Wednesday, July 29, 2009

"Daddy, I want that"

In 1992 I walked away from that Arabian Horse Industry for good!

I made a decision that I would not take on anymore youth riders and their parents and I wanted to have nothing to do with the equitation part of training and showing as well and I wanted nothing more to do with the western/English "pleasure" part of it.

It was just a mentality that I was not wanting to deal with. The win at all costs without regards to the horses well being. Sanding their feet to a high gloss and shaving the horses damn near bald was in my mind, not in any way a benefit to the horse. But that was not all!

In 1992 I had a couple of youth riders showing in the Regional Arab show in Houston TX. We had 5 horses at the show, one of my riders was showing in the HUS class and my other rider was showing in the reining classes as well as the western pleasure classes. I had 3 adult amateur riders showing as well.

We would get to the show grounds early in the morning to take care of our horses and ride them around the grounds so they could have a good look around.

There was a trainer there with a horse that was also being shown by a youth rider who was friends with my riders. When we were in the arena working our horse this trainer was also in the arena working the girls mare as we left the arena the trainer was still working the mare who by now was sweating profusely. The trainer, in my opinion was abusive with his extensive use of the dressage bat that he loved to carry everywhere he went. Me being who I am said something to the trainer, who at that time decided to take the mare back to the barn.

Less than an hour later I saw this same trainer back on this mare in another arena working the shit out her. The whole time he was doing this, his rider and her parents stood by the rail and watched as this mare was worked into the ground. Finally a few hours later the trainer took the mare back to the barn to let her rest. From what I have heard the mare remained tacked and tied in her stall, but I am not sure of that. After the classes ended that day, this same trainer took this same mare out into the main arena and worked her well into the morning before putting her up. By the start of the days showing, this mare was dead!

And I will say that she was a really nice mare.

As far as to what actually killed this mare I am not sure and will not comment on it, though I have an idea what it was and that should be obvious. But that is not the point of this.

The point is, this was a mare that this girls father, from what I am told had paid over $120,000 so this girl could compete at a level that she wanted to compete at. When my youth rider went up to offer her friend her condolences on her mare. This young 12-14 year old girl looked my rider in the eye, smiled and said "That's OK, my daddy will buy me another horse".

That made me sick. Never in my life would I have ever imagined a child being taught that a life has only a monetary value and nothing more. I realized that day that there is a mind set out there that we have to win at all costs, no matter what.

But why?

I can tell you the I want my daughters to have everything they want or need, but they have to know that we can not always give them that. I refuse to buy them a win at a horse show or anywhere else. They are going to have to learn to lose graciously and win humbly. As do the rest of my riders. Yes we are into showing again and I do like to win, but I also know how to lose as that is part of this game.

Like everyone else, they are going to have to work hard and develop the skills that will help them achieve their goals. I still see it all of the time at shows, parents sparing no expense to give their child an over all advantage over other kids just for a blue ribbon.

I have heard parents tell trainers that they have spent a lot of money, so their precious child better win. It's no wonder trainers try to cheat their way into championships.

Monday, July 27, 2009

A New Day

Today I am sitting here reading the comments on the last post and listening to The Marriage of Figaro in my iPhone.

Does anyone here know the story of the Marriage of Figaro?

I love this opera. It totally takes me to a new plane and allows me to refocus. If you ever have the chance to hear or see it, I highly recommend it. Kathleen Battle can sure sing. Man o man!

No, I am not nuts, but I prefer to focus my life on what is really important, not SFTS's life nor Dena's or anyone else's life for that matter. What they do is really none of my business as I have said in the past. However, they chose to keep coming back and airing their differences on the internet for all to read. It is like a train wreck, you don' t want to look but you can't help it.

Well, we can not move on until those who chose to carry on continue to carry on.

As long as we contribute and that goes for all of us, they will always have an audience. There is so much more that we can vent about.

My point is this........ It is time to move on folks!

Time to find a new topic. If you have anything you want me to post about on the Gloves, that is fine. But I am tired of this same argument as I believe many of you are as well.

As far as me and Figaro, well, it is 100 and Fuck outside and I live in the desert. I need some sort of relief. I would rather listen to Figaro and stay inside when it is like this. I hate even going outside to check the mail. The twins are at daycare until it cools down enough to let them ride in the hot truck. I miss those little girls when they are not here.

I am not going to change the format for this blog as I still want you all to have somewhere to go share your frustrations.

Saturday, July 25, 2009

Its called the Gloves are off for Shits sake!


I received an email today that states that people need to be nicer to each other on this blog. And that perhaps moderation is in order! Though I prefer that you do not bring 3rd parties that are not involved into your disagreements.



But here is my answer to that......



This blog is called the Gloves are off, and it is going to live up to it's name.



You are all adults here and chose to post here and that is fine. If you have disagreements then you have disagreements. It is not the end of the world when you disagree with someone, is it?



If I am going to have to moderate this blog, then why have a comments section.



So is moderation the answer?



Should I moderate this blog?



Or do you think that we can all agree to disagree?



And not hold personal grudges!


If you don't want your dirty laundry aired, don't bring it up to begin with.

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

BWAP! Right in the Face!

So I go check out FHOTD today and what hits me right in the face when the page loads......more shit being flung!

It never ceases to amaze me that FHOTD brings out this kind of hostility amongst it's readers.

What is it about that blog that no one can get past the bullshit and stick to the topic at hand?

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Will there ever be peace?

For all of you that are chewing leather and spitting fire on the Horses on the Hill thread.

Here is the place for you.

When will you realize that all of this bickering on the FHOTD blog makes it more difficult for any good to come from any of this?

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

The Good the Bad and........

Hey all of you Fugly readers that can not seem to get along....

Here it is

This Blog is for you, Drsgjunky, Dena ,Flying Fig, hell why not everybody.

Have a beer or your favorite beverage and let the fur fly.

Have a blast and leave that arguing off of FHOTD!

Thursday, July 9, 2009

Boarding stable nightmares!

Here is the thing....I stated earlier in the last thread on this blog that I have toned it down some and I like it that way better. But here on this blog you may here/read a little more "Chicken verbiage"( foul language ) come back out. After all, this blog is titled the "Gloves are off".

How many of you have boarded your horses at some facility, that later on, after you have moved your horse you ask yourself " How the hell could I have let my horse stay there".

I dated a gal that owned the facility where I boarded my red mare 'Johnie', and she was a psycho nut job who started drinking Natural Light at 5 AM and then drank Franzia wine at night. I would let her turn Johnie out and also I would let her ride her when I was not there. What the hell was wrong with me?

Johnie is one hell of a mare and does pretty well in the cutting pens. How could I have let her ride her and ruin her?

No wonder that mare has an attitude!

While Johnie made it through all of that just fine, I realize now that there was a significant risk there.

So tell me, what is your worst boarding night mare?

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Dena and SFTS

Here is a place where the two of you can go at it!!!

Though I do not condone your negative bullshit towards each other, perhaps here you can air you differences and make peace with each other.

I am sure that some people wil check in on you two from time to time, but for the most part there is little interest in your battles~

Personally, I prefer to remain neutral!

Todays topic for the two of you is........each other!