Watching the replay, I can't see how someone would think that Irad did that purposely. Did he try to get his horse from the 10 post over to the rail somewhere midpack to try to save ground? Yes. Do many riders try to do that? Yes, and more probably should.
I just don't see him trying to steer the horse into Davis's horse, seems to me that Irad's horse was lugging in and he was trying to get the horse to go back left but the horse had its own ideas.
To me this is just not herding but rather a horse doing what it wants to do and a 112 lbs. or so guy who can't get his horse outside, not a rider riding unsafely to intimidate another horse to back off. Having said that the DQ was fair under the circumstances but I just don't agree that the rider should be punished for what appears to me to much more likely be an uncooperative horse instead of a dangerous ride.
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