[imnotclever]

I appreciate threads like this. I think there's a lot of shady stuff that goes down in the horse industry...sadly and appreciate the heads up to stay away from people like this.

I wouldn't go near Don Slaughter with a ten foot pole.

--social media viewer

[ChocoMare]

Boy am I ever glad that a) I'm not in his zone; b) Left the show world behind a long time ago; and c) there's COTH to show me just what I'm not missing.

That guy's a crook, plain and simple. Karma's coming dude!

[Bristol Bay]

He has a lot of company around SoCal, IMO.

[SoCalgrl]

Apparently, I'm making up user names to post on here, lol! Oh and I'm also paying people to make up stories about him!! Funny as everyone has come forward to me or been willing to talk, in fact 3 people last week alone emailed me!!

I was also dupped by Mr. Slaughter in 2010. My horse went to him because he said he had a buyer and that the buyer would pay his board while staying with Don for the month. I unfortunately had just moved out of state. He told me he had many buyers so I decided to keep my horse with him for a few months.

Long story short and 4 months later when I decided to move my horse with me, he came up with completely made up invoices, including extra supplements, 'additional feeding' (whatever that means), injections I did not know about or approve. He also tried to get me to pay for him and my horse to go to Thermal - thank god I didn't agree to do that because it sounds like my horse would have never made it to Thermal, as Don would pocket the money for sure.

You can't confront him about his lies because he lies about the lies and obviously has been doing this for a long time because he makes you believe his lies. He also bullied me into signing an agreement to pay off the $8,000+ monthly. I agreed because he was holding my horse hostage. I paid one month of the agreement, sent someone to get my horse and shipped him to me the very next day.

Mr. Slaughter continued to harass me about paying him, called my place of employment, home, cel and finally when he realized I wasn't going to pay him a cent, he called a collection agency. To this day, I have not paid him anything else. Oh and when my horse arrived, he had horrible wither sores.

I can go into greater detail about this man, but I think everyone gets the story from the numerous other stories.

This is a bad man, that gives the horse/horse trainers a horrible name - STAY AWAY FROM HIM and don't let him take your horse!!

[suze]

Fun reading! Wish it was late enough for a bottle of wine. I don't know anything about this guy, not being in the h/j world, but there are always "trainers" like him around in lots of disciplines. I think they should all be "outed".

I just thought I'd point out the BBB standards, such as they are. When we opened a home business, we looked into it - you pay them money, you get listed - this is from their website (bolding is mine):

About BBB Accreditation

If a business has been accredited by the BBB, it means*BBB has determined that the business meets accreditation standards which include a commitment to make a good faith effort to resolve any consumer complaints. BBB accredited businesses pay a fee for accreditation review/monitoring and for support of BBB services to the public.

BBB Code of Business Practices*represents standards for business accreditation by BBB.*Businesses based in the United States and Canada that meet these standards and complete all application procedures will be accredited by BBB.**The Code is built on the BBB Standards for Trust, eight principles that summarize important elements of creating and maintaining trust in business.**

BBB accreditation does not mean that the business’ products or services have been evaluated or endorsed by*BBB, or that BBB has made a determination as to the business’ product quality or competency in performing services.

Businesses are under no obligation to seek BBB accreditation, and some businesses are not accredited because they have not sought BBB accreditation.
http://www.bbb.org/us/Business-Accreditation-Standards/

So anyone can join - the BBB really doesn't check out businesses unless a complaint is filed & even then nothing really happens. Wikipedia has a ton on the organization; many people think they're a government organization, but they're not.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BetterBusinessBureau

Having filed a complaint against a car repair place once, we also learned they don't even read their mail - we never heard anything from them & the rating never changed.

[trubandloki]

I wonder if his house guests will start posting soon?

[pds]

We should start a "naughty trainer" page where we can post the names of these bad people along with links to the associated forum threads and keep as a pinned topic.

That would make it very easy for potential clients to research and investigate these dubious individuals.

[showjumpersonline]

I had dealt with Don for several years selling him bedding for his horse, I spent more time talk to the District Attorney than I care to say trying to recover money from bounced checks. The only one worse than him is Jacqui Grand of Oakridge Farm in Escondido, she owes me thousands of dollars and all I get is the same old song and dance from her about how she will make good next..then next week...then next week. What is it that people who are just making it in the horse business feel that they have such a sense of entitlement that everyone else should pay for their pleasures?

[Summit Springs Farm]

That's how many trainers conduct business, you send them your horse to sell, they bill you for board, they lease out your horse, or use him for lessons, they make money on the lease you never hear about and on the lessons your lesson horse becomes, then after awhile they have someone come to them for a purchase, your horse fits the bill and they sell him for twice what they tell you they get.

[tallygirl]

Don Slaughter is the bounced check king. If you work anywhere in town (thousand oaks area) you will know he pays his bills with checks and they almost always bounce. I have heard horror stories for YEARS about him and would stay veryyyyyyy clear away from him. Can you imagine how much money he pays a year in bounced check fees??????? LMAO.

[Indy-lou]

"He also bullied me into signing an agreement to pay off the $8,000+ monthly. I agreed because he was holding my horse hostage. I paid one month of the agreement, sent someone to get my horse and shipped him to me the very next day."
$8,000+ monthly? For what? Boarding and training? Did that include a personal chef and town car service?

[Jumper_SoCal]

Don Slaughters business partner is Thomas Buettner of http://buettnerperformancehorses.com/horse_sale.htm

Of course, Tom removed my horses pictures and descriptions from his website.

Don was boarding at Blakiston Ranch in Thousand Oaks/Hidden Valley, Ca.

[skydy]

Don Slaughters business partner is Thomas Buettner of http://buettnerperformancehorses.com/horse_sale.htm

Of course, Tom removed my horses pictures and descriptions from his website.

Don was boarding at Blakiston Ranch in Thousand Oaks/Hidden Valley, Ca.

I can't find anything in the FEI database about Baron Thomas Jeurgen von Beuttner. Though the website can be difficult at times. Can anyone else find any info regarding his show record with either FEI or USEF or on Centerline?

The FEI USEF and USDF logos are all over his webpage..
A goole search of the name turns up nothing but a very outdated myspace page.


ETA: I posed this question on the dressage forum. Perhaps someone there will know..

[baref00t]

FYI it's criminally illegal to write bad checks. I'm not sure about CA, but in my home state it can be a felony (theft by deception, I believe in excess of $500), which can lead to large fines, 1-5 years in prison, and loss of voting rights if convicted. He's lucky if all that happened to him is that he got suspended from the USEF for bad checks.

[Melissa.Hare.Jones]

"He also bullied me into signing an agreement to pay off the $8,000+ monthly.

$8,000+ monthly? For what? Boarding and training? Did that include a personal chef and town car service?

Monthy payments on $8k+, total, is what I read.

[Cheer's]

Not able to verify credentials on Baron Thomas Jeurgen von Beuttner http://buettnerperformancehorses.com/about_us.htm via websites; FEI, USEF, USDF and or Centerline. His website also says he is a German Master Riding Instructor FN and holds an MD in Equine Science from the University of Munich Germany and has been awarded competitive Gold Medals in FEI Dressage and Show Jumping.

[skydy]

Hmm, I couldn't find anything either. The pictures on his website of ,I suppose, him riding aren't terribly impressive.

It would be nice to be able to verify Baron Thomas Juergen von Buettner's credentials, especially considering the company he keeps (ie Don Slaughter whom is still suspended by USEF , though he told me in the PM that he had payed USEF the money he owes).

[Cheer's]

This is the blog that just keeps blogging about Don Slaughter and now his partner, Thomas Buettner a German Master Riding Instructor FN and holds an MD in Equine Science from the University of Munich Germany. Buettner has also been awarded competitive Gold Medals in FEI Dressage and Show Jumping. So to reiterate Don Slaughter is still suspended from USEF and has been since 8/22/2012. The suspension list is updated nightly (Monday through Friday) His name has also been removed from the USHJA Certified Trainer's Program Directory http://www.ushja.org/programs/tcp/tcp_directory.aspx. Also another interesting observation is The Marketplace Proquest's horse sales website http://www.proequest.com/ no longer lists Don Slaughter as a member although he still has a link on his website http://www.eishowjumping.com/Equispo...ng/Sales/Sales referencing his sale horses. So either they dumped him or he bounce another check.

Most importantly I would like to know why is IEL not sanctioned by USEF? I didn't personally see him but was told Don Slaughter was present an IEL show Hansen Dam, Lake View Terrace October 28th 2012.

This is right off USEF's website. A suspended person is forbidden for the time specified in the sentence to hold or exercise office in the Federation or any Licensed Competition, from the privilege of taking any part whatsoever in any Licensed Competition, and is excluded from all show grounds during Licensed Competitions, as an exhibitor, participant or spectator. Any horse or horses, completely or in part owned, leased or of any partnership, corporation or stable of such person, or shown in any name or for his or her credit or reputation, whether such interest was held at the time of the alleged violation or acquired thereafter, are barred from taking any part whatsoever in any Licensed Competition and are excluded from all show grounds during Licensed Competitions. Any Licensed Competition that permits a suspended person and/or his or her horse to take any part whatsoever in the competition is in violation of the rules of the Federation and is subject to disciplinary action. Where applicable, following the name of the suspended party are shown the start dates, followed by the end dates of the suspension. The suspension List is updated nightly (Monday through Friday) and can be accessed on our Website at www.usef.org, (choose Rules & Governance/Suspension List on the menu).

Hmm, I couldn't find anything either. The pictures on his website of ,I suppose, him riding aren't terribly impressive.

It would be nice to be able to verify Baron Thomas Juergen von Buettner's credentials, especially considering the company he keeps (ie Don Slaughter whom is still suspended by USEF , though he told me in the PM that he had payed USEF the money he owes).

[skydy]

So, you have verified Baron Thomas Juergan von Buettner's credentials?

[Cheer's]

No there seems to be no online resources available to verify Baron Thomas Buettner's credentials.

So, you have verified Baron Thomas Juergan von Buettner's credentials?