Rich Strike's Outrider

[jms62]

Originally Posted by casp0555

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid...a.434444508409

What does one do when a horse is biting your leg to make him stop? Lot's of pandering but not 1 suggestion of what they would have done if the horse is chomping their leg.

[freddymo]

Originally Posted by jms62

What does one do when a horse is biting your leg to make him stop? Lots of pandering but not 1 suggestion of what they would have done if the horse is chomping their leg.

Maybe let it go because the only reason it is biting you is that it is next to you? We have seen Maggie on SPA Live deal with rank and aggressive horses, and while her job was to get an interview after the race, it wasn't a mandate, so it didn't happen. Our horse whisperer and his horse HAD to get an interview for NBC, as such, it was so impossible to let the horse go even if it wasn't the right horse for the chore. People wanted to hear from the jockey, and it was a great story NBC tried to tell it. Yet instead of recognizing it wasn't going to happen without very dubious activity, they forced the issue.

Now we learn that the outrider is terrific, which I have no doubt he is that said...Have a Heart

[Dahoss]

One thing I haven't seen mentioned is Sonny Leon didn't seems to have any issue with what Blasi was doing. Which leads me to believe it wasn't that big of a deal.

That's pure speculation on my part, but if Blasi was doing something wrong wouldn't the rider have done something different?

[freddymo]

Originally Posted by Dahoss

One thing I haven't seen mentioned is Sonny Leon didn't seems to have any issue with what Blasi was doing. Which leads me to believe it wasn't that big of a deal.

That's pure speculation on my part, but if Blasi was doing something wrong wouldn't the rider have done something different?

I doubt he was doing anything wrong, and it's Sonny Leon (no disrespect), not Smith or JV, telling him to get the **** out of my face. None of this is the point. It does not matter if Mr. Horse Whisperer was doing anything egregious. Horse racing needed a message to a national audience. That message ALWAYS has to be, and we hear it daily from typical horse people. The horse comes first. Sometimes the horse cooperates, and we can get you that interview. Other times have to scrap it because it's in the animal's best interest.

[Dahoss]

Originally Posted by freddymo

I doubt he was doing anything wrong, and it's Sonny Leon (no disrespect), not Smith or JV, telling him to get the **** out of my face. None of this is the point. It does not matter if Mr. Horse Whisperer was doing anything egregious. Horse racing needed a message to a national audience. That message ALWAYS has to be, and we hear it daily from typical horse people. The horse comes first. Sometimes the horse cooperates, and we can get you that interview. Other times have to scrap it because it's in the animal's best interest.

I hear you Freddy. That's why I think it was a perfect time for someone on the broadcast to educate. Didn't happen.

[moses]

Originally Posted by freddymo

I doubt he was doing anything wrong, and it's Sonny Leon (no disrespect), not Smith or JV, telling him to get the **** out of my face. None of this is the point. It does not matter if Mr. Horse Whisperer was doing anything egregious. Horse racing needed a message to a national audience. That message ALWAYS has to be, and we hear it daily from typical horse people. The horse comes first. Sometimes the horse cooperates, and we can get you that interview. Other times have to scrap it because it's in the animal's best interest.

I think fans and people in the industry are too sensitive to the “image” that is portrayed of horse racing. I don’t think this situation is a big deal to 90% of people. I’m not sure how many people even noticed. The casual gambler has already moved on. I know quite a few people who are animal lovers. I haven’t heard anything from them. People within the industry seem to be making more of a fuss about this than anyone else.

That’s not to say the industry shouldn’t want a positive public image, but I think it would be more productive to focus on aftercare and getting harmful drugs out of the sport and other things of that sort. One guy getting rough with a horse is explainable. An industry basically failing to protect horses and care for them after their racing careers is something that can’t really be explained or defended.

Yes, the sport doesn’t need negative press. But the reason it can’t handle negative press is because it’s failed to take care of the big stuff that remain a black eye on the sport. Hopefully we are headed in the right direction with that though.

[freddymo]

Originally Posted by moses

I think fans and people in the industry are too sensitive to the “image” that is portrayed of horse racing. I don’t think this situation is a big deal to 90% of people. I’m not sure how many people even noticed. The casual gambler has already moved on. I know quite a few people who are animal lovers. I haven’t heard anything from them. People within the industry seem to be making more of a fuss about this than anyone else.

That’s not to say the industry shouldn’t want a positive public image, but I think it would be more productive to focus on aftercare and getting harmful drugs out of the sport and other things of that sort. One guy getting rough with a horse is explainable. An industry basically failing to protect horses and care for them after their racing careers is something that can’t really be explained or defended.

Yes, the sport doesn’t need negative press. But the reason it can’t handle negative press is because it’s failed to take care of the big stuff that remain a black eye on the sport. Hopefully we are headed in the right direction with that though.

I am agreement with too much of this to nit pick.

[Dahoss]

Originally Posted by moses

I think fans and people in the industry are too sensitive to the “image” that is portrayed of horse racing. I don’t think this situation is a big deal to 90% of people. I’m not sure how many people even noticed. The casual gambler has already moved on. I know quite a few people who are animal lovers. I haven’t heard anything from them. People within the industry seem to be making more of a fuss about this than anyone else.

That’s not to say the industry shouldn’t want a positive public image, but I think it would be more productive to focus on aftercare and getting harmful drugs out of the sport and other things of that sort. One guy getting rough with a horse is explainable. An industry basically failing to protect horses and care for them after their racing careers is something that can’t really be explained or defended.

Yes, the sport doesn’t need negative press. But the reason it can’t handle negative press is because it’s failed to take care of the big stuff that remain a black eye on the sport. Hopefully we are headed in the right direction with that though.

This was a great post by the way. Spot on

[casp0555]

Originally Posted by jms62

What does one do when a horse is biting your leg to make him stop? Lot's of pandering but not 1 suggestion of what they would have done if the horse is chomping their leg.

I could tell you in private....otherwise there may be a lynching with me as the guest of honor

[knickslions2]

Originally Posted by casp0555

I could tell you in private....otherwise there may be a lynching with me as the guest of honor

[casp0555]

here is a twitter pic with Rich Strike giving another pony some love

https://twitter.com/skipaway2000/sta...111872/photo/1

[casp0555]

Originally Posted by casp0555

here is a twitter pic with Rich Strike giving another pony some love

https://twitter.com/skipaway2000/sta...111872/photo/1

notice Sonny has a handfull of mane too...some of the twitter comments say be was acting up in the post parade...take that FWIW

[casp0555]

Also, if you can catch a replay of the interview that Eric Reed did on The Today Show, he stated that the outrider was bitten "terribly" on the leg and also a couple of times on his arm. Reed said he was grateful for the outrider's actions that most likely saved his horse from injury "if he had of gotten away".

Like stated on this thread earlier, a missed opportunity for the broadcast team to offer up some explanation but again, there was a ton of other stuff going on to focus on.

Was just watching PARDON THE INTERRUPTION on ESPN.

Both Mike Wilbon and Tony Kornheiser admitted they know nothing about horse racing.

Wilbon was asking is it unusual for a horse to try to bite another horse.

Then they both agreed regardless what they did or did not know.

There was NO WAY the outrider should be repeatedly punching the KY DERBY winner in the head.

One of us could explain WHY the guy was doing it.

That's not going to appease these guys or anyone else in the general public.

Horse was very very difficult. Horsemen MUST be bigger.

Cannot hit him on national TV.

NO MATTER WHAT!