Monday, July 27, 2015

Walking Horse Chat "Truths" Seems To Be Wishes Instead

A recent article in The Tennessean seems to have the Big Lick crown a bit ruffled.  In response to this story, Walking Horse Chat posted a response....an ill thought out rebuttal, of sorts.  The Big Lick crowd wants to set the record straight with the TRUTH.  Upon closer examination, however, it looks as though those "truths" are anything but, and can be proven false.  Oops.


#1: (THE TRUTH- PADDED SHOES AND ACTION DEVICES ARE ALLOWED, THEY ARE JUST NOT SCHEDULED AT CERTAIN WHOA HIO SHOWS)


Not sure where that truth is coming from, as in the WHOA rule book I just counted 25 instances where it specifically states that hoof bands and/or action devices are not allowed in any classes or anywhere on the show grounds.

#2:  (THE TRUTH- WHOA WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL AND ONLY PROFITED WITH PERFORMANCE SHOWS WITH SOLICITED CORPORATE SPONSORS, AND BASICALLY WENT BROKE WHEN THE SHOW HIO WAS FORMED AND WHOA NO LONGER WERE ALLOWED TO SELL AMATUER CARDS)

Do WHOA’s recordkeeping books reflect this?  It seems as though they are doing quite well, and not broke at all…..not even a little bit.  Just how profitable are the padded shows these days?

#3:  (THE TRUTH-AS YOU CAN SEE IN THIS PICTURE JAMIE LAWRENCE’S TRUCK APPROACHES…WHY IS THERE NO TESTIMONY FROM THIS PROTESTER AND ALSO WHY DIDN’T THIS PHOTOGRAPHER NOT GET A PICTURE OF THE ATTEMPTED ASSAULT ON THERESA BIPPEN IF IT INDEED HAPPENED?)

First of all, the trial hasn’t happened yet.  That is where witnesses and additional evidence will be called upon to come to the stand to give their testimony (I believe, someone correct me if I’m wrong).  All that happened so far is that the GrandJury decided that there was enough evidence to suggest that a crime may have happened, and to bring a case against him and investigate.  Don’t get your panties in a wad trying to speed up his trial, it’s going to be just as speedy as is should be according to the law.

#4:  (THE ONLY SCIENTIFIC STUDY DONE WHICH WAS BY AUBURN UNIVERSITY SAID PADS AND ACTION DEVICES DO NOT SORE HORSES)

No, it doesn’t.  It concluded that chains do sore horses, and that more studies need to be conducted on chains and pads to conclude anything. 

#5:  (THE TRUTH-THAT AUDIT WAS COMPLETED YEARS AGO AND THE SUGGESTIONS WERE ISSUED IN WHAT WAS CALLED THE WHITE PAPER AND MANY IF NOT ALL SUGGESTIONS HAVE BEEN APPLIED)

I’m not sure what argument you’re trying to make here.  It never said that the audit was still ongoing, and it never said anything about what has and has not been implemented.  It just says that the audit is still being reviewed.  None of “truth #5” either accepts or denies, therefore it’s pretty much null.

#6:  (THE TRUTH- DEE DEE MILLER LIED…AND EVEN IS QUOITED IN THIS ARTICLE AS SUPPORTING THE PAST ACT)

Again, no.  DEE DEE MILLER personally supports the PAST Act.  She didn’t say that WHOA supports the PAST Act.  Reading for comprehension.

#7:  (THE TRUTH- WHOA ONLY GOT INTO THE HIO BUSINESS WHEN THEY PARTICIPATED IN THE DISSOLUTION OF THE NATIONAL HORSE SHOW COMMISSION AS A RESULT OF SUGGESTIONS IN THE WHITE PAPER)

How does this in any way lay false to the statement above it?  The calling out of a “truth” suggests that a lie has been told.  This is not so in this statement either.

#8:  (THE TRUTH-ANY REASONABLE PERSON WOULD KNOW THAT ANYTIME YOU CLAIM A HUGE INCREASE IN NUMBERS ALONG WITH “NO ONE CHEATED” THERE IS A LIE IN THERE SOMEWHERE)

You are speculating that there is no way possible that a show could not have violations.  Your standards must be incredibly low.  Just because you don’t believe a statement, without being able to point out a fact, it can’t be disproved.  Just because you have a gut feeling, doesn’t mean it’s accurate.

#9:  (THE TRUTH-NO LEGISLATION INTRODUCED IN  ANY CASE WHERE THERE WOULD BE “EXTRA” PADS AND CHAINS)

As I’m sure you know, the “extra pads and chains” refer to what is currently allowed in the Padded Division.  You’re just trying to twist the meaning of the statement around to mean something else, but the original statement was clear cut enough that your attempt is transparent.  No go.

#10:  (THE TRUTH-THATS CORRECT OUT OF THOUSANDS…ONLY 31 SHOWED UP)

Yet again, this “truth” does nothing to disprove or even somewhat contradict the preceding statement.  In fact, it agrees with it.  So again, no special “truth” to be found here.

#11:  (THE TRUTH-THIS PICTURE PRESENTS SEVERAL UNTRUTHS. IT DEPICS A LARGER THAN NORMAL SHOE SIZE…THE CHAIN IS LARGER THAN A 6 OUNCE CHAIN ALLOWED, AND THE FLAT SHOD SHOE PRESENTED DEPICTS A SMALLER SHOE THAN WHOA PRESENTLY ALLOWS IN SEVERAL CLASSES.)

Actually, this “truth” is absolute B.S.  The package shown is not out of sorts with what is legal in the Performance classes, the angle looks to be correct with what the horses are currently wearing, and so does the chain minus the leather straps.  Also, the horses have toes that are so overgrown that I’m sure a ‘normal’ hoof looks tiny comparatively.  But no, that horse shoe shown in comparison to the package is not tiny with the package huge.  Welcome to your own world.  Also, there is no minimum size limit to shoes at WHOA – even barefoot horses are allowed to compete so again, this “truth” is nothing but B.S. and either misconceptions or outright lies.  WHOA does have MAXIMUM size limits to horse shoes for the different divisions, and none of those maximums allow action devices or hoof bands.  Guess which division that eliminates...?

#12:  (THE TRUTH-THE CAMPAIGN IN MISSISSIPPI FOCUSED ON HARASSING A CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL TO NOT TAKE A DONATION OF $50,000 FROM THE MISS CHARITY HORSE SHOW…A CHARITY BENEFITING CHILDREN WHO CAN NOT PAY FOR THEIR MEDICAL BILLS)

First of all, there is no way to tell how much $ the show would have given to the hospital before the show was even held, unless all of the sponsor $$$ was lined up and a pre-determined donation was set up.  That theory would go to prove that the horse show itself doesn’t raise squat, the show managers begging for money from corporate sponsors does.  Also, no – the hospital was not harassed.  They were presented with facts, and they made a decision based on those facts and how they agreed or disagreed with their moral compass.  You say all the time that the “cat ladies” are completely irrelevant and ineffectual, yet now you somehow think that they strong-armed a powerhouse like the hospital into refusing a little bit of feel-good pocket change?  Puh-leeeeze…

#13:  (THE TRUTH-THE SHERIFFS DEPT DID NOT HAVE TO INTERVENE…THEY WERE DIRECTING TRAFFIC AND A PERSON WAS ACCUSED OF TRYING TO HIT A PROTESTER AND THE CHARGES HAVE NOT DEVELOPED INTO AN INDICTMENT)

Actually, the Sheriff’sdepartment is on video intervening….  They stopped the vehicle because they witnessed the driver swerving towards a pedestrian.  In case you haven’t heard, he HAS been indicted and the case will go on through the legal system.

#14  (THE TRUTH-NOT LIKELY)

Once again, that’s not a “truth”.  That’s a hope.  Totally different things.

#15:  (THE TRUTH-MAGGIE MOORE IS A LONG TIME HORSE PARTICIPANT WHO SHOWS AT BOTH WHOA EVENTS AND OTHER EVENTS THAT ALLOW PADDED SHOES AND ACTION DEVICES…NOT JUST WHOA EVENTS)

ONCE AGAIN, this is not a “truth”, as it does not contradict the statement that it is supposedly telling the truth about.  No where does the article claim that Maggie ONLY shows with WHOA.  Reading for comprehension – fail.

#16:  (THE TRUTH IS-CARL BLEDSOE WAS CAUGHT BY INDUSTRY INSPECTION ORGANISATIONS PRESENTING SORE HORSES…THATS WHY HE IS NO LONGER IN THE HORSE BUSINESS)

False:  Carl Bledsoe is still in the horse business, he's just not in the Big Lick business anymore.  The only fact in this “fact” is that he was caught violating the HPA. 

#17:  (THE TRUTH-HE WAS OUT OF BUSINESS ANYWAY WITHOUT SPEAKING ABOUT ANYTHING AND WAS A VERY UNSUCCESSFUL TRAINER EVEN WHEN HE CLAIMED TO BE CHEATING)


Well, according to show records, he sure has a lot of 1st, 2nd and 3rd place finishes in a bunch of classes and shows spanning from 2002-2012 including the Trainer’s Show.  How odd.

So, "truths", or wild hopes in an attempt to give the feeling of new information when in all reality they are just vocalizing out of their posteriors?  I'd say the latter.

Ride safe all,

~The Roadqueen

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