[shalomypony]

Years back I was a road manager for a very,very prominent facility.....drugs were the norm...what they didn't know was that I'd pretend I gave all the meds and squirted them in the ground.Ridiculous all this drugging.

[Rockfish]

Wow....you know what they say about pots and kettles.....

[Sswor]

Years back I was a road manager for a very,very prominent facility.....drugs were the norm...what they didn't know was that I'd pretend I gave all the meds and squirted them in the ground.Ridiculous all this drugging.

Wait, for real? That could be dangerous if they usually prop up ammie(s) on unsuitable horse(s) they rely on being prepped to make the match work. Not defending the practice but a rider unaware could be caught seriously off guard when typically placid Dobin is unusually fresh and get hurt that way. I think if you accept a job its your responsibility to either do it or quit the job. Trust me, I understand needing a paycheck and not being in a position to leave a job but it's negligent to not follow orders regarding administering supplements/medications. You have to do what the trainer that you work for says to do, whether you agree with it or not. It's your job.

[Derby Lyn Farms]

Just because bad shoeing, bad trainers, and sore horses is overlooked does not make drugging ok. It's called learn to ride your horse.

[sammicat]

I was having this same conversation with my trainer today, about the Florida trainer who incorrectly drugged the pony last summer for Devon and here is my two cents ... for what it's worth ...

The USHJA has created a list of banned substances and tests for these at rated shows, but that does not stop the vast (like almost all) of the top barns from injecting non-banned substances like vitamin B, massive doses of magnesium, etc. in order to get the same effect. The problem is that the riders and/or judges in the Hunter ring like to see a perfectly calm, perfectly predictable horse that goes around at an even pace regardless of the fence, venue, atmosphere, etc. As long as the "Dead-calm" horse is preferred, there will always be drugging ... sadly ... and like it or not.

The good news is, the USHJA just recently amended the rules in the hunter ring to remove "fresh" as a deduction. Further, they have been trying to encourage judges to reward brave horses and understand that its okay for horses to throw their heads a bit in the corner, or show some spunk after a fence. The issue is whether or not the riders are going to be okay with riding through it.

For me ... if I can't ride my horse undrugged then we are not ready for the that level of showing.

[vxf111]

Wait, for real? That could be dangerous if they usually prop up ammie(s) on unsuitable horse(s) they rely on being prepped to make the match work. Not defending the practice but a rider unaware could be caught seriously off guard when typically placid Dobin is unusually fresh and get hurt that way. I think if you accept a job its your responsibility to either do it or quit the job. Trust me, I understand needing a paycheck and not being in a position to leave a job but it's negligent to not follow orders regarding administering supplements/medications. You have to do what the trainer that you work for says to do, whether you agree with it or not. It's your job.

I also don't condone drugging but am pretty shocked at this. What if some of the drugs actually were therapeutic?

[naters]

Banning this substance will probably freak out those on that facebook thread that use it, and have come to rely on it. Because some do rely on it.

It also came across my newsfeed also.

Then again, I have seen a semi-bnt - that I recommended to others in the past - drug a horse for an ammie to purchase. It was at that point that I quit recommending them to others. So I guess I shouldn't be shocked.

[naters]

Yup. And, OP, you might want to send this FBidiot a link to John Long's letter responding to the NY Times Humble article.

Apparently, the USEF thinks GABA is worth some bunched panties.

Perhaps she and the head of our governing body should have lunch and come to an agreement about the correct ranking of priorities.

Here. Here. Well stated MVP!