media) because they don’t like the treatment of the horses but again say nothing because it’s impossible to report and for anyone to follow up.

This kind of behaviour in the ring at least is governed and can be sanctioned.

Yes I'd read that article before H&H published theirs. I was hopeful not to have to see the evidence. I wouldn't hesitate calling it out. I FJ quite a bit at BE and always report over use of the whip. There's a huge difference between a tap on the shoulder coming into a fence and a swift tap on the bum if the horse hasn't been as reactive as they should after a fence to what Lemke did.

Part of me wishes he'd had a nasty fall when the horse pecked but then it would probably have been even worse for the horse afterwards. Vile little man.

 

[Velcrobum]

Some years ago at a now defunct BE event held at a large equestrian centre a high ranking (Olympic) French rider was seen kicking a horse in the stomach in the lorry park. It either had a stop or lots of poles down in SJ. This was swiftly reported by two people to the organiser and the BE steward. Rider was called to see the BE steward who tried to discuss discretely what had been seen. Gallic temper tantrum ensued with much loud swearing at BE steward which drew a crowd. He was immediately eliminated from the event, the organiser/owner of the venue promptly told him to get off the property with all his horses and banned said rider from ever using the facilities ever again. This particular BE event was Pre-novice, Novice and Intermediate and a "soft educational venue".

I have complained to the BE steward more than once or twice when I have seen abuse of a horse as a competitor. As a BE dressage writer I have backed judges up when they have reported/eliminated riders for horse abuse - these were professional riders at Advanced level!! These days with everyone having a camera phone it is easy to record abuse and get something done.

 

[suestowford]

This is worse than the Gordon Elliott picture. At least the Irish horse could no longer feel anything.
I'd like to think this SJ rider would be hanging his head in shame but I doubt he will be.

 

[Rumtytum]

He seems well practised in the art of thrashing a horse. Hope it’s the end of his career.