What would the right punishment for Ben Maher have been?

[brucea]

an ambassador for the sport

Yes - some ambassador. Let's not have any more ambassadors like that eh? Shocking.

Just re-watched the video - you can see the horse changed on the corner jump - obviously something twinged - then he got two more jumps before it was too much for him.

So next time he is riding everyone should stand silently with their backs turned to him refusing t participate as an audience. That would be his last show, unless of course HOYS audiences like this kind of treatment meted out to horses, which I am sure they don't.

Remember the horse has nothing to gain from this - his life will not be extended, happier, easier, more relaxed. He is simply a tool for Mather's promotion.

 

[Clare85]

If I was in charge of HOYS I'm afraid he would've been told to leave immediately and to not bother coming back next year. The FEI/BS should have imposed a ban. As others have said, Mary King got a ban. There needs to be consistency and acts of blatant cruelty, such as Ben's, should be taken extremely seriously. This incident has not been dealt with properly imo, which is a shame as it will lead to the perception that the powers that be do not see this sort of behaviour as a problem and that people can get away with it.

 

[Crazy_cat_lady]

Deleted

 

[Magnetic Sparrow]

I just watched the link from GG2B, and I am staggered. Who owns that poor horse? Will the owner(s) leave it with Ben Maher and risk it being subject to further appalling treatment?

The right punishment imho would be owners taking their horses away.

 

[OWLIE185]

Unfortunately the general public's concept that horse riders are cruel to their horses will be reinforced by this unfortunate incident which does none of us any good especially when we rely on the goodwill of other road users when hacking out etc.

I very much hope that his sponsors drop him like a lead balloon and the horses owners take their horses away from him.

 

[jm2k]

I'd have thought yellow card for Abuse of Horse or Incorrect Riding (dependent on what the official video shows) would be what would happen, in which case he'll be watched for any further incidents.

What I'd like to have seen would be immediate suspension* pending a hearing to decide the length of the ban.

"Suspension" in this instance does not mean hanging!

Defo a yellow card and possible suspension from the remaining HOYS events .

Slap on wrist is nothing and proves he doesnt care a he hasnt even mentioned he has received one!

 

[Nicnac]

Rather than conviction via HHO, surely the owners who send horses to professional riders should be leading the fight by removing their horses if they disagree with a riders methods/actions.

I don't think you can compare the MK incident to this one - there is very little money in eventing and that monetary evil is at the crux of any FEI decision imo. Think endurance.

 

[NU ABO]

If I owned the horse I would definately be taking the horses away from him. Wouldn't want anyone like that anywhere near my horses.
Unfortunately a lot of high-profile owners are just as money-grabbing so unlikely that that would happen unless he was causing some sort of financial loss to them. In which case it should fall to HOYS or the FEI to implement a ban on him that would lose both owners and rider income. At the end of the day that's the only thing that will make an impact.

It's what happens in racing, if the jockey is thought to be riding dangerously they are given a ban, simple as.

Personally I would have liked to pull him backwards via a bit in the mouth for what he did, but that might just be me

 

[lannerch]

He lost his temper he overreacted he was cruel he should be punished support a ban but only a month or two , it's his career we are talking about , it's not a career ending mistake .

We all make mistakes and how many of us are squeaky clean in never having lost our temper and overreacting when on a horse? I certainly am guilty , be it a long time ago and I'm not proud of it!

Imagine being suspended from your job for 6 months , let alone the two years as someone has suggested does one mistake really warrant that?

If he is regularly so cruel with his horses then why do they go so well for him? Especially cella who is so sensitive. IMO cruelty does not lead to a consistent good performance only a harmonious relashionship does .

 

[ester]

Rather than conviction via HHO, surely the owners who send horses to professional riders should be leading the fight by removing their horses if they disagree with a riders methods/actions.

What if they don't disagree and are only in it for the money and success.

 

[Greylegs]

Well I have just received an infraction and had my post removed. It was not inflammatory and a lot less strongly worded than some of the posts on here. Oh well.

Ditto ... !! IMO, not in the least inflammatory or offensive. Oh well ... there's a first time for everything I guess ... more important things to worry about right now.

 

[bakewell]

There should definitely be a press release, either from the FEI or Maher on this. Even if it's just a whitewash "an unfortunate incident not in keeping with the spirit of the sport and the rider in question has been reprimanded". The wall of silence is very damning. I honestly do believe the FEI* is totally corrupt but it still makes me sad to see such a major governing body behave with such scant regard for the animals it purports to protect.

I think the behavior definitely warranted a six month ban, and possibly a fine. Plus there should be a statement that forever associates his name with this act of cruelty. It should be a return when people search online.

*Endurance dead ringers?!

 

[sasquatch]

Wasn't one of the Whittakers yellow carded for entering a boot room/changing/tack area without singing in when there was no official on duty?

Shameful that you'll get a written, recorded punishment for not signing in to a restricted area when there was no official to sign you in yet riding in such a way that you pull a horse over and possibly risk career or life ending injuries just gets a 'telling off'

BM should have at least been yellow carded, this is shocking.

 

[bakewell]

Wasn't one of the Whittakers yellow carded for entering a boot room/changing/tack area without singing

I know this is a typo but it's a delightful image of a Whittaker in a pretty depressing thread!

 

[*hic*]

i know this is a typo but it's a delightful image of a whittaker in a pretty depressing thread!

^^^ this

 

[*hic*]

This just reminded me to have a look at the eventing yellows and I'd not spotted this one before "Incorrect behaviour / riders dog not on lead running after horses in warm up and Cross Country". Excellent, so if they can yellow card a rider now they just need to work out how to put sanctions on spectators!

 

[MagicMelon]

I'm getting pretty fed up with HHO. They have given me a warning for my reply on here and removed it! I didn't say anything which hasn't already been said, good grief. So people just be aware that loads of posts on here have probably been removed thanks to HHO admin. You literally cannot comment on anything on here anymore, its getting really quite dull. Freedom of speech has been well and truly banned apparently.

 

[ChesnutsRoasting]

I'm getting pretty fed up with HHO. They have given me a warning for my reply on here and removed it! I didn't say anything which hasn't already been said, good grief. So people just be aware that loads of posts on here have probably been removed thanks to HHO admin. You literally cannot comment on anything on here anymore, its getting really quite dull. Freedom of speech has been well and truly banned apparently.

I agree. There must be a button pusher with an affiliation to that *****head Maher. Oops, did it again.

 

[ebonyallen]

I saw what he did and it was calculated abuse out of temper. We continue to pillory him because the punishment is pathetic and he has not acknowledged that he did anything wrong.

^^^^^^^^^^I so agree with this^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

[Honey08]

I think that the same person that has been removing negative or critical posts from his Facebook page has probably been rattling some cages on here until Admin removed things. I think there were a few silly comments about his appearance but other than that nothing any worse than what is left out on HHO on any other thread.

Do you know that Mary King said on Facebook that her daughter is going to Ben Maher's for the winter?

 

[MileAMinute]

Do you know that Mary King said on Facebook that her daughter is going to Ben Maher's for the winter?

Be careful....I think my infraction was for mentioning this on the other thread (my reply was deleted).

 

[Honey08]

Really? Why would you get an infraction for mentioning something Mary put on her public Facebook page? I haven't commented on it, just reported it.. Let's see..!

 

[Archangel]

Completely agree Wagtail!

So do I, after all the horses cannot speak for themselves.

 

[Magnetic Sparrow]

The thing is, Ben Maher is a really talented rider. Presumably his yard would be a great place to go if you wanted to try and improve your showjumping, I'm sure the other stuff doesn't come as a package ;-)

 

[brucea]

He lost his temper he overreacted he was cruel he should be punished support a ban but only a month or two , it's his career we are talking about , it's not a career ending mistake .

We all make mistakes and how many of us are squeaky clean in never having lost our temper and overreacting when on a horse? I certainly am guilty , be it a long time ago and I'm not proud of it!

Imagine being suspended from your job for 6 months , let alone the two years as someone has suggested does one mistake really warrant that?

If he is regularly so cruel with his horses then why do they go so well for him? Especially cella who is so sensitive. IMO cruelty does not lead to a consistent good performance only a harmonious relashionship does .

Ah so abusing a horse like that in public isn't a career ending mistake. ? Ye Gods.

No, it's cruelty, callous and temper driven cruelty - it should be a career ending mistake. That's the problem - putting the "career", not the horse first.

 

[LauraWheeler]

They say actions speak a thousand words.
I commented on Ben Mahers facebook wall this morning. It was not rude or offencive and was actualy aimed at other peoples comments. But I came on tonight and my comment has been removed and I am band from his page.
Read into it what you will But I know what i'm reading into it :'(

 

[sasquatch]

I know this is a typo but it's a delightful image of a Whittaker in a pretty depressing thread!

very much a typo I didn't spot, but it does create a rather wonderful image

 

[Crugeran Celt]

I know nothing of the show jumping world and have never even heard of this rider, sorry for my ignorance. Unfortunately he is not alone in the way he has treated his horse. I see it often from children who are taught to 'control' their pony by yanking on it's mouth whilst booting it in the ribs to get the animal to 'know whose boss!' to adults who perhaps in fear try to use brute force whilst riding. It would appear that there are many horse people out there who take complete advantage of most horses gentle natures to bully them into submission. I think the whole attitude to horses needs to change and people in the public eye really need to have boundaries and a suitable punishment should be dished out if these boundaries are broken. I also feel this rider needs educating in his care of horses and perhaps his punishment could be some lessons in being a more understanding rider?

 

[Alyth]

I know nothing of the show jumping world and have never even heard of this rider, sorry for my ignorance. Unfortunately he is not alone in the way he has treated his horse. I see it often from children who are taught to 'control' their pony by yanking on it's mouth whilst booting it in the ribs to get the animal to 'know whose boss!' to adults who perhaps in fear try to use brute force whilst riding. It would appear that there are many horse people out there who take complete advantage of most horses gentle natures to bully them into submission. I think the whole attitude to horses needs to change and people in the public eye really need to have boundaries and a suitable punishment should be dished out if these boundaries are broken. I also feel this rider needs educating in his care of horses and perhaps his punishment could be some lessons in being a more understanding rider?

^^^^^excellent post

 

[Summer pudding]

Well I have just received an infraction and had my post removed. It was not inflammatory and a lot less strongly worded than some of the posts on here. Oh well.

I got one too.....was a bit surprised... Complete tangent but did I really read that Mary King's daughter is spending the winter at BM's yard?