So does Ann Romney actually ride Rafalca for therapy

[arely staircase]

or is the only connection that she rode horses for therapy and Rafalca is a horse?

[louis-t]

1. They have LOTS of horses.

Only one that competes, I think.

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5. so why was candi "i love george w. bush" crowley

on cnn asking if it was appropriate for democrats to make an issue out of the elitist decadence that is dressage?

[magical thyme]

10. Ann competes her personal horses in the "small tour" arena

they are 'adult amateur' horses; not Olympic prospects.

Rafalca is owned by a business with 3 partners:Ann, her trainer Ebeling, and another 1%er. It would be extremely unlikely that Ann did anything with Rafalca except pet her, feed her treats and maybe run a brush over her. It would interfere with Rafalca's training and readiness for the Olympics.

[tanyev]

2. No. See the answer I got from Rider in the Storm in this thread:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=1027916

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4. yeah, that makes sense nt

[Control-Z]

3. I don't even know that she rode horses

for therapy. It is unclear. I know Mittshits chose her to run with the Olympic torch as a prize for her MS. I'm thinking maybe Rafalca was just another prize for being sick.

I've got a shitty attitude, though, when it comes to hard working moms like Mrs. Mittshits, so I could be wrong.

[Jane Austin]

6. I don't know anything about equine competition,

but I did own two dogs who were the Number One All Systems Golden Retrievers for two years each.

Those dogs lived with their handler while they were being shown and it was all I could do to get to see them after a show. Before or during a show, I might distract them, but at any time my presence could distract them or interrupt their routine of training, exercise, feeding, or sleep.

At no time would I have thought to ask if I could take them around the ring a couple of times, knowing my poor handling skills could mess them up for the competition.

There is much more at stake financially with horses than with dogs, so there is no circumstance that I can imagine where a professional handler/ trainer would let an amateur ride a top competition horse.

I also can't imagine a top race car driver letting the owner of his team take the car around the track for a spin.

I would be surprised if Ann Romney had ridden Rafalka, but I suppose anything is possible.

It wouldn't be the first time the Romneys stretched the truth.

[DCKit]

7. Her therapy is writing those checks for training and boarding.

You and I can only write checks that fat when buying a house.

But don't be a hater! That's her therapy.

[Freddie]

8. I keep wanting to call the horse Alfalfa

Must have stablemates Spanky and Buckwheat.

[formercia]

9. Perhaps she considers herself Catherine the Great.

Catherine rode horses for therapy too.

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11. your so bad

[formercia]

14. Good Catch.

[HopeHoops]

12. Horses are intelligent. Do you honestly think one would let a rMoney on its back?

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13. did i just see a little hat on that horses head? nt

[jdrew]

15. No Ann would not ride a Grand Prix dressage horse

If she has MS. MS causes loss of muscle control (my sister has had it for 40 years --she's a quadriplegic, Ann, but probably not you as you got the good drugs). A Grand Prix dressage horse is incredibly sensitive to subtle changes in muscle tension, weight shifts and bit contact. As a dressage rider of moderate ability and mostly sound physical status, I wouldn't presume to ride a horse trained to that level. I'd just screw it up. It really is an incredibly difficult physical art. Ann would not be capable of riding Rafalka. Of course, maybe she has been and that's why the horse didn't do well at the Games.