tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317822193674196694.post1450811439885427235..comments2011-04-23T06:38:33.768-04:00Stacey Kimmel-Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08498926535389535263noreply@blogger.comBlogger29125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317822193674196694.post-815567240949047912011-04-22T22:32:59.361-04:002011-04-22T22:32:59.361-04:00

personally i don't think anyone should blame her or the horse. it was a terrible accident. it could have happened to anyone. people get bad distances all the time.

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317822193674196694.post-73734216287939636482011-04-04T18:13:43.182-04:002011-04-04T18:13:43.182-04:00

I too agree, Laine Ashker has come a long way since the tragedy at Rolex. She however, seems to lose her competion/up and coming horses to often. Any idea how Barracuda(Guppy) was injured and putdown? just curious!!!!

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317822193674196694.post-61815576463684728542011-03-28T07:43:13.297-04:002011-03-28T07:43:13.297-04:00

Hi Anon, people react to what they see and feel, and I stand by the views I held at the time this happened. Keep in mind that my husband saw the accident and we were both pretty deeply affected. <br /><br />That said, I have learned a great deal more about LA since then. She has impressed me. I&#39;m not inclined to &quot;pull&quot; this essay because it was what I felt at the time, but my

Stacey Kimmel-Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08498926535389535263noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317822193674196694.post-20819069187572622822011-03-27T17:55:27.605-04:002011-03-27T17:55:27.605-04:00

The ignorance displayed on this board is unbelievable. I rode and competed with Laine and she is a phenominal young women, incredible athlete, and cares deeply about her horses. This sport is far from perfect and the recent accidents have highlighted the changes to the sport, the effects of which have only been seen in the last few years. <br />To comment on Laine or her mothers response to this

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317822193674196694.post-30020792722455883422008-10-02T00:43:00.000-04:002008-10-02T00:43:00.000-04:00

you know what if that fall had happened to me i would not want to see the video either!! horses make mistakes and so do riders. if you watch the video frodo dropped his feet causeing him to flip because the cross country fences do not fall. if you are goinbg to blame someone or something blame the people that designed the fences if they were built to fall he wouldnt of flipped. You all should

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14321059932716458826noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317822193674196694.post-78745045786907674572008-08-20T06:32:00.000-04:002008-08-20T06:32:00.000-04:00

Hi Anonymous,<BR/><BR/>You are right that the significance of region in her reaction is probably an overgeneralization. <BR/>The question is whether the aneurysm was triggered by overexertion. I've seen no evidence on this but it seems possible. I've also heard (from several eventers at the event) that ESJS colicked the night before the event where he had the aneurysm.

Stacey Kimmel-Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08498926535389535263noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317822193674196694.post-52100246533933100422008-08-20T00:45:00.000-04:002008-08-20T00:45:00.000-04:00

I don't think that the region she came from "infected" her. The region she came from may have influences on her, but she has been on the east coast almost as long as she was in Northern CA. To make generalizations based on where she came from can't be right, remember, she did go through pony club and no one in the horse industry can say that pony clubbers aren't well informed and taught. I

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317822193674196694.post-40875934931152192762008-08-03T21:20:00.000-04:002008-08-03T21:20:00.000-04:00

I don't think that's limited to eventing, or to a region of the country. At a barn where I boarded, a young girl trained her mare over 4 foot fences almost every time she rode, and that horse had the biggest, most hideous windpuff i'd ever seen -- it looked like a deformity. There was also a girl who campaigned a lame horse (lame at the trot) in jumpers, with success. I fault her less because she

Stacey Kimmel-Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08498926535389535263noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317822193674196694.post-11168884502122274172008-08-03T20:05:00.000-04:002008-08-03T20:05:00.000-04:00

In response to the previous post--the interview said that Laine Ashker is from El Dorado Hills, in Northern California, about 45min from Sacramento, where I live. Although I hate to make assumptions, I must add that EdH is the expensive, trendy neighborhood in the region. Because the area is rural (in a stylish way, of course) it is full of swanky lesson stables as well. Again, I'm sure there

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317822193674196694.post-46170377665759525782008-08-01T02:19:00.000-04:002008-08-01T02:19:00.000-04:00

I don't think that at the age of 24 I would have the ability to handle this on the world stage the way this young woman is being asked to. Sunny California (is she from Northern or Southern California — there is a huge difference!!!) makes for a great place to own and ride horses nearly year round. I treasure that greatly. I am sorry for this tragic event.

Marilynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15259468452859587930noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317822193674196694.post-83020995602447065192008-07-31T11:48:00.000-04:002008-07-31T11:48:00.000-04:00

Excellent blog...<BR/><BR/>This post highlights one of the sad but frequent occurrences in equestrian sports. For the true horse lover, the horse is an equal partner, which is what makes equestrian sports unique from all others.<BR/><BR/>The loss of a partner would be a tremendous blow to anyone who felt this way about their horse.<BR/><BR/>Apparently, Laine views her horses as "tools". A means

Suzanne Quigleywww.catalog-copywriter.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317822193674196694.post-90761397391344680062008-07-29T16:30:00.000-04:002008-07-29T16:30:00.000-04:00

No, but I know that story. Info is <BR/>available at<BR/>http://www.horsetalk.co.nz/news/2008/05/142.shtml<BR/><BR/>The family claims that eventing is made dangerous to be more "thrilling" to the spectators. <BR/><BR/>To me the suit appears to be without basis.

Stacey Kimmel-Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08498926535389535263noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317822193674196694.post-6237245257576855312008-07-29T16:22:00.000-04:002008-07-29T16:22:00.000-04:00

I couldn't bring myself to watch the interview or crash video, but--is she the one whose sister also died eventing? I thought I had read about someone recently whose sister had been killed riding several years earlier, and the mom was pretty prominent in that story--like they were suing USCTA or something...just wondered if you knew...

Netherfieldmomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14260647159580710835noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317822193674196694.post-53416051114532387892008-07-29T10:06:00.000-04:002008-07-29T10:06:00.000-04:00

Interestingly, the Ashker farm in Virginia is on the market, and the Web site says they are relocating to Northern California. http://www.crowsearfarm.com/home.htm. In addition, several of her competition horses are for sale. Is this indicative of larger problems that they aren't talking about? Perhaps financial issues related to the accident? <BR/><BR/>Great blog, by the way. You clearly do some

trainingemmyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08256019518013499226noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317822193674196694.post-1303385388080092462008-07-29T10:01:00.000-04:002008-07-29T10:01:00.000-04:00

dressageinjeans nailed it! I watched the Bryant Gumbel segment last night about Eventing, and its dark side. In fact I was compelled to blog about it, myself.<BR/><BR/>http://frequentlyfeline.blogspot.com/2008/07/equestrian-eventing-with-bryant-gumbel.html<BR/><BR/>It was a most revealing piece and I walked away after viewing it, shaking my head mostly about the apathy and the reasons for not

kneadstoknowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07366628499965281614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317822193674196694.post-89612437585741453382008-07-28T07:04:00.000-04:002008-07-28T07:04:00.000-04:00

If you go to the Chronicle of the Horse eventing forum, there is a lot of analysis of the basket jump and what happened. Apparently there is a significant dip right before this jump and Jimmy Wofford and others warned that it could get someone into trouble. See the threads on Laine Ashker for the full discussion. Not all posts are informed but there are some heavy hitters, including Denny Emerson

Stacey Kimmel-Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08498926535389535263noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317822193674196694.post-13601636434726962942008-07-27T23:43:00.000-04:002008-07-27T23:43:00.000-04:00

Holy mother of god she didn’t have a clue as to the distance for the fence. That horse died trying to save her ass. Had he taken off where she let him go they’d have crashed it too and fuck him for having too big a heart to refuse...<BR/><BR/>I’ll take a refusal ANY day over a hail mary to a 5’ solid obstacle...

CJ-Wan-Kanobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10115508174008304739noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317822193674196694.post-76425495938885931322008-07-27T20:53:00.000-04:002008-07-27T20:53:00.000-04:00

Dressage in jeans nailed it -- jackasses.

Stacey Kimmel-Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08498926535389535263noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317822193674196694.post-88641048220940051812008-07-27T17:08:00.000-04:002008-07-27T17:08:00.000-04:00

really well written piece. <BR/><BR/>when you wrote: "Coach, I struck out because the bat wasn't doing its job," i think you alluded to the real source of the problem. for people like this, the horse is nothing more than a piece of sports equipment to be used then and thrown away or replaced when it wears out or breaks. it is a vehicle for the rider/owner/sponsor's blind ambition; and to the

jmehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04295140724737185132noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317822193674196694.post-40534415761212290332008-07-27T16:58:00.000-04:002008-07-27T16:58:00.000-04:00

I'm so glad you posted this. I had not seen the fall, nor known about the interviews. Question to rider and mom: How is a horse not like a success-machine? Answer: It is a live animal and you are responsible for its welfare. These selfish greedy people make me ill.

Flying Lilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04652273828990723024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317822193674196694.post-76281819778205324432008-07-27T14:49:00.000-04:002008-07-27T14:49:00.000-04:00

The girl is obviously just in it to win a name for herself and doesn't care how many horses she kills/injures. And then we have the stage mom living vicariously through her daughter, I can't believe this,if you care nothing for all the horses you are damaging, at least care about your child's health and welfare. If the girl eventually gets killed I guess mom will be a celebrity of a sort. They

Grey Horse Mattershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05837575441967937196noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317822193674196694.post-19735689231748253692008-07-27T04:06:00.000-04:002008-07-27T04:06:00.000-04:00

Ah I'm angry now. Technically he didn't lift up his feet, true, thats why he flipped, but he was going so fast and the spot just wasn't there. He didn't have any choice he sure tried, but he was too close eh.

Beckzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09114970876099684280noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317822193674196694.post-21170891639328876072008-07-26T21:43:00.000-04:002008-07-26T21:43:00.000-04:00

Thanks for the frank and very thorough look at this issue. I'm appalled at the lack of insight L. Ashker is showing following this incident. It's very disturbing to think that she already has another horse and as far as I've read/seen, hasn't in any way truly come to terms with what happened with her last two mounts.

billiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18187141867284800597noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317822193674196694.post-20493177797849261062008-07-26T20:24:00.000-04:002008-07-26T20:24:00.000-04:00

You really are the most persuasive (not that I needed any persuasion), researched, and eloquent writer. No one could have written a more appropriate piece- You seriously should sent that to USEA. <BR/><BR/>I felt the same way right after her fall- following Laine's progress, writing in to the family with my support and best wishes, but watching her bounce back so quickly without taking any

Alexishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09427779805031378745noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317822193674196694.post-61036417999524393122008-07-26T17:17:00.000-04:002008-07-26T17:17:00.000-04:00

I watched her interview yesterday. I find it completely abnormal that she could do that interview and not show even the tiniest bit of remorse or sadness. I don't get the impression she's learning from her mistakes at all.

Tobyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09723420180197235813noreply@blogger.com