[RAyers]

I am wondering if others have read the latest Mark Phillips article in Eventing? I am also wondering what response you had to the article?

I have to admit, I sent a letter to the editor as a result of Phillips' comments concerning how he felt the rules should be applied to elite riders. It seemed to me he advocates bending the rules because the elite riders are the riders who love their horses.

This is NOT a thread about AT!!!!!! This is a thread about equitable application of the rules applied at ALL levels of the sport and how it seems that our team leader feels that they should be interpreted in a vaiable manner.

I doubt he would have made the same comments if the incident in question happened to one of us at a CCI*.

What do you all think?

Reed

[Risk-Averse Rider]

Haven't read it - any chance you'd care to give an executive summary, with key quotes?

[Janet]

Haven't read it - any chance you'd care to give an executive summary, with key quotes?

I think the key quote is
"Personally I was disappointed that the ground jury chose to follow the letter of the law and refer Amy's case to the FEI Secretary General for review by the FEI Judicial Committee rather than the spirit of the law. Riders at this level, particularly the good ones, love their horses like children and would never knowingly harm or endanger them."

[Risk-Averse Rider]

What is that saying? "I think I just threw up a little bit in my mouth"?

Well, Reed, he *WAS* closely associated with the royal family. Rank hath its privileges, and all that.




(Thanks, Janet.)

[azeventer]

So.....he is saying that those of us that plug away at the lower levels do NOT love our horses??? Pretty arrogant comment, I must say... I haven't recieved my Eventing magazine yet, but can hardly wait to read this. He does seem to have a way of putting his foot in his mouth....

[JER]

'Foot in mouth'? Hardly -- CMP is speaking from the heart.

One can make a strong argument that a chef d'equipe who advocates a breach in protocol -- for a case of abuse/ethics violations (!) -- is not fit to perform his duties.

[Aimee Thanatogenus]

Yes, and I remember when he sold horses to people who had such a noblesse oblige they didn't do presale vet examination and ended up with an overpriced pasture ornament.
Ponce.

[RunForIt]

I think MCP overlooked the reason for the rule as he made his statement re: AT and the referral to the FEI judicial committee...the rule exists because ALL riders are people (and people can make both reasonable AND poor decisions) and ALL riders, regardless of level, must be held accountable for their decisions/actions that involve the welfare of the horse that they are riding.

[Lori T]

I guess at my level, I don't love my horses and don't take care of them. Hmmmm...at what level does that start to happen?

[flutie1]

Would someone please post the article? I've heard about it and would be interested.
Thanks

Flutie

[eventmom]

Lori T Clearly if you have to ask the question, you have not ARRIVED yet

[deltawave]

Oh, he just makes me want to heave.

First of all, I do NOT love my horses "like my children". That is an ignorant and pitiful statement from someone who calls himself a parent. His poor kids. But I do love my horses the way anyone else loves their horses, and I'm quite happy that there ARE rules to protect them, even from ME if I make an error in judgment or do something stupid.

And please note I am also not making any commentary on AT. I am defending the fact that there are rules and a system present to ensure that our sport is as safe as possible. If there had NOT been an investigation and AT was given a "pass", how would that have come across? AT has nothing to fear from a simple inquiry. As I often tell my patients who are dreading some sort of surgery and don't even want to meet a surgeon: "talking doesn't hurt and information is not dangerous". Our SPORT has everything to fear from attitudes like MP's.

[snoopy]

I hope nobody is actually SURPRISED by his remarks!!!!! Mark Phillips has NEVER played by any rules....except maybe his own. But as long as the US is willing to put up with him, I am afraid we are stuck with him and all his BS. I do not think most british riders would even give him their used tissue let alone take advice from him.

[wabadou]

I think the key quote is
"Personally I was disappointed that the ground jury chose to follow the letter of the law and refer Amy's case to the FEI Secretary General for review by the FEI Judicial Committee rather than the spirit of the law. Riders at this level, particularly the good ones, love their horses like children and would never knowingly harm or endanger them."

I read that and got cold chills.
So the lower level riders should be held to the rules but not the upper?
In essence, the upper level riders should be treated like monarchy? Holy cow, did he forget that he's in the US???!
Why the h*ll is he the US coach? If that doesn't speak volumes for NOT being on the same wavelength as the masses, I don't know what does.
Holy Cow, that's all I can say.
I am speechless. I'd heard that he was an elitist but.... Yeah.
Anybody have the editors email handy?

[magnolia73]

Riders at this level, particularly the good ones, love their horses like children and would never knowingly harm or endanger them."

Who is to judge that a rider is good or bad? There are examples in all disciplines of very successful riders who did not do right by their horses. Success does not equal caring. I'm sure that there are eventers who have a business like relationship with their horses and do not have an emotional connection. It's not good or bad.... but I'm sure in some cases the horse's best interests are not considered. In fact, I would think it would be hard to stay at the top level if you had some deep emotional connection with every horse you rode.

A rule is a rule and we need to protect the welfare of the horses in the sport whether its giving penalties for dangerous riding, enforcing a whip rule or requiring a tribunal if we think a rider knowingly made an error that hurt a horse.

[arnika]

Excellent comments deltawave and RunForIt.

I'm not surprised considering other comments he's made in the past. Does it show much that he has been involved with royalty in his past? Everyone in the USEF who keeps falling at his feet seems to forget that one of the reasons we are American instead of British is to get away from such drivel.

God forbid we hold upper level riders, "particularly the good ones", to the same rules as the lower level riders.

Where's the puke icon???

[flutie1]

"... Where's the puke icon???"

I think it's a picture of MP!
Someone, PLEASE post the article???

[LLDM]

Okay then...

I haven't gotten my mag yet, but really, is he serious? Why the heck does anyone let him talk anymore? Ummm, maybe it is a plot to have him self destruct? Does he realize that child welfare laws protect children from mistakes too? And don't take "how much they are loved" into account (until maybe the sentencing phase)?

The mind. Just. Boggles.

Oh boy, I can't wait to read this one.

SCFarm

[bonjovi4ever]

Here's a copy of the article titled "Ups and Downs" by CMP:

Removed by moderator... DO NOT COPY AND POST ARTICLES HERE!!!

[fargonefarm]

If ALL upper-level riders "love their horses like their own children" and would never do anything to knowingly cause them harm, then how do you explain some of the atrocities committed in the upper ranks of H/J and others? Insurance fraud, sharp material in splint boots, etc. And I'm sure it happens in ALL disciplines.
Rules exist for a reason and no one should be exempt, no matter what their resume states. Rules do not exist to protect people - they exist to protect the horses!