>>>>Please vote for J. Michael Plumb for the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame. http://tinyurl.com/yvxyqc Please cross post.
Why? I'm curious as to why you say this, and why you care? Have you ever met him, or trained with him? If not, why do you cross-post things like this? Michael Plumb, 8-time Olympian, is headquartered maybe an hour and a quarter east of our farm. I've heard some rather disturbing things about some the horses that went through his barn and didn't make it as eventers. I've only personally met one, however. Her story wasn't very nice, although she was finally living well, quietly on a small farm, with a sensitive rider, when I met her. Her owners got her just before the killer arrived to pick her up to take her to slaughter. I don't know for sure how typical her story was, although I've heard there were many others. I don't know about the others firsthand. I'm of the opinion that if we don't know the details about someone, maybe we should just stay neutral, and not promote him/her. I especially feel this way if someone is going to promote himself or herself as a caring horseman. I never said anything specifically to the list about meeting that horse before, but seeing this request hit me wrong. I haven't met Michael Plumb personally. I feel sure he'll make this Hall of Fame, simply because of his record-setting 8 Olympic appearances. It does not, however, make me forget that mare. Even if she were the only one, which I doubt, that was one mare too many by my standards. Eventing is a difficult, demanding, even rough, and controversial sport at the international/Olympic level, and there has been serious talk at several times of taking it out of the Olympics. I specifically remember this talk surfacing one year - if I remember correctly two, maybe three horses, died at ONE event. On the other hand, I've known some low-middle level eventers who are good riders and caring horsemen - as with most equestrian sports, the scandals and abuses seem to get worse, the higher the level of competition. It doesn't HAVE to be such a rough sport, but often it is. Stories like this one are what have made me grow pretty anti-competitive when it comes to contests involving horses. Karen Thomas, NC No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.21.4/1309 - Release Date: 3/3/2008 6:50 PM
