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THE BUCK STOPS WHERE?


A letter of appeal to Equine Canada
from Chris Irwin

I
recently received yet another phone call from an attor- horse training” continues to be swept under the carpet of pub-
ney asking if I would be available for hire as an “expert lic awareness.
witness” in a lawsuit in which his client, a “professional A few years ago, Don Adams, the outgoing executive direc-
horse trainer”, is being sued by a student who was very seri- tor of Equine Canada, was representing our country at an
ously injured during a session together. The plaintiff in this equine conference in Europe. Mr. Adams asked many of his
case is now a paraplegic and feels that her crippling injury is European colleagues why they thought that the Europeans
the result of negligence in how her trainer “trained” her horse. performed so much better then Canadians on the world
The lawyer was hoping I would be willing to testify that I equestrian stage? Apparently he was told repeatedly that the
believed the trainer was not negligent and that this woman biggest difference was NOT the quality of our horses, but
was just another unfortunate victim of what we all know is an rather the quality of our horse training. It seems that in Europe
inherently danger- the young riders are taught how to ride on horses that are truly
ous sport. After
hearing the details
How can we expect our going “correctly”. How can we expect our students to learn to
ride correctly on horses that have not been trained “correctly”?
of how this woman students to learn to ride While it is true that the horse industry is fractured, in that
was so critically those who race do not feel that they have anything in common
injured, however,
correctly on horses that with those who jump and those who wear breeches do not
there was no have not been trained often mingle with those who wear cowboy hats, the fact
doubt in my mind remains that a horse is a horse is a horse and that competent
that the trainer was “correctly”? horse trainers are in seriously short supply.
indeed negligent. I While Equine Canada has certified “riding instruction” for
told the attorney I could not in good conscience help him both English and western riding, and driving, the fact is that
defend his client. This was the third phone call of this sort that riding and driving coaches are NOT necessarily competent
I have received from an attorney in just the last year. To add horse trainers. For instance, in English riding, every certified
insult to injury, the “trainer” is a certified Equine Canada riding coach theoretically teaches the concept of riding a
coach. horse from back to front, from the inside leg into the outside
I also receive countless phone calls and emails from frus- rein, on a horse whose topline is allowing the rider to move
trated people who have hired professional horse trainers, and, impulsion “through” a level, long and low, or well rounded/col-
yes, EC certified riding coaches, only to find that their horses lected topline. The sad
are worse after they have been handled by these “profession- In other words, talk reality is, however, that
als” instead of better.
There are too many Thoroughbreds flipping over in the
is cheap, actions the vast majority of
these same instructors
starting gates at the racetracks, and too many horses being speak louder than do not know how to
seriously injured by people attempting to load them into trail-
ers. There are too many horses and riders suffering crippling
words, and no achieve such results
with their own horses
injuries in jumping and three-day eventing. There are the driv- amount of theoretical and we find riding stu-
ing horses that become “runaways” during public events such dents being taught
as parades and also tragic stories from Alberta like the nine riding instruction “theory” on horses that
horses that died after they jumped from a highway overpass qualifies a person to are inverted and
during a “drive” to the Calgary Stampede. Or the young girl, counter bent. In other
also in Alberta, who was killed last summer when the horse know how to train words, talk is cheap,
she was giving her little sister a riding lesson on ran away and
dragged her to death. What about the ‘A’ circuit rider in B.C.
young horses. actions speak louder
than words, and no
who was killed when her horse kicked her in the head? What amount of theoretical riding instruction qualifies a person to
is going on? know how to train young horses and/or “problem” horses so
Nobody wants to hear about these “accidents”, let alone that the horse says “yes” to the aids. We have jumpers rush-
talk about them, yet time and time again Equine Canada, the ing to fences on inverted horses that are being savagely
governing body of Equestrian Sport in Canada, ‘passes the pulled on and this does NOT come remotely close to a sup-
buck’ and the problem of defining what exactly is “competent porting half halt applied to a collected horse. We have too
continued on page 93
58 HORSE SPORT / October 2006 www.horse-canada.com
viewpoint.qxp 8/23/2006 4:12 PM Page 93

horse tales
continued from page 58

Lorna Jean (Knight) Guthrie


many dressage horses that are angry instead of “calm and
October 1930 – August 2006
collected”. We have too many western horses that are “broke”
to the point of being sullen and shut down. Lorna Jean Guthrie’s passion
Our sport is in chaos. And for those of you who think I am for horses began at an early
exaggerating, aside from the anger, fear and frustration appar- age riding with her father
ent in so many stables throughout our country, just take a look Harold A. Knight. The Knights
at how our elite riders are doing on the international stage and based their small operation in
ask yourself why our best riders are in such poor world stand- the village of Arkell, ON near Lorna Guthrie and Berrywood
ings? I just received another email from a concerned show legendary horse dealer Stu
mom because her daughter is riding a horse while being Holding’s farm. Her show
coached by a level three dressage coach and they just can’t jumping career began in earnest in 1946, competing at the
seem to figure out why their amazingly well bred Warmblood Royal Winter Fair with her horses Arva and Briar Hill. Guthrie’s
is so stressed that he can’t stop chomping the bit and grind- hunters Berrywood, Delrish, Peter Pan, Hunter’s Choice,
ing his teeth. Flaring Fox and Colt 45 dominated the show circuit in the
My point here is that while there is no shortage of certified 1950s and 1960s during which time she trained with Dave Kelly
riding instructors, or farriers with a college diploma, or and Jimmy Pogue. Guthrie showed extensively in the United
licensed veterinarians, or certified massage therapists, or cer- States, where she was often the only Canadian. She married
tified equine chiropractors, each and every one of these areas Hugh Guthrie, a Guelph lawyer who became a staunch sup-
of equine expertise is completely dependent upon a reason- porter.
ably well trained horse allowing the professional to pick up the Guthrie had a keen eye for good conformation. She won the
feet, look in the mouth, lift up the tail, or stand quietly for pok- Lieutenant Governor’s Cup in 1963 with Burr’s Comet and con-
ing and prodding. Our industry has put the cart before the tinued with her line horses throughout the 1970s, culminating
horse and made everything BUT horse training important with Jazz Prince winning the H. A. Knight Memorial Cup at the
because “horse trainers” are all too often viewed as “the cow- Royal in 1989.
boy with the guts” to get on and ride something green or full After her retirement from the show ring in 1970, Guthrie sup-
of problems such as bucking, bolting or rearing. It’s a cliché ported the Pony Club and fall fair circuit with her two daughters,
at the higher levels of our sport, however, that whenever a per- Muffie and Ann. Throughout the years, she sponsored young
formance horse has an issue that the problems are to be riders including Jenny and Mike Grinyer in the ’70s , and more
found somewhere in the fundamentals or the basics. recently, Eric Lamaze and Ainsley Vince.
Meanwhile, it’s getting harder and harder for aspiring horse Guthrie fondly remembered the Handy Hunter (Class 106) at
trainers to obtain liability insurance because so many people the Royal Winter Fair, which was famous for its pen, coups, and
are being injured and more then ever the disillusioned garden gates. She felt that the new generation of riders should
masses are ready to file lawsuits and are looking for someone have the chance to ride this type of course as it required the
to hold accountable in a court of law. ability to think and react. As a result, Guthrie founded the
Einstein said it best: “Problems can not be solved at the Knightwood Handy Hunter class at the Fall Final in Palgrave.
same level in which they have been created.” It is time to raise In the early 1990s, Guthrie returned to the show ring with
the bar of horse sport in Canada and I firmly believe that Jazz Prince, under the tutelage of Bobbie Reber. During this
Equine Canada must take a leadership role in this matter and period, she concentrated on creating a competitive string of
step forward and acknowledge that ‘the buck stops here’ and hunters and jumpers that included Hook, Pine Valley, Bourbon
that we are long overdue for a national program that address- Street, Nevada, and Kasjemein. The Guthries donated horses
es how horses should be trained. This is political dynamite to the Canadian Equestrian Team and their time to the Ontario
because very few horse trainers can agree on “how” to train a Hunter Jumper Association.
horse, but perhaps a good first step would be to bring all the Guthrie took great pride in Knightwood Stables, which
facets of the horse industry together to at least develop a stan- remains one of the few private stables in the country. This year
dardized code of ethics of how NOT to train a horse. will mark the 60th year that horses have shown at the Royal
I sincerely hope that the much heralded Long Term Athlete Winter Fair under the Knight family banner.
Development Program will be willing to look at this critical In August 2006, Canadian show jumping lost a patron, com-
issue but, alas, I could not find any mention of “horse training” petitor, and advocate. Guthrie was a true amateur athlete, as
anywhere in the text I read on the EC website. she always balanced horses with a successful family business
This should not be about politics, or about English or west- and her charitable endeavours. She rode faithfully with her
ern riding. This is an issue of accountability. This is about our Corgis and Labradors into the spring of this year. She never
industry leaders recognizing that coaching theory as it is cur- missed a show at Palgrave and she was always waiting at the
rently certified by Equine Canada is not living up to the indus- in-gate with a mint for her horses and a kind word for all riders.
try needs for competent horse training. The question must be Her graciousness and sportsmanship will be missed.
asked: the buck stops where?
The opinions expressed in Viewpoint are those of the contributors and don’t necessarily reflect those of the
publisher. Please email janstey@horse-canada.com if you wish to submit material to this department.

www.horse-canada.com October 2006 / HORSE SPORT 93

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