Don't talk about Ann Romney's fancy Olympic horse. Don't even THINK about it.

[ProSense]

Don't talk about Ann Romney's fancy Olympic horse. Don't even THINK about it.

by Kaili Joy Gray

Another discussion for quiet rooms only:

Reporters are not allowed to even see Ann Romney's fancy dancing horse Rafalca—much less whisper an interview to her—before she competes in dressage at the Olympic Games on August 2. Romney's horse is under a total news blackout<.>

Just add Ann "Woman of the People" Romney's fancy shmancy dancing horse to the list of things the Romneys believe should not be discussed at all: Mitt Romney's tenure as governor of Massachusetts, his tenure as CEO of Bain, his tenure as CEO of the 2002 Olympics, his tenure as a bishop of his Mormon church.

Ann's dancing horse is off limits, of course, because the only reason she owns a six-figure horse is to treat her MS. It's physical therapy for her debilitating illness. After all, don't all MS patients own an Olympic horse or two as part of the standard recommended treatment? If you even ask a question about Ann's horse, you're just attacking her for having a disease, which is very, very, very wrong because the only reason she owns that horse is to treat her illness. No other reason at all:

“She just loves the whole Olympic movement and what it stands for, bringing her whole world together under the banner of sports,” said Fraser Bullock, who served as the chief operating officer of the Salt Lake City games and has attended past Olympics with the Romneys. “Here’s somebody who was severely debilitated with M.S. and then when she gets to the Olympic games, she’s going almost non-stop.”

He added: “She just thrives on it. She loves going to the competition, seeing the athletes, and connecting with her friends in the Olympic movement.”

How exactly does participating in the "Olympic movement"—not actually riding the horse, mind you, because Ann's hired someone to do that for her—treat her MS? I'll bet you $10,000 that's another topic that's off limits.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/07/26/1113926/-Don-t-talk-about-Ann-Romney-s-fancy-Olympic-horse-Don-t-even-THINK-about-it

"You people" and your damn questions. Where are our refreshments?

[LeftofObama]

1. With all of Robme's gaffes today and his wife's horse in the Olympics,

there just has to be a Mr. Ed joke in there somewhere.

[ProSense]

3. Neigh!

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

2. Next they'll say that hiding tax returns is good for her MS

[Retrograde]

9. Maybe it's the spending money that's the therapy

It's just shopping therapy to the nth degree: a lot of people buy a trinket or two when they're feeling down. I bought a ball of yarn last week - a fancy dancing horse won't fit in the garage, and it would probably scare the cats anyway.

[dimbear]

4. Lots of Americans grew up poor. The neighborhood kids would find a vacant lot and whatever old

equipment they could scrounge up, and dance horses.

[tanyev]

5. I seriously doubt that Ann Romney rides Rafalca for her therapy.

Rafalca is an expensive business investment and as long as she is competing probably the only people riding her are the person who is riding her in the Olympics and maybe a couple other skilled assistants. There's probably a whole stable of other horses that Ann rides for therapy.

Anyone familiar with the dressage world who can comment on this?

[riderinthestorm]

12. I'm a pro in the dressage (and combined training) business. You're right, she rides other horses

Rafalca is just that - a business investment. I doubt anyone else rides Rafalca except her trainer Jan Ebeling - I've heard the mare is hot and temperamental so it wouldn't take much for someone new to agitate her. Her value lies in how well she performs so it would be silly to put anyone on her who isn't a pro to ensure her breeding and resale value.

Ann's horses are lovely quality dressage horses but they are nowhere near Olympic (or even international level) standards. Therapeutic riding has a long, long history for physical and emotional therapy for things like MS, PTSD, cerebral palsy, amputees, depression, head trauma, autism etc. etc.

[tanyev]

14. Thanks for your perspective.

[tanyev]

22. Say, do you know how Rafalca stacks up to the competition?

Is a medal possible?

[riderinthestorm]

23. Nope, no chance of a medal. Jan and Rafalca will be somewhere middle of the pack

the mare is pretty hot and temperamental which means a solid performance will be a difficult achievement, let alone a brilliant one that gets into the top 3.

[Swede]

6. Mitt Rafalcaed up.

nt

[Segami]

7. You left out " ITS OUR TURN NOW "

[rustydog]

8. It would be "bad form" because the possibility of a 77-thousand tax deduction attempt

may pop up during the discussion of a Romney Dressage horse.

[riderinthestorm]

15. I'd love to see their taxes. Ann Romney's horse business is incorporated and they have the best

tax preparation in the world I presume. Her horse business is really large and operating at the top of the field these days. I'm not surprised by this at all.

Like any animal industry most of us are incorporated and we also try to take as many deductions as we are allowed. Or do you think animal businesses shouldn't be allowed to take any exemptions?

[Motown_Johnny]

10. But.....But......But.....

I Can't Help It !!!!

[AnnieBW]

11. Michelle Obama's Father Had MS, Too

He got up at 5 AM and went to work every day. He didn't have a dancing investment, er, horsie to help him with his disease. He had two kids to put through college.

[riderinthestorm]

13. Ann's therapeutic riding has lead her into supporting this sport at the highest levels.

Ann does not own Rafalca to treat her MS, she has other therapeutic riding horses to ride. She owns and supports Rafalca because she loves the sport after coming into the horse world via her MS. She has the money to support it at the highest levels and probably is enthralled to be "behind the scenes" at the Olympics. Honestly some of these sports do need deep pockets to ensure they stay alive - like fencing, rowing etc. They aren't like tennis or basketball where there are big corporate sponsors - most of the horses and riders are supported by big money people like the Rmoneys.

None of this is a secret. All of this is very well known in the horse world. If dailykos or anyone else in the MSM doesn't "know" anything about this, they simply aren't asking.

[struggle4progress]

16. I wonder if they deducted the horse as a healthcare expense on their taxes

[justgamma]

17. What do you think this line means?

"bringing her whole world together under the banner of sports." Not "the" world, but "her world."
Just wondering what she considers her world.

[riderinthestorm]

21. Ann's embrace of the horse "world" means she's immersed in a sport horse culture

that tends to take over one's life. It becomes a very insular environment. I live within it, I work within it. Its very hard to have other "things" to distract one from it. It consumes you and becomes the entirety of your life.

Ann was sucked into this zone because she sought out therapeutic riding for her MS. She quickly succumbed to the horse addiction and is now fully immersed into a culture most anyone else who isn't involved in this sport cannot imagine. They are a tricky, difficult large animal to keep confined. Then you add on the layer of international competition and it becomes even more tricky to manage the horse and rider pair to maximum athletic success. The complexities of a difficult athlete pair are magnified times 10 when one of them cannot speak. Trying to figure out the horse's needs to ensure they are happy, content and sound for the task at hand becomes a humane, all consuming passion.

I completely 110% understand this phrase.

[Snarkoleptic]

18. Riding a horse on a trail = relaxing and possibly theraputic.

This dressage shit...not so much.
It appears to be a pain in the ass for the rider (although not nearly as suckish as the abuse the horses suffer).

&feature=related

[riderinthestorm]

19. That video is abuse. And not tolerated in the regulated parts of the sport

Just as there are abusive dog trainers, or dolphin trainers there are abusive horse trainers. But most don't operate like that. Therapeutic riding involves real exercises and trained therapists and is definitely NOT trail riding.

Dressage is the foundation for all horse activities. Literally it means "training" and encompasses techniques designed to promote a harmonious relationship between horse and rider.

[Tom Ripley]

20. No Man Knows My History Redux

He's doing the old grifter proud