Shelley Browning Demonstrates Blatant Abuse in a Dressage Test

215 Comments

1. What a fab kind horse. Surprised that stands seem to be empty too.

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   1. This horse is an angel. Can you imagine the movements he’d put forward if he was ridden correctly

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      1. You should ahve seent his horse ridden at Aachen!
         Beautiful. Always ridden hyperflexed, but his suppleness is to die for when ridden correctly!

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      2. He is a saint. And before she bought him he was quite the competitor (when he was ridden correctly). Can’t find video, but here is an article about him and his nearly perfect GP test: http://www.stalvansilfhout.nl/vorst-d-scored-for-selection-in-the-dutch-first-dressage-team/tabid/72/PageNumber/0/iNewsCategory_ID/3/iNews_ID/829/Default.aspx

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         1. This was the worst I’ve seen. I’ve worked Dressage shows for 20 years. I would have probably screamed out at her and been thrown out. But oh well.

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2. What stuns me is Erica’s initial investigation of the qualifications of the judges. Can this be true? And I absolutely believe her research, but am stunned. Can there actually be more to the story about non-riding/competing judges at this level than this cursory observation, which I believe, absolutely, Erica, but come on, FEI! This is the true fail, here!

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   1. I was very surprised too, I only searched them out of curiosity but in finding so many with no performance history listed on the FEI site… I felt compelled to share.

      I could certainly be wrong, perhaps they have more experience than is listed publicly, but in particular for a 5* judge to have so little available is very concerning. How can a judge know what is correct if they have no performance history?!

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      1. These judges have no record because you are looking at their official records not their athlete records. Their athlete records probably don’t carry over into the updated FEI online database, because their rides were before the new database was implemented and that data was not stored online. Older Olympic and Championship records are available, but run of the mill competition records are not accessible. Maybe instead try calling the FEI to see if you can have them look up these records in their archives.

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            1. At least two of the American judges are GP riders themselves.

               One of them the guy had good scores. The other judge no so much.

            2. Good point. I personally know one of these judges very casually. I have known him for 3 years, and in that three years, I have encountered him at at least 10 judges training sessions in Wellington and at the finals in Kentucky. I have been judged by him a dozen times at the local, national, and CDI level. I have competed against him a dozen times. His lack of time as an international competitor is most likely to be due to not have sufficient funding, proper international horse, and time, as a result of the time he spends honing his judging skills. While I have no knowledge on the specifics of the California ride/judging, the paper story here is spun in a way that does not represent the true qualifications.

            3. Thank You Erica for speaking up for this horse. That was inexcusable no matter what issues some come up with. I was sick to my stomach watching these. I worked Dressage shows for 20 years and I am sickened they did not stop this ride. RING THE DAMN BELL !!

      2. I read something somewhere quite recently, that judges will not have to have any riding background!!!! WHAT THE HECK IS THAT ABOUT!?!?! I visit so many horsey/riding sites I’m not sure if I will find that comment again! I would imagine if that happens there will be an uproar — and rightly so.

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   2. As a professional of 40 yrs, I am inclined to say that I suspect this rider may suffer from some joint or health issues. Only the trainer/rider and judges would know. I have taught many riders with severe and debilitating arthritis that affects the back and hands, which then causes issues with absorbing shock from sitting to a trot. Something looks medically incorrect with this ride, however I am not a medical professional. That being said, I can state that she may also suffer from severe nerves and the tension is causing these issues. However the excessive use of her whip would be called out if she was any other rider, which lends me to think she may have a medical card that we as spectators are unaware of. She has trouble holding her hands, which is a balancing issue through her core.

      Having ridden a horse of this calibre at walk only, I can tell you it was faster than most eventers and hunters trots I’d ridden! The power this horse has is not easy, and perhaps she is riding him because of his kind disposition to help her should she suffer from a medical condition.

      I would encourage people to be more considerate that this is an amateur rider who is learning, and we all make mistakes. I’m not sure what is going on here, but I would not be commenting until I did more research to understand what is going on. Since there is no audio, it is very possible that was commented in the audio commentary that this rider does suffer from some condition we are unaware of.

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      1. Even if she does have a medical condition does that make it permissible to yank the horse’s mouth? If I suffered from some condition that made it impossible for me to relax my hands/arms enough to not punish my horse’s mouth, than I would give up trying to ride with any sort of contact.

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         1. We don’t know the full story of this ride—if the rider suffers from parkinsons disease or any variation of it, she may not be able to control her movements. I don’t agree with the way she is riding, but that then falls upon the judge to acknowledge it. And if they did not, then I would venture to guess there is something else going on that we are unaware of. TBH, to get to this level, you have to have a strong ability to ride, which lends me to think this rider may have had an injury. Are there any other videos of her riding another horse?
            It’s a hard line to walk—-she should be able to compete even if she does suffer from a medical ailment, but I also think there should be other things available to make it easier for the horse.

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            1. You are fucking joking right?????? You make some sad excuses for a shit rider who thinks they can buy themselves a place at the top. Pffft! Pathetic you are. Shame on you.

            2. As Laurie stated before, if you have medical issues that inhibit your ability to ride without hurting your horse through overuse of the whip, spurs or reigns, than you should not be riding it this way. If she loves horses so much that she absolutely has to be sitting on one, than she should be longeing or doing something where her medical hindrances do not hamper her horse.
               It is not okay to say, that she should be able to ride, if she can’t do it without causing damage out of injury or disease. My brother has epilepsy and can’t drive for that reason, as he might cause an accident. Is it fair? No, it’s not his fault he has epilepsy. Should he be driving then? Absolutely not, safety must be put before personal interests. Same goes for this rider.
               We don’t have the full story, but abuse is abuse. If a man hits his wife or the other way around you don’t need context to know that it’s wrong to hit someone (unless in self-defence, but riding isn’t that).

            3. I’ve always believed that if someone requires the horse to have a mouth full of metal, enough strapping to force its chin into its chest, the rider needs spurs and a whip, then clearly they are no rider. Use enough hogtying and pain and you could ride any wild animal. *I* have arthriti hands and spine, therefore I no longer ride. I drive instead. If se had a health issue, which means she cannot sit properly, has no balance and her arms jerk the horse’s mouth, then it’s *not* her right to ride and inflict suffering.

      2. I watched the live stream, unfortunately, the video that was salvaged did not get the full audio. But, there was no mention from the commenter that she has any health issues going on.

         However, that is neither here nor there. If she has some kind of physical limitation that is causing such uncontrollable riding, to the extent that the horse is being hammered in the mouth with a double bridle, and openly protesting to her clear misuse of the spurs and whip… then she shouldn’t be riding.

         At some point, you have to take personal responsibility and say, “nope, I’m not able to give this horse a fair shake, so I need to walk away and get a different hobby.” Period.

         Or, the riding needs to be scaled back to a place where someone else is put in control. There is a reason that therapeutic riding programs exist, because riding does add real physical and emotional value to people, but not everyone is capable of riding on their own without risking or doing serious harm to themselves or the horse.

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         1. I do agree that if she is medically unable to ride her horse kindly, then she needs to down grade for sure. I just am honestly stunned judges did not excuse her. I’ve been at smaller shows at lower levels and seen unsafe rides called out/stopped. I am just stunned they did not ask her to leave. This is where I wonder did she have an accident just prior to the competition? Did she think she could ride and found in the midst of the test she was struggling? Are there any other videos of her riding? A different horse or the same horse?

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            1. I haven’t seen any other videos of her riding. Looking at her score history though, I find it hard to believe she’s had some recent injury. Not impossible.. but she hasn’t exactly received great scores prior to this event. It appears she’s done a lot of drop-ins at various levels, no indication she’s worked up the levels to have been solid at one before moving to the next.

               Was very surprised she wasn’t called out earlier by the judges.

      3. I completely agree and see every point you’ve made.
         As a coach and trainer of over 20 years in this industry, I can say with expert knowledge that we have a responsibility to be realistic with our clients. Her trainer should have never let her compete at the I-2 level in a national class. She is NOT READY TO COMPETE period, and if her potential disabilities have positioned her to be a severely aggressive rider, as she has clearly shown herself to be, or catastrophically unbalanced at the very least, then we have a responsibility to correct this as best as possible or mitigate the fallout.
         But she not have been allowed to take that horse off property. She is not ready.
         And I have trained on FEI, GP, and Olympic contender dressage mounts.
         That horse, when ridden patiently and correctly, is butter in your hands.
         Uncomplicated, prefers to ride behind the vertical (I blame his early years for this), supple and responsive.

         What I see here is a rider with expendable cash-flow that had an opportunity to buy a VERY GOOD horse with a promising/outstanding career and ride it into the ground because she had no one telling her NO.

         And that horse deserves some pretty classy wings for being the saintly angel he is.

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         1. I have to agree with you. I’m still hoping it was a judgement error in both rider/coach, but sadly, I know how much people don’t listen.

            My question is, and the point of this blog, is how on EARTH did the judges NOT call her out? If I remember correctly on all tests, ‘both hands on the reins’ is a mandatory statement at the top of the tests—she breaks that rule when she reaches back to smack the horse—which my jaw fell open when I saw that! I mean….I’m honestly at a loss for words. I’ve taught all levels of riders–not to that level, but I have certainly told riders when they were ready for competition. (Eventing/hunter/jumpers and dressage) the ones who chose to listen did very well and advanced. The ones who chose to ignore me had bad results and chose to blame me, even though I expressed my concern at the level they chose.

            Coaches can only do so much and some times riders don’t listen to the advice we give.

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            1. And that I see she has been competing for coming 7 years is even more troubling. She consistently gets marginal (and in my opinion overly generous) marks, but she does not improve at one level before advancing to the next.

            2. 13 years at least, according to Centerline Scores. That’s a long time to compete and not learn to properly sit the trot…

         2. I do not see any abuse from this rider. What I see is a bunch of dressage queens that wish they had her horse. I would agree she balances on the reins but a horse at this level is not going to die from it. She makes it thru a I2 ride most people can’t keep a horse together to do that. I have seen many pro’s that fall apart in the show ring and look like crap yet have wonderful rides at home. How dare people make these judgements on a person like this,she took the reins in one hand all you pro’s get extra show off points for that in the free style .

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            1. Taking the reins in one hand to demonstrate the throughness and correctness of training is one thing… that is not why Shelley Browning took the reins in one hand to more strongly apply the whip to her horse.

            2. If you don’t see the abuse of this ride, I am concerned for the well-being of your own horses, if you have them.
               Hell yeah I wish I could afford a horse like that! But let me tell you – whatever she paid for him, it was not enough. That he even tolerates that ride and keeps his shit together other than the odd expression of frustration is a testament to his ridiculously generous nature. Christ on a popsicle stick, I have low-level student who, if suddenly put on that horse and thrown in the ring, could put in a better ride than that.

               This rider has NO base, no foundation training to even begin advanced maneuvers. If she is competing at all, it should be entry and 1st level shit. Basic basic basic. W/t/c and circles. Maybe in a few years she can start working her way up, but you can’t just buy a made horse and think you can jump into the ring and look like a rockstar. I hope this woman got a big slice of humble pie out of the deal. That she wasn’t excused from the ride in the first minute astounds me.

         3. I very much agree with you. I don’t however agree with other peoples comments that this rider is being intentionally cruel and abusive to this horse. Fantastic saint of a horse. The trainer has failed this team and the rider needs to go back to basics and countless hours of lunge lessons, transition work, using the legs and seat effectively, and getting those hands and arms under control. Lets say for arguments sake that she does have a medical issue that forces her hands to be so unsteady and yankie. Well then she should be riding with a snaffle and not a double bridle. I don’t fault the rider too much on this but I do fault the trainer and definitely fault the judges for those scores. I don’t care what their qualifications are, the test really deserved in the 40’s not 50’s. I think that this poor rider is getting ostracized for her performance and that the trainer needs to be honest and firm with her but the public that is being cruel makes the meaning of “Dressage Queens” perfectly clear. Not nice of them at all. I see the ladies faults and they need to be corrected but she doesn’t need to be abuse by a bunch of mean bitches. Sorry for the non eloquent word but it fits many or the commenters on here. Yours is the perfect comment and appreciated.

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      4. Regardless of medical condition this horse should never have to be ridden so unfairly. Unacceptable.

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      5. Thank you. As someone who is developing my seat; shifting from the more forward position I was taught in hunter’s to the straighter, more neutral position more common to event riders, I can attest that this is much harder than it looks. I rode on my friend’s second level dressage horse and it was COMPLETELY different from any ride I’ve ever had. I personally think calling this a “blatant” abuse is an exaggeration. A sloppy and uncomfortable ride for both horse and rider, maybe. But pinning this rider as someone who intentially aims to hurt her horse seems like a rude hyperbole. If we offered people guidance instead of outright attacking them, the world would be a better place.

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         1. Yanking on the double after the ride seems pretty intentional…

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         2. I would offer the rider the guidance that she needs to spend money on therapy for her anger management issues before she gets on another horse, and not compete again until a *competent* trainer has observed her riding non-abusively for at least two years, in a variety of contexts. I agree, shifting from one discipline to another is difficult. But punishing the horse for the difficulty is far too easy for some riders. And as proof she hadn’t done the work to be ready for an upper-level horse, she’s riding like a first-level (at best) rider. Don’t try to show an animal you can’t actually ride, hoping for the horse to make up your deficiencies. The more educated the horse, the more its responses will show off your lack of education. That’s the normal route to riding better, given a decent instructor.

            My first time on a high-level dressage horse trying to get shoulder-in was…not much fun, but revealed to the trainer that something was wrong in my hip that didn’t show up in my posture. The horse’s response–doing what he thought I told him to do–was accepted as proof of my problem, not his. Riding a high-level horse, the question isn’t “Why won’t he do what I tell him?” but “What am I doing wrong that he isn’t doing what I thought I was telling him?” The rider is responsible for fixing her/his own body.

            Yes, on one’s own low-level horse, it can be hard to figure out whether the horse doesn’t know the aids for a movement, or the rider isn’t giving them…which is why the occasional ride on a top-level horse is an education in itself, and why we all need at least occasional evaluation by a qualified instructor, and the horse needs regular checkups from a good vet. Is it your hip, or the horse’s, that isn’t working right?

            And the rider is responsible for fixing his/her own mental attitude. If you are impatient, prone to outbursts, prone to blame others (like a horse) for your own problems, unwilling to admit your own faults and limitations…those are serious faults for anyone working with horses. If what you really want is applause and trophies and glory more than the horse’s welfare, that’s a bad sign. If you think your “dreams” outweigh the horse’s need for a sane, considerate rider, that’s a bad sign. Get help. Learn to see clearly what your talents are and aren’t–what your mental/emotional hangups are–and don’t lay it on the horse, when it’s your temper, or your fear, or your control issues that make you think it’s OK to yank, spank, spur a horse.

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      6. Agree, I wonder there is a part of the story we are missing. I do not know who this lady is, or her history, but I hate to see everyone jump on her for a poor ride. It may be she has justification for the issues and that this is a really brave ride for her and an incredible victory with a horse that was chosen for it’s tolerant temperament.

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      7. Though it may be possibel that this rider (speculating) has a medical condition, that does not mitigate the fact that this horse is being forced to tolerate abusive, painful riding. If a rider has a medical condition they should then ride at a level which is approriate for their abilities, on a horse that has soft, easy movement. There is no acceptable reason to force a horse to endure this kind of treatment…period. I, too, have been paralyzed, have serious medical conditions which affect my strength, and I would never in a million years force any horse to dendure this kind of abuse for my own selfish reasons. It’s wrong.

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      8. Suffering from some kind of condition that results in the horse’s mouth being used as a balancing aid is not acceptable. Yes, we all have to learn and in so doing make mistakes, pull on horses mouths, but to do this in competition suggests abuse.

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      9. I am old, have arthritis, have a chronically difficult left side due to encephalitis as a child…and I don’t throw temper tantrums at a horse because it doesn’t mind-read me and do exactly what I want the moment I want it. Siding with many others: if you have a condition that makes it impossible for you to ride without abusing a horse, don’t ride. Find a sport where you can abuse a machine, not a living creature. “Having a dream” of riding at a given level, of gaining public acclaim, does not entitle anyone to actually have that dream come true. Learning to deal with the fact that you will never be the prima ballerina, the astronaut, the Olympic gold medal gymnast/swimmer/runner/equestrian–to enjoy an activity doing your best at it, while knowing your best will never reach someone else’s bad day, is part of growing into a decent adult.

         As an old, less-fit, not-overly-talented rider with two bad knees, one bad hip, and more…I still hold by the idea that every time I get on a horse, or work one on the ground, it’s my duty to see that the horse comes out of that session a better horse–mentally and physically. Maybe only by a hair…but moving in the right direction. The rides shown here sickened me. She is doing permanent damage to that horse, throwing away a lifetime of careful, thoughtful training and riding because she has no control of herself. I have tried to rehab horses ruined much the same way, horses that no longer trusted people because people participated in, and enabled, the abuse they suffered.

         It’s not a problem unique to US dressage, either. I have seen rides in person and on videos that also sickened me…in both flat-saddle and western training and competition. But as dressage was intended to be the foundation training for horses, it’s particularly bad that abusive riding is tolerated in training and in competition in this end of the horse world, where it should least exist.

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      10. It is all very well if you are an amateur rider, if you are learning, and if are trying to get experience and mileage under your belt. But you don’t do so at Inter I level. It’s a disgrace to the horse and the sport at large. Nobody will let you onto a Formula 1 racetrack if you haven’t managed your go-cart yet.

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      11. Here Here!!

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      12. Riding horses is a privilege, not. a right. If this horse is too much for this rider then she ought to get a horse that she can ride or stop competing a a level above her abilities. Her desire to compete does not trump her absolute duty and that of the FEI to putting his welfare first.

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          1. Well put, Caroline.

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      13. Irrelevant. I am all for encouraging riders with physical limitations to ride, but WITHIN THEIR ABILITY. This rider – injured or not – is not able to physically or technically ride this level. She can’t even sit the trot FFS. Hell, she can’t even sit the canter!
          She has NO business riding in a double bridle – she rides exclusively off the curb. The horse couldnt even extent at the walk because she wouldnt let go for a moment. At a bare minimum, she should not be competing at a level where double bridle is required.
          You don’t get to ride beyond you physical ability just because you wish you could. This rider proves that you can’t just buy a made horse and expect to blend in as a well-schooled rider.

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      14. I agree she likely has medical issues but that is no excuse for abusing the horse. Nothing ever justifies mistreating any animal unless you are trying to save his/her life. It is every rider’s responsibility to ensure they treat their horse properly by getting correct training and if applicable also physical therapy to correct/mediate any medical issues through conditioning and/or bracing. Until able to ride each level properly no rider should be permitted to move on to another. There simply is no excuse for this riders incompetence.

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      15. I have heard this argument much lately – “we all start somewhere”, “she is an amateur, give her a break”, my response is is that this IS NOT a training level ride, it is I2. She isn’t the first person to buy her way into a higher level and won’t be the last, however, the judges should not allow the abuse to go on. Its one thing to have unsteady hands, but the repeated use of the whip with reins in 1 hand?? Are you kidding me?

          I would love to know who her trainer is. And I would love to hear Shelley herself speak out about her ride.

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      16. So it’s ok that the horse suffers physically a d mentally because the rider MAY have medical problems???????

          I find so much fault with your comment, itvis enabling in its’ purest form!

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   3. We have to remember that depending on the nationality of the judges and their age and show records, not everything is available online. I know dressage judges at that level must be carded and go through training/certification. I wouldn’t just use Google as a reference. I am sure there are places you can inquire about their credentials and qualifications to judge at that level.

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3. Her trainer is Jane Arrasmith of Iron Horse Ranch.

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4. Erica, I love the way you call a spade a spade. How indeed can a judge know what is correct if they have no performance history?!” In an interview I did with Michel Henriquet for an article titled “For the Pleasure and the Beauty”, first printed in the Equine Journal May 2007, he commented on this very problem in FEI competition:
   “There is a final problem, which is having a big effect on the evolution of competition, and this is the practice of awarding credentials to judges to judge riding levels that they have themselves not mastered from the saddle. Very few judges have presented themselves in competition up to the Grand Prix level. They understand the functions involved in judging, surely. But in this case, the judges have not mastered the training techniques for both horse and rider, for riding above the level where they themselves stopped riding. And if they do not understand what is involved in training a horse and rider to a certain level, how can they identify and judge correct form if they don’t fully comprehend it?” [The entire article is posted on my website.] Thank you for your watchdogging! Kip

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   1. Thank you Kip, would be nice if we didn’t have to call attention to deficits!

      Even those whose competition record was populated in the FEI database, their scores were surprisingly low. I would hardly say they’d mastered those levels to continue moving up. 🙁

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5. This awesome horse showed Grand Prix in Europe, even went to Aacken and scored good in the 70th results in the CDI 5 star . I feel incredibly sorry for this horse that he has to deal with this kind of abuse now that he is older. Makes me so sad.

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6. Absolutely disgusted at that excuse of a rider, there was not a single movement in that test that was correct or nice. I personally would have stopped the test and dismissed her within the first 60 seconds, that was gut wrecthing to watch. I compete low level due to my horses education and age, but she shouldn’t even be competing at the lowest level let alone representing at fei level! What the hell was she doing with the reins on what I can only guess is the free walk?? That horse needs to floor her ass! And them so called judges need stripping of their imaginary titles. I didn’t think when reading that it was going to be that bad, but that just went to a whole new level of awful, disgraceful and vile. Whoever allows her to train and ride that way should be struck off. I’m in utter shock. I train so hard to train my horse to go soft and accepting and I work hard to go with the movement and not impede my horse, this just makes me so angry.

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   1. I’m amazed she was allowed to continue the test, this is the first time Iv’e seen a rider allowed to spur and whip her horse around a dressage arena. I didn’t reconise half the moves she was so bad. What were the judges thinking ?

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      1. I agree- totally-This ride should have been stopped!
         Awesome horse-A Double Bridle!! Really! It was very emotional to watch the abuse.

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   2. The Judge Cesar Torrente from Columbia is also known for quoting that he does not like Pure Breed Spanish horses competing in Dressage Competitions and has purposily given low scores to discourage the owners in Costa Rica to compete with them.

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7. She would look bad at Training Level. That is a million dollar horse.
   Her score was too high, did she have to qualify to get there?

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   1. She’s often scored in the 50’s and 60’s, so she’s been qualifying all along the way, which is difficult to believe when she can’t even sit the trot without waterskiing against the reins. 🙁

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      1. This was not a show that required qualifying for anything.

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         1. Sorry, yes you’re correct. I misread the original comment.
            She didn’t need to qualify for this, but she’s earned in the 50’s and 60’s throughout her performance record.

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            1. Scoring in the 50’s is inadequate. It shows that the comprehension and skills needed to accomplish the tests have not been mastered and one should not proceed. The rider should be capable of regularly scoring in the mid-60’s before moving up a level.

8. I was appalled at the Friday ride. I actually recorded the majority of it, so I do have a copy of that ride, the commentary cut out part of the way through though :/ I can’t believe she got the score she did.

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   1. The only thing this rider should be riding is a freaking broom! I have never in my life openly criticized a rider on a public forum prior to this. I was so embarrassed for our sport and furious someone did not put a stop to this rider. Did the show really have so few competitors they had to accept this cruel travesty? I wondered who sold this GP horse to this rider so i looked him up. I wondered, who the hell cared ao little for the horses future they would sell this horse to that rider or even that trainer. I seriously doubt the trainer can be much better than the rider. Diederik van Silfhout competed Vosrt D. If you watch the video from Achen in 2015 vorst is being ridden on the curb rein and the vorst d is opening his mouth in time with the passage and piaffe steps. I guess he was started behind the verticle, with an extremely short neck, no working over his back. Yet getting scores in 70’s! This is one of the most disgusting ‘Dressage’ things i have ever stumbled across.

      FEI judges should be fired.
      A ‘1’ is ‘Very Bad’.
      A ‘2’ is ‘Bad’.
      A ‘3’ is ‘Fairly Bad ’
      A ‘5’ is ‘Marginal’.
      This rider should have scored no more than a ‘3’ on any movement. Nothing about this ride is acceptable even from a 8 yr old on a fat, starter pony with a mouth like a rock.
      I am writing a complaint to the FEI about their judges. Their is a reason the scores start at zero.

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      1. How DARE you make a statement about the Trainer without any knowledge of the Trainers credentials. You are a disgusting TROLL and should be ashamed of yourself !!! If you are going to publically blaspheme ANYONE, make sure you have your facts correct because you have just slandered a very respected International trainer and You WILL be hearing more from us about this !

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         1. What are you even going on about? Did you read Grace’s comment or just fly into a rage?

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         2. No one knew who the trainer was until right now…lol

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            1. 

         3. The Trainer should never have let leave the lunge line! never mind compete and put that saint of a horse through that misery ! Shame on the trainer as well as FEI judges and the crap cruel rider !

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         4. The trainer allowed this kind of abuse! She should be flogged and perhaps train pet rocks, not a living breathing creature!

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         5. Jimmy Duggan? I’m guessing you are the trainer’s husband, since her name is Jane Arrasmith Duggan. Honestly, it would be helpful to hear her side of the story. From everything we’ve witnessed, Shelley Browning’s trainer seems to have a lot to answer for as well. I do realize that the trainer cannot always control the actions of their clients, especially when their clients are as rich and powerful as Shelley Browning, but the trainer should at least try to stand up for the horse. Hopefully both Shelley and Jane will see this as a wake-up call to do better for the sake of the horses, and Jane will take Shelley back to the very basics, as she desperately needs them. This was a truly appalling ride.

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            1. Wow I learned at three years old:
               Do not jerk your horse in the mouth
               Do not kick your horse
               Do not whip your horse hard
               Do not ever ever ever lose your temper with your horse this horse s a great sin
               Every time your horse allows you on his back is an honor

         6. This rider is a product of the trainers program. Clearly the trainers program sucks. This trainer should teach bowing lessons. The trainer is a greedy jerk or they would not have allowed this to go on under their banner.

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   2. Katie any chance u can get video up posted online and provide link here/online so FEI can actually see this ?

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      1. Video of her Friday ride is coming, it’s in the process of being uploaded right now.

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   3. What scores did she get? Is there a scoreboard anywhere which shows each judges mark?

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      1. I believe Thursday she got a 50-something, Friday she was eliminated for incorrect use of the whip (taking her hands off the reins to deliver one-handed smacks).

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   4. Some people don’t believe that she rode even worse in that other ride. You should post what you have of her ride.

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      1. Video of her Friday ride is coming, it’s in the process of being uploaded right now.

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   5. Please repost the video! I can’t find it on youtube.

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      1. Video of her Friday ride is coming, it’s in the process of being uploaded right now.

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9. i was sad to see someone riding at this standard competing and getting even 50% scores. The system is failing this horse the rider really needs a lot of help. Who ever trains this lady I would suggest you discourage her from competing until she can ride. The horse is a saint he deserves a meddle. The whole ride is sad to watch

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10. Whilst I agree that this rider is well and truly out of her depth and shouldn’t be competing at this level or near it, I wouldn’t label her an abuser. The term ‘abuse’ suggests intent and I don’t believe that she is intending to hurt her horse. Deliberately using roll kur is one thing, but it’s obvious that the rider is balancing on her reins and the horse is responding by curling up. Of course this is still not acceptable, (and should be judged accordingly), however this is more of a reflection of the horses long term training rather that the amateur rider’s influence.

    I feel that this piece of writing isn’t constructive for the sport, and along with its tone could be viewed as bullying the targeted rider. I wouldn’t be surprised if the rider shut down upon seeing this, rather than hear the concerns and attempt to rectify the problems. Of course this riders’ trainer has failed both her and the horse and as such they should review their priorities.

    With this in mind, perhaps it would be more meaningful and proactive for the sport and helpful for the horse if the writer of this article sought comment and ‘a please explain’ from the judges who scored this particular combination and/or offered advice to the rider rather than savaging her on a public forum‍♀️

    There is a way to go about it, and this is not it.

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    1. I would be willing to consider honest rider mistake… except for what I witnessed at the end of both rides (not sure if you watched to the end of the ride, several people with your same view later mentioned they had not watched the full ride). She intentionally yank, yank, yanks on the horse’s mouth as she’s walking out of the arena after her ride is finished. The horse was obedient to her, there was absolutely no reason to do it to the horse.

       We’ve been asking for years for “a please explain” from the FEI and judges on why abuses are allowed to perpetuate in the sport. They don’t care to give a reason or explanation. They don’t view Rollkur as being abusive, hence why they greenlit the use of LDR when they “banned” Rollkur. They are the same thing, just with a make-believe timer set on LDR.

       Lots of ways to go about things, the way this rider went about riding is not a good way.

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    2. I’m sorry. IMO The one handed smacks and the overall posture of this rider is abuse. She is clearly frustrated that the horse won’t carry her. I can’t believe she wasn’t rung out. Its a pathetic exhibition and is terrible for the publicity if the sport. This kind of thing needs the attention it is getting to send a message that THIS…is NOT ok. And THIS. Is NOT what dressage is about.

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    3. THIS! Yes! Thank you. To label this poor woman an abuser an immoral is WAY overboard. You do not know her or anything about her. She may be the nicest person in the world. And you are an online bully. Can you imagine if she reads this? Yes her riding is horrendous and she has been absolutely failed by the people she had hired along the way to give her education and guidance on how to ride, when it is appropriate to go show, and at what level. That is all you actually know about her. Anything else you infer is absolutely cruel.

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       1. What does being a nice person have to do with whether someone is capable of doing bad things? They have absolutely nothing to do with one another.

          In fact, serial killers have often been found to be some of the nicest people you’d ever meet (unless you’re one of their victims)! Ted Bundy volunteered for a suicide hotline. Jeffrey Dahmer found for gay rights (even while he was secretly killing gay men). Richard Angelo was a respected nurse, volunteer firefighter, and an eagle scout. The list goes on.

          Outside of serial killers, really great people have been known to do really horrible things. Alexander Graham Bell felt that all deaf people should be exterminated and he was a strong support of the eugenics movement… you know, the same thing that Hitler wanted to achieve against all Jewish people. Hell, even Tibetan Monks used to own human slaves and had torture chambers to punish those who weren’t obedient.

          Being nice doesn’t mean squat. Some of the worst wife-beating husbands are also the nicest men you’d ever meet.

          Am I saying she’s a serial killer? No, but I figure I better clarify before you go getting your panties in a bunch. But, your argument has zero bearing.

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          1. I’m astounded at the time and effort that has been poured into this nasty little diatribe. If you have personal issues with a ride, Facebook is not the lace to vent your spleen. I’d suggest some retraining and help for the rider and some kind of psych evaluation for the author of this.

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    4. Intent is present when one doesn’t stop. Because the rider rode the test despite being incapable, it’s intent to abuse the horse. The fact the trainer allowed the rider to compete is intent to abuse the horse. The judges allowing the test’s progression is intent to abuse the horse and intent to not protect the integrity of dressage.

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11. I wonder if any of the key board warriors have ridden a test at this level themselves…?
    Have a little more compassion for someone trying hard. I know it doesn’t look great but abusing someone on line is cruel …… pretty sure the horse will get a comfy stable a good feed , and not have to worry about you keyboard warriors…… oh and it’s Aachen by the way

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    1. I highly recommend The Problem with “Show us what you can do”. A rider doesn’t need to be at any specific level to recognize abusive behavior towards the horse. Just like someone doesn’t need to be a parent to recognize child abuse.

       This wasn’t just a matter of a rider executing a test poorly, she was completely unprepared for even a lower level test let along this test, and she purposefully yanked, spanked, and spurred this horse who was doing nothing more than trying to be agreeable throughout. This was not a difficult horse to ride by any stretch of the imagination and if you believe otherwise I have hundreds of other horses you can look at who would have given Shelley Browning a real lesson in the arena.

       It’s interesting that you think an article calling out the failings of educated people, who supposedly have the horse’s welfare at heart, is evidence of abuse towards the rider.

       As for the horse receiving excellent care and feed in the stable, that is neither here nor there. Abuse is not merely manifested in starvation and neglect. A well-cared for horse can still be abused.

       By the end of your comment I’m thinking you might be lost and thinking you are commenting on something altogether different. What is Aachen?

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       1. Absolutely right, Erica! What an absolute disgrace! As to „Aachen“ – I think she is referring to one of the previous comments. Someone wrote this poor horse even competed in Aachen (CHIO), Germany, but spelled it Aacken. Well, you might spell Aachen completely right, but be completely wrong nevertheless…

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          1. Thanks for the connection to Aachen, Frauke. That makes much more sense. 🙂

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    2. My horse and I have competed at National and FEI levels.
       Aachen is a city in Germany where some of the most prestigious dressage events are held. The horse is a superstar. She just needs to be able to ride a little bit. And she can’t so she’s beating him instead.

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12. The only thing this rider should be riding is a freaking broom! I have never in my life openly criticized a rider on a public forum prior to this. I was so embarrassed for our sport and furious someone did not put a stop to this rider. Did the show really have so few competitors they had to accept this cruel travesty? I wondered who sold this GP horse to this rider so i looked him up. I wondered, who the hell cared ao little for the horses future they would sell this horse to that rider or even that trainer. I seriously doubt the trainer can be much better than the rider. Diederik van Silfhout competed Vosrt D. If you watch the video from Achen in 2015 vorst is being ridden on the curb rein and the vorst d is opening his mouth in time with the passage and piaffe steps. I guess he was started behind the verticle, with an extremely short neck, no working over his back. Yet getting scores in 70’s! This is one of the most disgusting ‘Dressage’ things i have ever stumbled across.

    FEI judges should be fired.
    A ‘1’ is ‘Very Bad’.
    A ‘2’ is ‘Bad’.
    A ‘3’ is ‘Fairly Bad ’
    A ‘5’ is ‘Marginal’.
    This rider should have scored no more than a ‘3’ on any movement. Nothing about this ride is acceptable even from a 8 yr old on a fat, starter pony with a mouth like a rock.
    I am writing a complaint to the FEI about their judges. Their is a reason the scores start at zero.

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13. You have corrrectly identified failings and I’m greatly saddened the judges did not do something. The horse is a saint and looks very well and could have reacted badly but didn’t. Do riders in the US not have minimum eligibility requirements before progressing up the levels. I agree the rider needs to spend months with no reins or stirrups. I can’t comment on your judges other than Isobel. Here I think you have shot yourself in the foot totally . She is a beautiful rider which you acknowledge and the Video you posted of
    her then young Chagall at our nationals, shows a soft test with VERY occasional dropping of the poll , not overbent or hyper fexion at any time , I might add Chagall is 18 hands plus and I stress again dropping the poll through some balence issues is not overbent.

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14. Of course this is appalling. Only two comments: Of show officials, ONLY the judge at C in that test has the power to call this out. Not the ring steward. She can tell the judge, but cannot eliminate the rider. Additionally, just because certain judges no longer ride does not mean they have not ridden. In fact, to be a USEF judge in the USA, riding scores are required. I am a personal friend of one judge you mentioned here. She no longer rides but has her USDF gold medal. I doubt she was judging this test. I have known her to dq riders for abuses.

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    1. Loretta Lucas is right about everything she mentions, and the rider was eliminated from that class due to improper use of whip and will not be receiving a qualifying score for that test.

       Every judge at a rated USDF/USEF show has earned their ‘stars’ by riding up to a correlating level with certain minimum scores. The judges that don’t have scores on USDF or Centerline Scores sites still have their scores – they were simply earned before the data was recorded on those sites (many judges don’t become judges until they are retired or semi-retired from riding).

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15. I’m actually sort of fascinated with the level of quality (or lack of it) in the two tests shown. Are there any replays anywhere available? Do you happen to know if Shelley is riding as an AA or an Open rider? When I checked the scores for this fabulous, amazing, kind horse, he’s only ever been ridden/shown by her, starting last year, and at one point scores a 63% at I-2 in April, 62% in June, and 63% in August – all 2017.

    I found her on Centerline Scores- – http://centerlinescores.com/Rider/Details/116,056#filterBy=scores – and it looks like she’s been around for a while and I’m honestly curious if she’s riding as an open rider and if she is, why no one has confronted her about this.

    Look, everyone has bad days. Sometimes, we all feel and look like this. But hopefully, our support system (trainers, sponsors, etc.) is honest enough with us (or we’re honest enough with ourselves) to recognize when it’s time to take a step back in our training and revisit the basics. I completely agree with the fact the judges AND the TD/Ring stewards should be involved and have dismissed this, but true sportsmanship would be her recognizing without prompting that this might not be her day, doing the honorable and respectful thing for your horse, and scratching. I hate to sit and be keyboard warrior or bash her when I don’t know anything about her, but maybe this will be a wakeup call for show organizers to take a more active roll in horse welfare and not just be blinded or placated by the money paid to be there.

    Do you have access to the other rides you mentioned that also had trouble? It would be interesting to see side by side comparisons.

    Of course, bless this lovely horse for being a reminder that we truly don’t deserve such remarkable partners.

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    1. Not a bad day for this rider. Unfortunately, the show pulled her Friday ride before we could grab a recording of it, but it was even worse than her ride shown here from Thursday. She wasn’t dismissed there either, and still earned a qualifying score.

       The horse was purchased already trained, she has not added value to this horse’s training. He was previously competed and was scoring in the 70’s with Diederik van Silfhout.

       https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QscpwbzUgFg

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       1. She did not earn a qualifying score – she was eliminated for improper use of whip.

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          1. I’ll update to clarify. But she first received a score, and was only eliminated later.

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             1. Do you know the actual score she received for this test. The Thursday scores were very low 50’s. 60 is a qualifying score. This ride has more issues than the ride Thursday so it is hard to believe it was a higher score.

16. This saintly horse deserves a better rider. On another note…who is the commentator? He should be the commentator for everything, you can tell that he’s really trying to be professional and diplomatic but the shade still slips in.

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    1. It’s Axel Steiner commenting.

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17. Actually Bill Warren is a Grand Prix rider and trainer and has plenty of records to back him up. Not only do I know him personally, but I just looked at his scores online for the FEI levels, which this article claims he doesn’t have. While this riding is deplorable, I am going to correct journalism errors if I see them.

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    1. If you have a link to the scores I’m happy to update the article.

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       1. http://www.centerlinescores.com/Rider/Details/3833#filterBy=scores

          Hopefully this link works. Centerline can be glitchy.

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          1. Thank you, updating. 🙂

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             1. No problem!

             2. I have several issues with your inclusion of Bill Warren in this article and the disrespect you show a man of impeccable professionalism. I see that you have already been corrected by another post regarding your error in researchig his rider credentials. Secondly, you as him snarkly if he judged her rides and gave her Q score. NO HE DIDNT!! HER RIDES WERE IN ARENA 1 BOTH DAYS…..BILL WARREN WAS JUDGING IN ARENA 2 ON THUR AND ARENA 3 ON FRIDAY!!! It took me 2 minutes to get this information. Thirdly, you post a singular riding video of Bill out of what 100k rides in over 3 decades as a profssional and instantly lump his skill set in with this woman Shelly and insinuate from one singular video that he is part of the problem with dressage today????? How Dare You smear this mans reputation like this!! You wete wrong on his pedigree, wrong to insinuate by association that he judged these rides in question and insanely ridiculous to judge a professionals long and respected career from a singular video. I appreciate your passion for the well being of the horse….but you sincerely owe this fine man a full apology….He Had ZERO to do with this womans performance at Del Mar…..Thank you for listening….keep your passion but please address these inaccuaracies!!!!

             3. Corrected in the article.

       2. http://centerlinescores.com/Rider/Details/3833#filterBy=tests
          Also, here is a video that demonstrates my understanding of hyperflexion: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ypAeLCKkgGM

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          1. We disagree on the definition of hyperflexion then.

             Hyper, as a prefix, means “over”. Literally hyperflexion means over flexion.

             The Dressage rules are very clear about this, under no circumstances is it appropriate for the horse to be behind the vertical. Behind the vertical is over flexing the horse, nothing positive to be gleaned from it except for riders who don’t take the time to properly develop the horse and try to short-cut it by forcing flexion in the neck before the rest of the horse’s body is developed enough that it comes naturally.

             See Hyperflexion Breaks the Rules, scroll down to the specific references from the FEI rulebook.

             Judges are riding this same way — see the two examples in just this article of judges who themselves ride their horse behind the vertical. The proper rules aren’t being enforced. There is no gray area of the amount of hyperflexion is appropriate, whether it’s okay for just a little but it’s too much when the chin touches the chest. It’s very black and white, on the vertical or in front of it, but never behind.

             It’s actually one of the easiest rules to judge if you’re doing it right or not. If this were driver’s ed, the majority of competition riders would be failing to figure out how to take the vehicle out of park to begin driving.

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18. Sadly this is not entirely an isolated problem. On day that good horse will tell her he’s sick of being abused. hope we get to see video of that!

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19. Is it bad riding? Yes. Is it intentional abuse? No. It’s a rider who is clearly out of place and out of depth. Having said that, who the hell do you think you are to publicly shame and internet bully this poor woman? God forbid someone finds a video of me riding poorly and decides to post it to humiliate me online. That’s not what adults do, but clearly, there are few adults here.

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    1. I disagree, this is not about a bad day riding. Everyone has those, everyone is at a different place in their journey to learn more and become better riders.

       Regardless of this rider’s self-awareness, she was in no way ready to be competing at this level. If that isn’t clear to you, then I don’t know what to tell you. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Multiple people failed this horse, and in many ways failed this rider. But, ultimately, this rider chose to go out there and behave this way. To waterski across the arena, misusing every aid at her disposal and at the end of the day causing harm to this horse.

       Did he leave the arena bleeding? That doesn’t appear to be the case, but drawing blood is not the only sign of abuse.

       In no way has the word abuse been used incorrectly. Because words are important, let me remind you of the definition of abuse: https://www.google.com/search?q=definition+of+abuse

       This was a cruel ride to the horse, who bore the brunt of it in his mouth as evidenced by him hyperflexing to avoid the rider at all costs. Even that did not save him. And it did not end after one ride. She didn’t stop after Thursday and say, “hm, maybe this just isn’t the right fit for us, let’s go back and do some more schooling.”

       How are one person’s feelings more important than one horse’s well-being? Feelings are cheap, well-being is costly.

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    2. It takes INTENT to pick up the whip and hit him with it repeatedly, while yanking on the mouth. No sympathy. I looked at the trainer’s website, she has her bronze/silver/gold, but seems to be from YR years, and no indication of who she trained with. It’s entirely possible to get that all done and not be really equipped to teach, coach, or train. Buy a made horse for your client, you can get by. Train one? Another story.

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20. Just wondering what level you personally are competing at?

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    1. Why do you wonder? Even someone who never rode a horse himself can tell this is horrible.

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    2. What difference does that make? A person who has never ridden a Dressage test in their life but knows horses can tell this rider is overmatched and taking it out on the horse.

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    3. What difference does that make? A person who has never ridden a dressage test in their life but knows horses can tell this rider is overmatched and taking it out on the horse.

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       1. Agreed.

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          1. I agree, Showed the video to my husband who occasionally trail rides and he pointed out how bad the writing is. I’m very choosy about where and what I post online, but feel this situation calls for some spotlighting on behalf of the horse. It was an awful ride and, as others commented, she needs to go back to work on establishing her seat. Even if she can`t feel how bad her seat is, most dressage rings have mirrors. I’m not a high level rider and don’t compete anymore, but I can spot the BASICS of a good seat and she doesn’t have them. The totally unacceptable part was use of whip and spurs in a punishing manner, when she failed to give the correct aids.

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21. Really?? We are going to call this abuse????
    1) She obviously never should have signed up for this level of test with her lack of experience. Kudos for her for having the guts to do it though, some people never get that brave.
    2) She needs a coach/trainer to teach her how to communicate with her horse vs. get in his way and confuse him.
    3) She was merely using the tools she had to get through the test she certainly wasn’t “jerking, Whipping and kicking” with intent to do harm. She was trying to communicate with him and he was too frustrated to continue with conflicting cues.

    What she needs is encouragement from people with knowledge and soon she will be able to compete with the snobs accusing her of abuse.

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    1. I disagree, and yes the word abuse is being used correctly. As mentioned in another response, in case you need refreshing on the definition of abuse here you go: https://www.google.com/search?q=definition+of+abuse.

       1) This isn’t about bravery. She’s been competing at various levels (including I-2) for a long time. This wasn’t her first attempt, and she’s been exposed to the show scene consistently for over a decade.

       2) She already has a trainer, although for how long they’ve held their relationship is not known. Even if the trainer failed, it was ultimately the rider who, having been riding as long as she has and competing, is at ultimate fault here for her behavior towards the horse.

       3) I don’t even understand this argument.

       I get a good feeling she’s received a lot of encouragement along the way to not have improved to at least learning how to sit the trot in over a decade. Sorry you think calling out bad behavior from a rider is tantamount to snobbery. I always thought it was the people who smile to your face and hate you in secret that were the snobs. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

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    2. Thank you for your sensible comment. I am a bit embarrassed by the drama here. Anyone who has ever entered the competition area began at lower levels and worked their way up. No one is perfect. This horse is a perfect example of what a schoolmaster is, and they actually are well paired. Yes, she is riding above her skill level. But as we say in my neck of the woods, Thank God there are no dressage police. Or we would all be in jail, for none should cast the first stone. I have great sympathy for this rider, who is being hauled over the coals (as well as the honored judges) by what are apparently a group of trolls or perhaps just intolerant rather not nice persons. I cringe to think what else you have to say in judging those around you. While no doubt this horse could be more comfortable, so could the rider. She is trying hard to figure out her part in the equation, and the horse is patiently trying to help. He does comment on her more offensive jabs. The fact that he continues patiently on and only displays minor recalcitrance rather weakens the argument that this small woman on this large horse is “viciously abusing” him. She isn’t an upper level rider yet. But she did get a fair number of things accomplished. Yes, she needs to continue her studies. Let’s hope she doesn’t go home and do herself in after you lot get done criticizing her. He is a grand, kind, patient teacher and she is blessed to have him. To question a person’s moral character because they do not yet have the balance and independent seat others have already acheived and have the nerve to keep trying anyway, well that doesn’t say much for the critics. The judges scored her appropriately, Mr. Steiner was judicious in his remarks, and being sad about the mismatch of rider/horse and wincing at moments of tense aids applied just off time, does not necessarily equal throwing someone out of the ring. She paid her fees, she is not deliberately hurting her horse or showing anger toward it, I think this entire article is overblown and in poor taste. I wish the rider the best, I do not feel there is any constructive reason to pick her out and pick on her in public. This is not what our sport is about.

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       1. Wow, I am surprised at your position. I would have expected a veterinarian to weigh more heavily in the favor of the horse’s well-being.

          Then again, there are also vets who defend the use of Rollkur because they value money more.

          It isn’t just in the medical field where the saying “do no harm” is applicable.

          If you watch the Thursday ride through to the end, she clearly yanks on the reins after the test in a manner that is anything but just to this horse who tried very hard to put up with her. She did the same on the Friday ride, which anyone who watched the live stream can attest to. The recording we were able to salvage ends before that is shown, unfortunately.

          Despite that, she is not accomplishing anything in the competition arena. She needs to go back to basics and work on her seat and the basics of her aids. She has no business riding with a double bridle when she can’t control her hands. As a vet, you should understand just how sensitive the tissues are in the horse’s mouth and how wrong these kinds of rough actions are.

          She cannot control her legs, and anything but ready to be using spurs. The horse communicates this clearly, and frequently, as he kicks up in defiance of her spurring him.

          There is a huge difference between someone making honest mistakes as they seek to improve. We have all done that, and if we are continuing to learn we will continue to make mistakes. The difference is intent. This rider was anything but kind to this horse in ways that go beyond gaps in her education.

          Also, if you look at her show history, she has not consistently worked up the levels. She has dropped in wherever she pleased. It is clear she has not mastered the lower levels, or even come close to doing a sufficient task to move up.

          I’ll make a note not to call your clinic for any animal care, I would be terrified to leave them with you.

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          1. If the word/animal “horse” was replaced by deer,cow,camel, even elephant, the general public and most of the equestrian community would propably not accept the practices many riders and trainers display.

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       2. You don’t ride in a double bridle until your hands are quiet enough. You don’t use spurs until your legs are under control. You don’t use a whip until you can ask correctly without it first. You don’t ride a Grand Prix schoolmaster until you can ride the lower levels properly. Unlike every other sport, learning to ride involves another sentient being. To imply the horse must put up with overly incompetent riding because that’s part of his job is ludicrous. Put the horse in a snaffle, take away the spurs and whip and I’d agree the rider deserves a shot to learn. Giving a rider of her inability two reins, spurs and a whip is tantamount to giving her weapons.

          If my comment makes me a troll than so be it. At least I’m a good troll.

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    3. Bravery? No. Arrogance? Yes. Isn’t the general advice to show at least 1 level below what you are schooling at home? And to enter when your schooling rides would consistently score in the mid-60’s?
       If I rode like that in a lesson, my trainer would yank me off of my horse! And the instructors at the lesson barn where I started back to riding would have done the same to anyone who treated a lesson horse that way.
       The horse is a saint. If she rides him that harshly in the ring, I don’t want to think of what happens at home. And she will do damage to him physically over the long-term – being forced behind the vertical strains the nuchal ligament and impedes true impulsion and throughness. If his big stride scares her and she continues to clamp down on him to compensate, he will shut down or explode when he cannot tolerate it any longer. If she was truly brave, she would recognize her limitations and scale back to a level where she and the horse are relaxed. I could get on a GP schoolmaster and flail my way through that test and not fall off, doesn’t mean that I should.

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    4. Sometimes “guts” is just plain, old-fashioned arrogance! No excuses here for this hot mess of a rider, sorry!

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22. How can we really encourage true classical dressage when this kind of riding is allowed? This horse needs to be saved from this kind of abuse. This is not what we want to promote as dressage in this country. We should really stop this form of torture and not allow this in our country. I wish I had this horse in my barn. He would be so loved and treated so kindly. What a shame for us and for him.

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23. WTF did I just watch?!!!
    Another example of someone without skills or compassion but a shit load of money to buy a fabulous horse to cart them around. Makes me so angry 🙁

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24. First and foremost, I am not a dressage person (Saddle seat girl here). However, that being said in my humble opinion this woman shouldn’t be competing at all yet, let alone in Intermediare II! I have never wanted to walk up to a horse and yank the rider off, then take the horse home with me for cookies and cuddles in my life (and I’ve seen some bad riders in my day)! I couldn’t even finish the first test, and barely made it a quarter of the way through the second, it made me that mad.

    How in the name of sanity was she not excused from the ring after the second or third abusive kick or whipping, let alone all the rest of them? At our shows she would have been put out and she and her trainer would be given a stern talking-to.

    W. T. F.

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25. What a horrible article. You could take a leaf out of the commentators book, he was professional and diplomatic whilst remaining truthful. He could see she was inexperienced. Theres a difference in intentional abuse (like you are giving this young lady) and doing a poor job on the day. How do you know what she is going through? I’m sure her heart was in her boots throughout that test. I bet she didn’t come out patting herself on the back. This trash has been spreading around the world. How absolutely horrible people are. This is no better than those foul magazines that publish unflattering photos of celebrities. Championing a cause is one thing, this is bullying. There are many, many comments on Facebook backing up your vitriol and nearly as many condemning what YOU have written. If you have an ounce of dignity and humanity PLEASE consider taking this down.

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    1. I am most definitely not diplomatic, and I’ve never claimed to be. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ You’re welcome to review the Fine Print.

       None of this ride was an accident. She repeated it two days in a row. That is anything but unintentional.

       We’ll have to agree to disagree. Afterall, there are people who even come to the defense of riders who proudly use Rollkur / LDR and see absolutely no abuse in that, despite Scientific evidence which shows permanent muscular and skeletal damage from its use.

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    2. This is not a ”young woman” and she has been showing Upper Level and FEI for 13 years and many different horses so she is NOT inexperienced

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    3. We are horse people. The horse should come first and that means at times it might be at the expense of the rider or judges. The USDF, CDS and the trainer have failed this horse. While I will agree with you that the rider my not be intentionally harming this horse, he is being harmed and FEI level judges should have stopped this to prevent the harm to the animal.

       While you may not agree with the public outrage, if we, as members of the dressage community aren’t outraged, pushing for change and demanding more from our sport and associations, then we should all call it quits. It is OUR responsibility to hold our sport accountable and assure no horses are harmed.

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       1. Yes, so much of what you wrote, just yes. Thank you.

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       2. I agree, Showed the video to my husband who occasionally trail rides and he pointed out how bad the writing is. I’m very choosy about where and what I post online, but feel this situation calls for some spotlighting on behalf of the horse. It was an awful ride and, as others commented, she needs to go back to work on establishing her seat. Even if she can`t feel how bad her seat is, most dressage rings have mirrors. I’m not a high level rider and don’t compete anymore, but I can spot the BASICS of a good seat and she doesn’t have them. The totally unacceptable part was use of whip and spurs in a punishing manner, when she failed to give the correct aids.

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          1. I agree, Showed the video to my husband who occasionally trail rides and he pointed out how bad the riding is. I’m very choosy about where and what I post online, but feel this situation calls for some spotlighting on behalf of the horse. It was an awful ride and, as others commented, she needs to go back to work on establishing her seat. Even if she can`t feel how bad her seat is, most dressage rings have mirrors. I’m not a high level rider and don’t compete anymore, but I can spot the BASICS of a good seat and she doesn’t have them. The totally unacceptable part was use of whip and spurs in a punishing manner, when she failed to give the correct aids.

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26. Sorry but ive always thought dressage in utself is a cruel thing to put a horse thru….everything about it is un natural for the horse.. i know some people are extra cruel and most are not, but still.. not a fan of dressage..never have been!

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    1. That comment is one of the sad results of riding like this being allowed to continue in this very visual and advanced venue. By allowing this abuse of Dressage to continue and the misuse of a very forgiving horse (I doubt a mare would have not put her in the dirt) it promotes statements like this. People who really don’t understand what Dressage is see things like this that allowed to continue (instead of ringing her OUT) see it as a real representation of what our sport is and this is very sad. I think the FEI needs to take some responsibility to properly support and represent a very noble sport and speak out please. I’m am sorry if this means that this rider will be made and example of but I feel that the trainer at least failed her and the horse. She failed her horse, perhaps with attitude, fear and lack of ability. The trainer failed in guidance, and the Judges failed in allowing it to continue. I speak as an amateur who has a great admiration for those riders who compete at this level and as someone who thinks that Dressage when used and trained correctly is what is means…training and using the horse’s natural ability and movements to create a beautiful partnership.

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27. Hi, I’m new here and am not an equestrian, so please forgive my ignorance in advance. To the untrained eye, what I saw was someone who looked very awkward in the saddle and like she was going to fall off at a moment’s notice. I noticed she kicked the horse a lot and that there were a few times the horse threw out a leg or lashed his tail in what I took as frustration. I noticed the horse was foaming at the mouth towards the end and that his head was bent low while his neck was arched high. I’ve seen other horse shows before and haven’t noticed the horse looking so uncomfortable before…is this common? I noticed some yanking and flailing of the reins on the rider’s part a few times. I have to admit, I was expecting to see her thrashing the living heck out of the horse and the judges calmly sitting by doing nothing, especially since everyone was saying it was the most abuse they’ve seen. Would someone kindly explain to me how her behavior was cruel versus just really crap form? Again, I don’t ride at all and have only seen a few horse shows in my life, so please be gentle.

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    1. Hi Darcie, for a non-rider you have a very good eye. The conclusions you draw from the horse exhibiting discomfort are correct, and the noticing the riders posture “looking like she’ll might fall off” is also correct. There are many reasons why horses may exhibit “discomfort” – for example, a young horse, or a mare, or a breed such as Arabians, may come across feisty and swing their tails. Dressage aims for harmony between the rider and the horse, and elasticity/swing through the horse that exhibits relaxation. While this would be hard to accomplish on a, say, 5 year old arabian mare, it should be completely attainable on a fully trained horse, competed in Germany achieving good scores there. Riders distraught enough to comment on this online forum have looked at the big picture and are not as much holding the rider responsible as they are the system of dressage competition and state of it in the USA. The trainer, the judges, the system itself is being challenged with the release of these videos. Somehow this rider/horse pair made it to the ring, but they (as a pair) are not ready, which is ok…we have to try and fail…but she is mad at the horse and that is not ok. Dressage is like tennis. You keep your feelings in check. You model what you want. The horse knew what the competition was about, and tried his hardest to do a good job. So the fear/judgment here is that bad form would have been to show up and ride poorly. Cruel is when you use too much of the bottom rein (the curling neck you noticed) and both reins to balance herself (not balancing from the core, hard but necessary for dressage (I should know, haha, riding low levels on my QH); the swinging leg (never a goid thing, but while we riders struggle, it’s a no-no at the high level of this ride, as it would cause great confusion for the horse or, as what happened, a few times the horse gently retaliating when the spur jabbed it on the side). The cruel continues when aids are incomplete and whip is used several times, and instead of this powerful horse giving it a good go and having the rider eat dirt (buck swing bolt drop rear, any or a combination as a retaliation) the horse continues patiently to complete his job. Cruel is if we don’t step up and say, “what went wrong and how can we improve?” Because if even non-riding bystanders notice enough to want to ask some questions, we should take a honest look. This sport is meant to be the basic training for the horse and exhibit correct training and harmony, and hopefully, joy.

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    2. I’m not sure whether her riding can be excused by lack of ability, perhaps in part. But there was no sign of this rider trying to work with her horse, only against him. At this level a rider should know the difference. fisting both reins in one hand to wap him on the butt is uncalled for, cruel and should not be allowed to continue in a dressage test. My horse would have planted her in the dirt, this horse is a saint. She had no ability to follow her horse’s movement or having her hand work independently of her seat. Consequently he was being hit in the mouth with every stride. With a double bridle that has two bits with the curb bit something that should only be used very lightly in certain movements. I’m am surprised he wasn’t bloody in the mouth. If I was in a situation where I had lost control for what ever reason, perhaps she does have a physical issue, once it became obvious that I was causing harm to my horse, I would have stopped the test myself. She continued to torture this poor horse, sending him mixed signals and attacking him with her spurs, hands, and whip for her own lack of ability to ride him correctly. He was overbent because she was reefing on his mouth and not allowing him to go forward, yet disciplining him because he wasn’t. The poll (top of neck just behind the ears) should be the highest point with the face being a vertical line from the side view. That is the correct head position. With light hand, allowing him to go forward. In correct Dressage, the riders’ aids should be almost invisible. This is perhaps the most forgiving horse I have ever seen. Unfortunately these are the horses that are easy for rough riders to take advantage of.

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28. Great article – however I would instead of asking about judges who competed as competition seems to be devoid of any knowledge the more pertinent question for me is – Who trained the judges – where did their knowledge originate from….the judges with knowledge and moral fibre are leaving or have been suspended – we’re left with a situation of Dumb and Dumber

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29. Does any body know if she is a HC rider?

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    1. She is not.

       Even if she were, this treatment of the horse is not okay.

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       1. Para riders everywhere will cringe. They work extremely hard, as they deal with their disability daily and then also ride and care for their horse. A para riders trainer would help them choose the proper test for their riding level.

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          1. Agreed, I think it is a real disservice to para-riders everywhere to jump to the conclusion that Shelley Browning is in some way handicapped.

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             1. Whoa—no–serial killers are NOT nice. They are manipulative. They are calculating and have zero empathy. They may smile and be polite, but they will slit your throat without a care in the world (Dahmer was also a psychotic, not a psychopath).

                I agree that while I understand the upset at seeing this, I don’t see abuse–I see serious errors in riding. The horse is not being ridden in Rollkur–that takes leg and contact–if you see the reins, they are quite loose—she simply is not strong enough to keep the horse in front of the leg, so the horse has learned to curl behind the vertical to stay behind the leg. This is where she runs into problems because his trot gets way too up and down and she’s even more out of control—yet again, something is NOT right in her upper body—this is where I am baffled–her lower leg is there(not moving), but her upper body is very loose—-I then wondered if she may took some medication and it didn’t work right for her? Again, we don’t know and until there is perhaps an investigation or even interview with her, we won’t know.

                I also do not agree in blaming her coach/trainer. The trainer is a teacher, not a parent. She may very well have told this rider she was not ready to compete and the rider may have done so regardless. So, making those hypothesis is unfair to the trainer.

                I always urge people to think of the bigger picture: Yes, it’s a bad ride, yes it’s unfair to the horse, but I don’t see abuse–I see serious incorrect riding which was acknowledged by the second day (why not on the first???), and some questionable judging, but until judges and rider are asked directly, we can’t really be sure.

             2. She is not handicapped, but some riders can have medical reasons for needing to do things. I have 3 riders who need medical notes due to the limitations they have in their bodies due to severe asthma to severe arthritis and a knee replacement. As a result, there are some things they will do that may not adhere to the rules, so it was essential I ask our governing dressage organization and find out what they needed. Having said that, they do walk/trot.

                This rider could have had any number of problems such as perhaps her back went out, she may have the start of parkinsons—I’ve seen a lot of riders who struggle with balance, but never have I seen an upper body that wobbly with a lower leg not. While she is not strong enough to propel the horse forwards, she is losing serious control of her upper body. Maybe she took some medication that made her mentally foggy—-I know 1 advil will do that for me—-what I’m saying is, we can’t be judges to look at a video and make accusations about her.
                We can say the rides were not pretty and rules were broken. But abuse? No. She is not intentionally hurting her horse. In fact, she has a fairly light contact on the rein(curb). Rollkur this is not, this is just a horse who goes btv to evade and stay behind the leg, which makes the trot far more up and down and harder to ride.

                I urge people to realize that things are not black and white with riding and perhaps seeing if you could interview the coach or rider might help end the speculation.

             3. I’m at a loss for words that you think her contact with the curb rein was light… It was great enough to cause the horse to hyperflex throughout the whole test. That is not light contact by anyone’s definition.

                She intentionally yanked on the horse’s mouth in quick succession when leaving the arena after both rides, that is absolutely abuse.

                As for backstory, you can try to grasp for excuses, but if the horse’s well being isn’t greater than an incapable rider’s desire to compete… Then we have no common ground and discussion is a moot point.

30. The most horrible riding test I’ve seen. Extremely abusive rider, where the hell are the judges???? They must co-carry the responsibility for this catastrophy, the fact that she was even allowed to finish this test makes me wonder what is going on with this world??

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31. Thank you Erica for being bold enough to call it as it is. This is a rider who has no sense of natural rhythm and a horse that is suffering (even when she’s not riding) in the mouth, neck, back and joints. The horse does not deserve this in any way. He’s not a schoolmaster at this point, he is an abused and amazing horse, whose generous gifts are unappreciated. Whomever sold this horse to that group (owner, broker, trainer and rider) should be ashamed. A minimum of 4 people have not been bold enough to speak up and say that the rider is completely unsuitable for this horse. Shame! Money always wins ! Shame ! again! That double with her hanging on it has most likely already ripped the ligaments connecting the hyoid bone to the tmj…a too small saddle allows her to hang between the saddle and her hands. So no seat, no balance. But slamming those hands downward when she’s walking ( not even in the test portion) indicates it’s happening all the time. She needs many hours of a mechanical horse before progressing to a live animal.

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    1. You’re spot on Marc. So many fail-safes in place to prevent this kind of thing from continuing on at a show, and every single one failed!

       The horse has to be our top priority. We have absolutely nothing without the horse.

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       1. This was the worst I’ve seen. I’ve worked Dressage shows for 20 years. I would have probably screamed out at her and been thrown out. But oh well.

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32. Obviously this is a very good horse, who is a schoolmaster, with a rider who is in way over her head and trying to compete at the horse’s level not her own.
    First of all, I do think it is the horse that should be judged, and not the rider. It is the rider that should get the good response from the horse. That being said, people like this who can afford to buy this kind of horse are going to continue to score above their level.
    The rider has no seat. She is out of balance with the horse, and most of that is being too far forward. Her saddle is also too far forward on the horse. So first the saddle puts her too forward, and then the saddle itself is too far forward. This is something the trainer could easily fix. Once the rider gets back into balance, many of her problems will go away. I have been struggling with this myself and I can absolutely guarantee that when the rider is in that special sweet spot over the horse’s center of balance, you can just sit there without effort, without bracing against the thigh rolls, without balancing on the reins, without your legs swinging, and without bouncing up and down.

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33. I agree with your opinion Sally regarding the need for a little more diplomacy when reporting. Trained journalists, like the commentators in this ride, have ethics to adhere to and will offer views from both sides, provide the parties involved to have a chance to comment before publishing, offer up means to how to take action and allow the reader to come to their own conclusion,
    Citizen journalists, while seen as ‘free thinkers’ can often be detrimental to true, effective whistleblowers.

    For clarity.
    My personal opinion in this particular case, I do not defend the actions of the judges and have no connection to the rider or trainer. I feel there certainly is a need for an investigation into how judges are scoring but there is no need to bully. Ever.

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34. WOW what a fantastic horse

    I hope the rider sees this and has has a serious reality check

    I also hope the FEI see this and seriously reprimand the judges making skills

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35. What did I just watch? I read the description and comments first, and thought from those it would be bad, but it was even worse than I thought it would be. Perhaps the lady is a para rider? If she is not, she needs to buy herself a steady cob and go back to basic, novice level competition and learn the basics of riding. I have never seen such a bad rider. I am astonished that she was not stopped by the judges during the test for bad riding and told to leave the ring. That is what would happen in the UK, at even a very novice, basic level test. I wouldn’t normally be so cruel to someone who is trying to compete, but she deserves it. She has obviously too much money and has bought an amazing horse, which seems to be receiving some ongoing schooling from someone who can actually ride, and she can’t even perform the basic seat and leg aids and is moreover a harsh and unkind rider with an unhappy horse. I would love to ride a horse that good. And I have to bring on my own horses and hold down a job at the same time. No idea what this rider’s background is, but she has more money than sense. I cannot believe this is allowed in the US.

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    1. She isn’t a para-rider… but even if she was is it okay to allow yanking and spanking of a horse in the name of competition?

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36. The Rider….. lots of money, no talent, big ego, and I’m quite certain a sick belief that the horse is letting her down. How very very different the industry would be if at the higher levels you had to have trained the horse you compete. Oh wouldn’t that deflate some egos. At the risk of being what i detest, a bully/troll, that woman needs bringing to heel. DON’T BLAME HER POOR COACH….. I’m sure she does what she wants regardless and scores UNBELIEVABLY WELL.

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37. Thank you so much for sharing and making more people aware of this! It is just horrible to see/read about. I actually find it hard to believe that this is really happening out there- especially on such a high level. I makes me sick and hoping that it will change in the future 🙁

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    1. I agree Emmi, here’s to hoping there is a better future for Dressage. It has suffered serious blows for many years, and with good reason thanks to the over-politicized and greedy direction of the FEI.

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38. This rider should never have been at Del Mar, she should have only been doing schooling shows and maybe not even that: she probably shouldn’t have ever left the barn.

    Her trainer is horrible and brings shame to the “industry”.

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    1. On the other hand, I cringe to think about what might be perpetrated on this saintly horse if he’d never left the barn and we’d never learned what’s been going on with him. I hope that the release of these videos will spark some kind of change for this lovely horse, who deserves a rider who will treat him well.

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39. I have owned and shown horses my entire life. I am familiar with Tennessee Walking and Quarter horses. I know nothing about this style. What I do know is this was painful to watch. The rider was sloppy and abusive to her horse. She shouldn’t take her inadequacys out on her mount. In the end I was cheering for the horse to dump her.

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40. It is so very sad to see this. It is obvious this rider does not belong in the ring. It is sad and awful to watch and that horse is a saint. We have no morals anymore. If you have the money to buy the horse you can find a trainer that will not train you than this is what you get. The judges should have respectfully pulled her up and dismissed her from the ring. Frustration and bad behavior on the riders part should not be allowed. Not to mention she is a horrible rider and needs to go back to basics. This is abuse and it should not be tolerated.

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41. Follow the money.

    Do more research on the judges, in this case looking for whether any of them have sold any horses to the rider or trainer, especially this horse.

    It is worth noting that judges are often business people in the industry with vested interest in it. And this would not be the first time I’ve seen judging biased by the judge’s own previous sales transactions…

    This would

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    1. Looks like part of your comment was cut short.

       But I agree, I imagine there are a lot of deep threads of conflict that exist across the entire organization.

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42. I honestly felt sick watching the abuse this poor horse took from it’s rider. It was apparant to me that this horse did his absolute best for her but she still insisted on sticking her spurs into his sides and using her whip which anyone could see was uncomfortable for the horse hence the little bucks!!!! How this horse didn’t buck her off the way she was banging on it’s back is beyond me. This routine should have been stopped. I wanted to cry for this poor horse. How did the rider get away with the way she rode this horse.

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    1. It’s beyond my imagination how a judge could sit and watch this and allow it to go on. But, we also have a veterinarian in the comments who doesn’t see anything wrong with these rides…

       

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43. I can’t even watch it all… painful and straight up abuse.

    I can’t understand why no one stopped this

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    1. I was quite surprised, as have many others, that this wasn’t stopped mid-test. 🙁

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44. Naming and shaming an individual on a global, public platform is not appropriate. By all means, question the system that did not ensure that the judges and ground jury stepped in after the first test to counsel the rider, perhaps to offer that the second test be judged but ridden HC, allowing rising trot perhaps, and then opening a dialog with the rider and their coach with respect to future competition.

    Whatever the rider’s motivation or state of mind (subject of speculation at best), this mob mentality of self-righteous baying for blood is dangerous. The post should be taken down, as no-one, however apparently cruel, inept or misguided, should be subjected to such a vitriolic cyber-lynching.

    In the interests of transparency, I am a late-life, lower-level competitor and conscientious amateur, who has been lucky enough to be able to acquire a high-level horse. I am working on my seat.

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45. When I watched the video I thought for a moment that she was doing a parody of a dressage rider, a skit. That she was doing some kind of female version of Brett Kidding, because that’s what her riding looks like…a joke. From what I’ve read about her she is very wealthy, so there will likely be no repercussions for her whatsoever. Because that’s sadly how the world works, the very wealthy can get away with anything.
    And for those in the comments complaining about you not being diplomatic enough…the last thing dressage and the equine world in general needs are more sycophants. Please continue to speak up, you’re doing a great job.

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46. As Erica pointed out, those of us who watched the Friday live feed saw this rider after walking off following the final halt jab her horse in the mouth at least twice (I think it was 3) in quick succession, BAM BAM BAM, first left then right BAM BAM BAM. Both reins. The she glanced at the camera and grimaced in a rictus of a smile and patted her horse. I see that in Thursday’s less horrific test that she did the same thing after the final halt. BAM, then spurred him. If that doesn’t scream cruelty I don’t know what does, and repeating such an abusive and wholly unwarranted punishment pattern is very troubling. I hope the woman get some help and stay off this horse in the meantime.

    My question for those judges: why didn’t you ring the bell the first time she removed her hands from the reins to whip her horse? IIRC, the first time was on the first centerline. If you’d known your rulebook you could have saved both horse and rider from all of this. If this was why she was eliminated after receiving a score, that screams incompetence on the part of the judges. I’m also wondering why Axel didn’t point it out.

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47. I come from hunter jumper land but this caught my curiousity, as to what was considered “abuse” in dressage land. What struck me most, is the use of the whip. How is is possibly legal to take your hands off the reins and use the whip?? Now in our world you can go to the whip politely when necessary in the jumper ring, but in the hunter or equitation ring, use of the whip puts you last – only ahead of the ones that stop or knock down jumps. It’s a major major fault. Honestly, while embarrassing for her to have such a low level of skill in the show ring , we see similar low skill levels jumping in the lower levels of hunter jumper all the time, and in riding schools around the world. Ps. I’m a small r judge with the USEF.

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48. Can anyone confirm where exactly this girl trains out of?
    I would like to report the trainer, management and rider to the appropriate officials in their area.
    I would also like to send a strongly worded shaming letter/email to the coach-trainer of this rider.
    Thanks in advance.

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49. I am glad there are others out there that do not like to see poor riding and poor training being highlighted. Thank you for being a voice for the horse. I have trained and given lessons for 40 years now and I do NOT do the shows because I can not stand still and silent when I see these things. Money does not buy ethics, morals or good behavior. The show ring in dressage as well as western style and hunter has lent towards the money not the good. Very few teach good horsemanship and equine ethical treatment. There is nothing wrong with showing, but it is wrong when you do anything to win.
    I my years of restoring horses and riders, it goes back to harsh and cruel treatments.

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50. We have a responsibility to speak up for those that can not speak, to let the show organizers, the judges, the organizations that take our membership fees each year – to do their job right and stop this behavior. No horse, no schoolmaster deserves this abuse, no less openly allow this in front of many people – what goes on at home? Shelly – shame on you and the trainer as well for allowing a rider to treat such a fine horse like this. BTW Shelly – Mellissa and Doug make a beautiful stick pony that even whinnies – free 2 day shipping now on Amazon.

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51. Sloppy, floppy rider with far more ego than talent. She’s clearly not good enough for a horse of this caliber. If she’s not willing to go back to the basics and develop her seat then she should hang up her spurs and whip – well, she should do so regardless. If this is her typical performance then I would hate to see how much more abusive she is while ‘training’. The judges need to step up and stop tolerating such horrors. This rider should have been eliminated 30 seconds into her first test.

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52. If you are going to criticise judges and trainers, please do not do it on the failings of amateurs. The amateurs are the financial foundation for this sport. If I had a bad weekend and thought there might be thousands of people viewing my failings, I might be done

    There are plenty of pros at FEI level that put themselves out in the public domain, and can handle the that follows a post like this. Yes she failed to do the horse and FEI level justice, but are you trying to force an amateur to suicide? We also see similar in earm up at World Cup level for goodness sake! PLEASE THINK TWICE before you do this to another amateur.

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    1. Amateurs are only allowed to show like this if the system allows for it. There are checks and balances in place to prevent abuse to the horse, and every single one of them failed.

       If you hold amateurs to a higher standard, those who are in it for the right reasons will continue on and improve the sport. Those who aren’t will drop out and protect the sport’s reputation.

       For too long bad amateurs (and bad professionals!) have been allowed to damage the sport. That isn’t the fault of the critic, that is the fault of the system which allowed the bar to fall so low.

       Your bad opinion is misdirected at the wrong people. You should be upset at the FEI’s failure to enforce its own rules.

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       1. Erica, the fault of the writer is in even posting the video at all. Poor form. Write all she wants about the general problem, as she see it. No problem, everyone is allowed an opinion.

          No one has considered that perhaps this was a dream for this rider. Will she ever make a team…no. Not at this time. But come on. Perhaps she is getting older and has always wanted to do it. Perhaps she is sick and has a narrow window. Let’s take the radar OFF the rider and be constructive.

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          1. Just stop. I added an item in the article just for you.

             I don’t care if this was the grandest dream this women ever had, she’s not ready to ride at this level without causing the horse harm. No person’s selfish “dream” is worth the well-being of the horse, full stop.

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    2. Well said! Picking on anyone like this is just so so…just so not right.

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53. https://youtu.be/QscpwbzUgFg If I did it correctly this is a link to a beautiful performance by this same horse with a different rider in 2015

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54. There are certainly plenty of ‘issues’ in that test, that cannot be argued.

    But please be respectful of the judges in that they have ALL had to go through hours and hours of rigorous training and obtain scores at USDF recognized shows in order to get the the licenses they hold. Some in your list started this process long ago, and long before any records were tracked online. I can not speak for all of them, however I do know more than 1 personally.

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55. sighhhhh….alright, I watched them. ENOUGH with the bullying of the women. Yes, she does not look ready for this level, but “horse abuse”. come on people. She looks like most inexperienced amateurs. Sadly this blog says more about the writer then the rider.

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    1. An inexperienced amateur, at lower level, is something altogether different.

       What is allowed is what will flourish.

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56. Erica, do you know this girl personally? I personally would rather issues be addressed with judges and see more in your writing about kindness and good horses.

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    1. No, never heard of her before the Live Stream was up from the show.

       I do try to balance it, across articles. That being said, everyone wants warm and fuzzies when controversy in the horse world comes up rather than asking tough questions and calling people to be accountable who had the ability to step in directly. Warm and fuzzies do nothing for the horse, they only make us feel less terrible that the incident happened at all.

       This was a very good horse, that is the sad truth in a lot of Dressage today. Some of the top horses are very good, very kind horses, who put up with a lot of training methods that permanently harm them.

       You might prefer the daily Open Discussion on our Facebook page instead, where we share a specific like / dislike on a given item.

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57. Wie kann man es gut finden wenn jemand so scheiße reitet? Die Reiterin sollte man auch mit Sporen und Gerte so behandeln, wie sie ihr Pferd behandelt. Sie hat keine Haltung, reißt dem Pferd im Maul und ihre Beinhaltung ist eine Katastrophe. Die soll erstmal vernünftig Reiten lernen.
    Sie sollte sich schämen so etwas auch noch vor zu führen. Pfui !!!!

    Quick translation thanks to Google (may or may not be 100% accurate):

    How can you find it good if someone is riding like that? The rider should also be treated with spurs and crops the way she treats her horse. She has no posture, tearing the horse in the mouth and her leg position is a disaster. The first is to learn to ride sensibly. She should be ashamed to do something like that. Fie !!!!

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58. Got libel insurance?

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    1. Tell me where the falsehood has been stated?

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       1. Don’t worry, no one with eyes will believe libel on this.

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          1. Thank you, I’m not worried. I genuinely think a majority of those disagreeing with it haven’t even read the article. 🙂

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59. I am astonished at the level of nastiness in these posts. Shame on you bullies! The ride was hard to watch, but the comments were even harder to read. It’s so easy to to hide behind your computer. Instead, why not be part if the solution, and not publicly shaming a rider who was not ready to ride at this level.

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60. Who is her teacher? She should start over on one of those mechanical horses at the circus so no abuse happens to the horse. What wonderful creatures we are blessed with, it breaks my heart to see this in a show ring or elsewhere. Who taught her to ride from her stomach? Arms outstretched? Gee, that person should be ashamed and get on a circus mechanical horse too. They do not belong on a loving being such as a horse. Maybe riding bulls would be a better sport for them! And the judges??? I used to photograph Arabian horses for breeding purposes and covered showing events. I had to stop. Ginger up the butt for photographs? Whipping off the show grounds where no one would see…even though the rules said all stallions were to be on the show grounds and no whip marks were to appear on their bodies….yet the trainer whipped even though the sweet animal had a blanket on. Then there was my experience with my hunter trainers….I saw them in the very early hours walk down the isles with the needles behind their back. Then the owners, who weren’t present, would ask….why is so and so hiding in the back of his stall? I had to quit. Made me sick. The whole horse show scene…all for a $25 ribbon? Not me or my horse. They came home and died and are buried on my property. We later learned to play together in my pasture. We rode trails. And I loved them to the end. No abuse for me!!!! Maybe we should have a “MeToo” movement in horses…where we say…no to abuse and to trainers who have no hearts.

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61. That horse is worth quadruple whatever she paid for it. Poor soul. He’s trying to do his job. And with very little reaction to his treatment, at that.

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62. Erica

    Maybe next time you choose to bash an Adult Amatuer rider who was unfortunate enough to have her rides live streamed when they were not perfect.

    You are helping to destroy the sport not enhance it. Amatuer riders refuse to have their tests live-streamed at the next Del Mar show, so the rest us will not have the opportunity to watch and learn . Organizers have chosen not to live stream so they get entries in the show….the show cannot survive without entries and this being the first time someone took a chance and invested heavily in providing a California circuit it is sad and many hope that the continuation of the AWgDF will continue for many years to come.

    The poor women, I am sure feels bad and will probably never show again, along with many other less than stellar riders

    Shame on you

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    1. Right… just so we’re all on the same page (and to keep everyone honest), here is the original post you’re talking about, posted by Axel Steiner, condemning me and everyone who has publicly agreed with my article:

       

       But… then here’s Axel Steiner later commenting on that same post with information that is in direct opposition to his original statement:

       

       

       Sorry, but you can’t have it both ways — saying that I’m the reason live streaming was canceled and then later remark that I’m not actually the reason live streaming was canceled.

       Oh, and here’s the official statement about live streaming that Axel Steiner was referring to:

       

       Nice try, but take your BS somewhere else.

       If you’re looking for someone to blame for anything negative that comes from this I strongly recommend you consider the following:

       • The judges who failed to excuse this rider when she broke the excessive whip usage rule. They could have enforced that and eliminated her before she completed either ride. There are rules in place for a reason, but it seems the judges forgot that.
       • The rider, who purposely used the whip on her horse in an innapropriate manner in both rides. Who injudiciously spurred the horse. Who intentionally yanked on his mouth during and after the test for reasons that were not simply beginner mistakes.
       • The organization for allowing a rider to drop in at whatever level they please when they have not shown proficiency at the lower levels first.

       Nobody forced that rider to do what she did during those tests. She chose to do that all on her own. Personal responsibility is a valuable life skill, you might consider looking into it.

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63. It seemed like the rider needed more lessons and also seemed like she waa scared of the horse. You shouldn’t own an animal that you are scared of and going to abuse just to make you feel like you’re in control. Also she shouldn’t have been riding at that level because she looked like she needed more lessons. She partly looked like She was pulling on the mouth, because she was unbalanced and using the reins to keep her balance.
    Just my opinion that she is a bad rider that is scared of her horse. I’m not saying she should abuse the horse. In my opinion she shouldn’t even be riding let alone showing at this level.

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64. She looks like she can’t even ride 😀

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65. Horrible and heartbreaking in one. Example of a rider who is not capable of riding at that level. Hate to see these wonderful creatures get into the hands of these type of riders. Vorst D did the very best he found with a moron on his back.

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66. This is great modern day example of the fable, “The Emperor’s New Clothes” and provides an amazing opportunity for learning for all of us.

    The one thing I keep coming back to is that the rider willingly walked into an arena that she was aware would be live streamed and recorded. The video was not recorded surreptitiously. So to think that people wouldn’t have an opinion just seems naïve.

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67. I couldn’t finish watching. That poor poor noble animal. Most of us can only dream of owning such a magnificent ride.

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68. I am appalled that there are so many people defending this rider and calling those of us who agree this is abuse “trolls” “keyboard warriors” “jealous” and questioning our riding abilities. An Olympic eventer said to me (and a small group of students) that horses serve us, and we owe it to them to ride them correctly. As riders we are the horse’s first advocate. It is our duty to make their well being the top priority, above our ambitions. A rider who cannot do that should not be riding, period! It is the rider’s duty to communicate effectively with the horse. This rider cannot even sit this horse’s trot. Physical limitations (if they apply) are not an excuse and neither is the “work in progress” b.s.! The only way to progress with our riding is to acknowledge where we are not succeeding, and the fact that she entered this class, (then did not withdraw), shows that she does not see/realize her limitations.

    After the rider it is the trainer’s duty to act as the horse’s advocate. So yes, the trainer should be called out. Next in line, the judges share in the responsibility to protect the horse. The failure of rider, trainer, and judges to not put the welfare of this beautiful, innocent horse is ultimately what myself and others are criticizing. This rider is a symptom of a much larger problem the international dressage community is not addressing. (Other disciplines have their share of issues as well).

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69. Ummmm, what is going on with her now? Is she trying to become a dressage trainer?!
    https://www.facebook.com/ShelleyBrowningDressageUSA/
    https://shelleybrowningdressage.wordpress.com/

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70. Ok, so they tell everyone that Shelley was on the Olympic team in the 80’s!!! Is this a complete and utter lie? It appears to be!!! Horrendous riding!

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71. OMG, this amazing and beautiful horse deserves a gold medal while the rider deserves a quick and hard kick in the proverbial hinnie. I’m appalled that her “trainer” would even consider having her ride at this level considering how incredibly horrendous her “riding” ability is. I’ve been riding for years and love to compete (to see how I’ve improved) and still do so at the walk/trot level not because of my horse but because I would be a hot mess at the canter. This “rider”, and I hate to even call her that, needs to go back to the basics of learning how to ride the walk and her “trainer” needs to learn how to train.

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72. So here we have a young lady who maybe not quite a lady, beating her horse up in a DRESSAGE TEST no less. All the folks suggesting that her misbehavior may be due to some phantom illness and how courageous she is to compete at the national level.

    As a person who has dealth with a physical deformity since birth, I’m aghast! NO MENTAL OR PHYSICAL CONDITION MAY BE USED AS AN EXCUSE FOR ABUSE. Period.

    I worked hard to ride correctly – many lessons on the longe line, no reins, no stirrups, even bareback. Why? Because even though I have soft hands and I full understanding of all the aids, my right shoulder is 2 inches lower than my left, causing me to unconsciously lean on one stirrup. Why is my shoulder low? Slight curvature of the left dorsal spine.

    I remember many lesson feeling like a failure because I had difficulty mastering a good seat. My brain knew what to do, but my body had trouble adjusting. It is only thanks to the wonderful instructor, Maryal Barnett, who showed a great deal of patience, that I was able to fix my riding deficiences. Maryal can teach whoever she wants to – she doesn’t have to torture herself with mundane basic horsemanship for a rider like me.

    Years later, looking back on my riding lessons, strangely these memories rank among my fondest ever. I wish Maryal could see me now. Riding has always been my passion and to have achieved correct form with happy horses who are light on the bit and fully engaged in the hindquarters has enriched my life.

    Riders who are not ready to test should stay home, people need to speak up about poor judging, and whoever said, “Ring the damn bell!” is spot-on.

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73. I know this post is as old as the hills but I stumbled across it by accident and I’ve become obsessed with this woman.
    Did she ever come out and comment on her riding?
    I see she’s extremely wealthy and I also see she had a lot of drama go on in 2013 with her agency…. lots of people leaving for unknown reasons.
    Her websites are all senseless rambling with the same 4 pictures over and over. Was something mentally going on with her?
    I need to know!!!!!!

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