I AM LIVID !! MY HORSES MANE WAS CUT OFF AT WORLDS

[Riverdance]

I am at the Worlds too and am stalled right next to the beautiful weanling colt that just went Reserve Grand Champion Junior Stallion, he also won Grand Champion Amateur stallion. A really nice, nice colt. They heard about some trainers, unfortunately some top trainers, at dinner, complain about the fact that they can not have some nobody winning the show above their clients who bought $25,000 horses from them. There were threats made on the colt and on our AMHA president, as well as the roaching of Sherri's horses mane.

The people who own the colt have been taking turns sleeping outside his stall at night. There has been talk of who it was, I know that AMHA has been announcing what had happened and the cops have been notified, a reward has been offered if the person is successfully prosecuted. It would be nice to catch the person, but I doubt they will ever be caught.

There are some pretty sick people out there and it is too bad that they have to put a black mark on a great show.

Sherri, so sorry for what happened to you.

 

[HGFarm]

I think that kind of talk should be reported to the show committee and NAMES NAMED!!! So people are supposed to be intimidated by threats, or not come back to show because they are afraid of idiots like this?!!!

WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE!!!???? YOU PEOPLE out there talking and acting like this!!!

My personal opinion is that their clients were ripped off then, if they pay that much for a horse and the trainers are worried about being beat out by someone's backyard horse or by someone who is not a trainer!! Maybe their clients need to buy from someone else. And I dont give a darned HOW MUCH someone paid for a horse, there is NO guarantee it's going to win!!

I am beginning to wonder if exhibitors shouldn't have to pass some type of physchological test prior to entering shows too, to make sure they are safe people and not going to go 'postal' in some fashion if they dont win. What a sick and demented attitude!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[OhHorsePee]

How awful!! I would be livid and looking! The only thing with the cameras is if these people were brave enough to take off his hoodie and cut his mane then they would be brave enough to take the camera down. If someone truely wants to do something they will find a way. Every year we always hear people stating that nothing will happen to your horses or yourself if a protest is placed and here all you were going to do was show you mini and look what happen just because he was competition. Maybe security cameras should be one of the things we as show participants (Doesn't matter what registry) should insist on.

 

[Sanny]

This is horrible. It is hard to believe people go so far and some of the other stories that were shared were awful.

We've had small things happen at shows with a harness being messed with, air let out of cart tires, stall doors unlatched and slid open and a few other things but all of that is small-time amateur hour stuff compared to what I am hearing about here.

It is so sad to have to think about needing 24/7 supervision of your horses and having to worry about your horse especially if you have one that is winning a lot or is a threat to trainers because you are an amateur beating the trainer with the $25,000 horse.

I have some horses that I do worry about having this sort of thing happen too and we now try to make sure someone is watching our stalls at all times and we always have somebody sleeping in the barn with the horses.

It is too late to protect your horse though I am glad it wasn't something more horrible like if they had done something like injecting him with something or putting something in his food or water but for future reference if anyone has a horse or horses that you are concerned about you should know you can get really small wireless/portable security cameras that are you can set up to watch a stall or stalls or your aisle at all times at shows and you can set them up so it feeds to a laptop that you can view at anytime (I'm told a feed can also be sent to some cell phones but I haven't tried that) and they digitally record everything whether it is light or dark in the barn with a running time stamp on it so you know the exact time of day of what you are viewing plus if someone messes with your horses you have documented/recorded proof of what they did, what time it was and most importantly WHO DID IT! Just be sure to have more than one camera so if they know about the cameras or see them and try to disable them the other camera or cameras will record that too and even if they disable them it will record up to that point and show the person or people. Stick them up high and make sure they cover all your stalls and your aisle and if at some point nobody is there with the horses you at least know the cameras will still be watching. Technology has come a LONG way and this sort of thing is a lot more affordable and easy to use than you would expect.

 

[Equuisize]

I am very well acquainted with how you are feeling Sheri and am extremely sorry you are going thru this. It is a VERY unsettling feeling and it stays with you for a long time.

I had someone enter my barn and cut off my Arab's tail, to the dock. A tail that reached the ground and flowed out 3 feet. They left one strand for him to swish at flies. This was back in the early 80's.

Fortunately he grew hair as if he was a chia pet but he looked odd for quite awhile.

In 1999 we took our 3 year old Pinto Arab to a local pinto show. I stalled next to a lady who's Paint stallion had his mane hacked off the previous year, at this club's show. She actually slept, armed, in her horses stall.

Spooked me big time. I felt like asking to be moved away from her as my youngster had a mane to his knees and a huge tail.

I slept in front of his stall for three days with my German Shepherd. He was never left unattended ....... They did have guards walking the aisle ways, at night....they'd wave as they past our aisle as they figured my Bearboy had it handled. It was not an enjoyable 3 days show. Unless someone could watch him I didn't feel I could go off and cheer on my friends, in their classes, in case there was some whack job loose in the barns.

Took the glow off showing horses, for me, and I've never seriously gone back to it.

It isn't fair that something that you and your horse work hard for should be tainted by someone else's insanity.

My horses are like my kids and for me it wasn't worth taking any chances with their well-being.

I am so sorry and although, unlikely, I hope proof comes forth on the person who did this.

Try to enjoy the rest of the show knowing that these kinds of people are not the norm they are an aberration of the usual good sportsmanship.

 

[Kitty]

Very Very sad that people would lower themselves to this. And Sherri big hugs to you for going in and showing. You are a true professsional!!!!

And unfortunately I see horses selling for huge money and it would be very upsetting to some to have a no one come in and win against horses that have been with trainers all year. I stand on the sidelines at Nationals and listen. I am always tickled when we do well as a little no one farm against the trainers or top farms. But I am afraid for the future of the World and National shows if this is the kind of thing that is going to happen. Who was the colt? Unfortunately I have been working and unable to watch the World Show and only catch bits and pieces.

Big hugs to all you at World. I know you are probably sleeping with one eye open now.

 

[twister]

Oh Sheri, Words fail me, that some coward could do this to a trusting horse. Kudos to you for showing him anyway and shame on the judges for not at least placing him. Manes do grow back, it could have been worse, they could have injured him. So sorry that you and your horse had to go through this <HUGS> Yvonne

 

[JMS Miniatures]

Oh Sheri, Words fail me, that some coward could do this to a trusting horse. Kudos to you for showing him anyway and shame on the judges for not at least placing him. Manes do grow back, it could have been worse, they could have injured him. So sorry that you and your horse had to go through this <HUGS> Yvonne

The problem is for the judges not picking him and I know it says it in the R book but not sure about A is you can't show a horse with a roached mane. I know this a big mess, and you want to be fair about it but this is the World show, you can only judge it right.

Hopefully with the reward out and word spreading the culprit will get caught. I cannot believe the dirty politics, its pretty depressing.

 

[REO]

I am at the Worlds too and am stalled right next to the beautiful weanling colt that just went Reserve Grand Champion Junior Stallion, he also won Grand Champion Amateur stallion. A really nice, nice colt. They heard about some trainers, unfortunately some top trainers, at dinner, complain about the fact that they can not have some nobody winning the show above their clients who bought $25,000 horses from them. There were threats made on the colt and on our AMHA president, as well as the roaching of Sherri's horses mane.

The people who own the colt have been taking turns sleeping outside his stall at night.

Does this mean someone knows who this perp is??? So it isn't just roaching off a mane, but a threat to a person (AMHA pres) too?

Sorry, but the more I think about this, the madder I get! THIS is bad enough, but I've been hearing about some big time people refusing to show client horses, fights happening, threats over measuring, threats to people and their horses for years. *Someone* knows who they are and I wish people would stand up and NAME THEM and get them banned from showing AMHA! They are giving AMHA a bad name and I'm sure they are causing more people to not show (losing AMHA money) than they are bringing AMHA money by showing themselves. If this crap keeps up, I'm sure many people will keep their horses home rather than risk who knows what at shows by people like this.

I guess I just hate people who think they're so superior that they have the right to grind people into the dirt. I hate bullies! I don't care who someone is, big or small, we all pay the same fees and SHOULD get equal treatment.

Oopsy! I need a nap!

 

[Matt73]

Wow! That's really disgusting. It reminds me of Tanya Harding. Some people are really screwed in the head.

 

[HGFarm]

Reo I wholeheartedly agree. SPEAK UP people and do not take this kind of treatment and attitude with silence. When you hear people talking like this, or see people doing something they should not be, address it!! I have heard more and more stories of unethical treatment in the show ring and out- some by 'big name' trainers, etc.... Who died and left them in charge?!! Why has it turned so cutthroat? If it continues at this rate, perhaps those trainers are not going to have any clients to show for? They will quit showing or move on to another breed because they dont want to deal with it. It appears that many of the trainers are SOLELY interested in their clients money- not showing, not the betterment of the breed, but how much they can milk in fees, etc... and make ten times the money selling a horse to someone for a ridiculous price that they probably picked up somewhere for a 10th of that. Dont get me wrong, nothing wrong with making a living or making a profit, but when it leads to dishonest or unethical behavior- it needs to stop.

So if you are not with a big name trainer you are nobody? Ha. Everyone works just as hard to get there, no matter who you are- and if they have worked that hard, they deserve to be there. It seems the prima donna attitude has taken over and the sicko win at any cost mentality of someone not right in the head....

Maybe some of the big names are upset that 'unknowns' are beating the $25000 horse they sold their client is because it really wasnt worth $25000, and dont want the client to know they got taken?

 

[~Lisa~]

So you are saying you actually heard a trainer at dinner say.. we are going to kill this colt and we are going to kill or hurt the AMHA president and we roached the OP's geldings mane?

If so then I guess the issue is pretty close to being solved if they were heard and seen discussing this?

 

[supaspot]

A thought has just occured to me ....if you need security what about making use of the publics eyes ?There are thousands across the world watching ..... a link set up to work in the same way that mare stare works - infact couldnt AMHA make a deal with marestare to use their site for the worlds ? Im not techno minded but Im pretty sure it could be done and if I was a competitor Id be happy to pay a small fee to be on it

 

[Sheri Stutts]

A thought has just occured to me ....if you need security what about making use of the publics eyes ?There are thousands across the world watching ..... a link set up to work in the same way that mare stare works - infact couldnt AMHA make a deal with marestare to use their site for the worlds ? Im not techno minded but Im pretty sure it could be done and if I was a competitor Id be happy to pay a small fee to be on it

That's a great idea. I will sent it to AMHA.

 

[supaspot]

the clever part is that no-one would ever know whos watching and when ...could be hundreds or it could be noboby - but who would dare take that chance

 

[palsminihorses]

Reo I wholeheartedly agree. SPEAK UP people and do not take this kind of treatment and attitude with silence. When you hear people talking like this, or see people doing something they should not be, address it!! I have heard more and more stories of unethical treatment in the show ring and out- some by 'big name' trainers, etc.... Who died and left them in charge?!! Why has it turned so cutthroat? If it continues at this rate, perhaps those trainers are not going to have any clients to show for? They will quit showing or move on to another breed because they dont want to deal with it. It appears that many of the trainers are SOLELY interested in their clients money- not showing, not the betterment of the breed, but how much they can milk in fees, etc... and make ten times the money selling a horse to someone for a ridiculous price that they probably picked up somewhere for a 10th of that. Dont get me wrong, nothing wrong with making a living or making a profit, but when it leads to dishonest or unethical behavior- it needs to stop.

So if you are not with a big name trainer you are nobody? Ha. Everyone works just as hard to get there, no matter who you are- and if they have worked that hard, they deserve to be there. It seems the prima donna attitude has taken over and the sicko win at any cost mentality of someone not right in the head....

Maybe some of the big names are upset that 'unknowns' are beating the $25000 horse they sold their client is because it really wasnt worth $25000, and dont want the client to know they got taken?

Laurie, I agree with all that you have said! I, too, was involved with appaloosa horses years ago, and I liked the fact that their 'journal' posted all suspensions! I think AMHA should do the same thing. I only showed at one National Appaloosa Show, but I had several friends who showed each year. It was very common for them to pay a security guard to watch their stalls during the night! Much of the time, several folks in the same isleway would split the cost to have extra protection. Sad, but true!!

And I am so sorry that this happened to you Sherri. And from the picture that you posted of your boy, he is gorgeous!!!

Pam

 

[backwoodsnanny]

the clever part is that no-one would ever know whos watching and when ...could be hundreds or it could be noboby - but who would dare take that chance

First of all I am so sorry this happened to the OP. We all say all that for just a ribbon but we all know it is not about the ribbon but about the money that is generated having a Champion at your farm. Trainers being upset is also all about the money. I think the last poster has the best idea of all we could all be watching around the clock just as mare stare works and no one would know. Tie that to a phone number that can be called if things look suspicious and you have the problem minimized or stopped all together.

 

[~Lisa~]

That's a great idea. I will sent it to AMHA.

While that sounds good first the expense of getting cameras on every single barn aisle would be HUGE secondly while you or I was watching at home we would have no way of knowing who belonged in what barn aisle-who was just peeking in and looking at a horse who was a friend going in to water or feed- and there is no way you could get a camera to show inside every stall so not sure it would truly even work let alone be financally workable. I am not sure it is an expense that belongs to the registry.

 

[txminipinto]

The camera system would actually be a great idea for individuals. Not so much for the association like Lisa said. If you already have a mare stare account, have wireless cameras, a lap top, AND you stay on the grounds NEAR the barn, it shouldn't be too hard. Push came to shove, you could always set up a system like gas stations have with the video recording every night. Its a thought at least. I would hate for us all to have to come to this but its something I have thought about a time or two. Cameras are small enough these days they could be well hidden just to show the aisle and really that's all you need.

 

[LindaL]

This whole thing (and things like it...and worse...I have heard happening in the past) is just sickening! While I do think cameras are a good thing, it could also backfire in accidently accusing an innocent person...case in point...This year at Nationals, I slept in a stall at night. There happened to be a horse that banged his bucket against the wall all night long! I would NEVER dream (even tho it was such a simple fix) to enter that horse's stall and take away the bucket so I could sleep...for the very fact that I would be afraid of someone accusing ME of trying to hurt that horse! Luckily, the owner of the horse said she would take away his bucket, but she also gave me permission to remove it if she forgot...but someone who walked by would not know this and say "WTH are you doing in that horse's stall??"

It is scary and sad that it has come to this...being afraid and having to have security in whatever form you choose...to protect a horse at a SHOW!!