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Odd Trainer Claims ??

From time to time I get questions about trainers. Things like ‘what division do their students show in’. ‘How long have they been a trainer’ etc.

Although I’m not in the business of giving an opinion on any particular trainers’ skills I will comment on their results if I’ve had personal experience with the trainer in question.

But most of the time it’s a simple ‘Yes, they have clients that show at LIHSAA member shows and their clients show in the following divisions: “ Not giving away much with that answer and the information is available from many public websites that handle online entries and results.

But every once in a while I receive an inquiry about a trainer that I’ve never heard of that is supposed to be Long Island based. That is actually possible as there are a few trainers from the area that primarily show at off Long Island shows but I usually know their names. And sometimes the ‘trainer’ is involved with one of the local unrated show series.

Again, I know the name.

But recently I was asked about trainer M. F,

Found a website with ‘interesting’ claims. Here’s what she claims on her site.

“M has worked her way through the ranks as a show groom, rider, manager, agent, and trainer. M has had, in the process, the opportunity to work in some of the best barns in the States as well as with some of the best riders in the world. As such she has developed a loyal client base of both in her sales program and private instruction. Some of her work history includes world cup and Olympic silver and gold medal winners and private clients.

M has also worked with thoroughbred race horses in southern California and as trainer at xxxxxxxx Stables in Amagansett, NY. Her hands on approach, honesty, work ethic, and knowledge of the highest standards in horse management and training is recognized by top professionals in show hunters and jumpers in the U.S. M, in only her first year of horse sales, has sold quality horses to some of the top barns in the country. Those horses’ years later have proven to be consistent, competitive and safe show horses for their owners.

M has earned the respect of the top professionals by always giving honest and accurate information on the horses she has represented and shown for sale. In addition to showing horses for sale Meg has her own level 3 jumper, Mr. xxxxxxx, and trained students for show at the most well know shows in the country. Some of those shows are The Hampton Classic, Winter Equestrian Festival, HITS on the Hudson, HITS in Indio, Middleburg Hunter Classic, Show Park San Diego, Thousand Oaks, Old Salem Farm, just to name a few.”:

This past summer, M was especially proud to have students at the Hampton Classic place 2nd out of 70 in the children’s hunter ponies and to have moved a rider from ponies to the big equitation who finished with top ribbons. She has been featured in the xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx for her work preparing young riders for the show ring.”

Let’s look at some of her claims.

“Some of her work history includes world cup and Olympic silver and gold medal winners and private clients.”

She doesn’t share with the reader who those super star Olympians were. As she mentions she has been a groom can’t help but wonder if she groomed for a few well known riders.

“As such she has developed a loyal client base of both in her sales program and private instruction” M, in only her first year of horse sales, has sold quality horses to some of the top barns in the country. Those horses’ years later have proven to be consistent, competitive and safe show horses for their owners.

Her website doesn’t list any of the horses she has sold. She does list a local rider as one of her past clients but all I can find on that situation involves a BNT, not M F.

“ In addition to showing horses for sale M has her own level 3 jumper, Mr. xxxxxx, and trained students for show at the most well know shows in the country”

Her USEF ID is inactive. She may also have a USEF ID in MD but that is also inactive.

Can’t find a jumper named Mr xxxxxxxx except for one horse on the other coast showing in Level 1 jumpers, different owner, and different rider. No horse recording, no HID, no results file for anything under her USEF ID or her name.

Google takes me to her website and FB page which has a comment from a poster requesting that she take down her pony pics as those ponies belong to someone else. Oh My !!!

Here’s another one:

‘L T, an accomplished event rider, is new to XXX XXXXXs' Farm. An avid horse enthusiast since the age of 10, L has over 16 years experience in the equestrian field. Since graduating from xxxxx in 2004 with a degree in Equine Science and Performance Horse Conditioning, she has spent the past 7 years travelling through the east coast competing in combined training events, dressage, hunters and jumpers. With a passion for eventing, L took up residency with former Olympian P D and devoted her time to truly learning classic riding. Taking advantage of the concentrated area of Olympians, she has cliniced and taken lessons from over ten Olympians, including D and K O', S B, Darren Chiachia, S B, and many more. After riding in northern Virginia for 3 years, she returned home to her native Long Island with a mission. To provide young riders with the proper instruction and concrete basics to actually succeed in their riding. ‘

This one also has no current USEF ID. Checked USEA as she is suppose to be an eventer Nothing there, No results. No USEA Trainer Certification.

USEF has two inactive ID’s for a person with this name. One in MD and one in VA. One of the ID’s has an Adult Jumper attached to it. But that can’t be her as she is a pro not an Adult Ammie!!

And she has recently been a trainer at the County owned facility (summer 2010). Before that she was a trainer at a Suffolk barn located in a county park and before that at a farm in DC. Gets around, doesn’t seem to stay long.

Many local riders have cliniced or taken lessons with Olympians. Doesn’t make you a star !!!

And LT published an article on another website designed to tug at emotions to get contributions for a rescue/dealer/lesson-boarding barn. Only problem is at least some of the article was written by a staff writer at the DRF. LT did not attribute any part of her article to the true author.

And finally, here’s another one.

D B

Only showed locally twice in the last 4 years and one show was Low Hunters.

Has a few clients. SS and Pre Childrens mostly.

Training Board $3050 monthly.

Bit steep. Who’s doing the training rides? Surely not the trainer who rarely shows.

But heck that price includes filling out your entry blank !!

Claims she is at WEF but can’t find her on trainer lists. Opps !! Turns out she really isn’t there.

Pictures on website taken at another farm

Ribbons turn out to be from LI Summer Showcase. What is that??

The point of all this is the NQR trainers hurt everyone. Riding gets a bad rep.

Use care when you select a trainer. The vast majority of the Long Island trainers are reputable horsemen and horsewoman. If a claim sounds wrong then investigate further. If they are charging an obscene amount in board or training fees check their references carefully. Ask other trainers if they have heard of the trainer you are considering using. If nobody knows them then run very quickly in the other direction.

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Final chapter to the “rescue’ Story.

At least I hope so.

After some research which was aided by an on site visit to one of the ‘rescues’, it has become apparent that in some cases your local ‘rescue’ isn’t a rescue at all.

This is what seems to be happening:

A local ‘dealer’ operating as a ‘rescue’ solicits money locally.

Those funds are used to buy horses at out of state auctions for prices higher than the going meat quotes.

The purchased horses are then sent to a farm in another state where the locally raised funds are used to pay out of state shippers, vets, farriers, trainers and boarding stables.

These horses are then placed (and that means sometimes sold, not always adopted).

Some time has passed since I published the original series of articles about rescues so it’s time for an update.

As a side note I’m leaving NYHR out of the discussion at this point, at least till there is an understanding of that situation, not just rumors.

Keep in mind that there are many equine rescues that do a good job and operate within whatever regulations govern them. They deserve your support. Some others, not so much.

Many individuals quietly do what they can. And that is not always through a rescue. It can be something like buying a CANTER horse or a horse off the track, retraining and selling on to a good home. Sometimes as a show horse.

LIHSAA 2011 Rule Changes

Each year there are modifications to our Rules and Class Specifications. Here’s a preview of those changes.

Year End Point Disputes:

This change is to clarify how a dispute after points for the year are final is handled.

Refer to USEF GR1119.2. The fee to file a dispute with LIHSAA is $200. ‘Final’ point dates and the last date to file a question are published annually. All disputes must be communicated in writing. A dispute in this context refers to a claim made after the closing date for final points. [NEW 12-1-2010]

Name Changes:

There will be a form on the LIHSAA website to be used when notifying us of a horse/pony name change.

Failure to notify LIHSAA of a horse/pony name change within 30 days may result in loss of points. [NEW 12-1-2010]

Pony Eligibility for LIHSAA Divisions:

We added the specific LIHSAA divisions that allow ponies (other than those divisions restricted to ponies).