A note from Ann Rmoney to everyone at DU and all Americans...

[madinmaryland]

Thanks to Anglo-Saxons for Obama.

[Betty Jo]

1. We can read all about it in your downloadable taxes

Annie,Annie! We people loathe and despise you.When thhe full list of all of the healthcare companies that you own is understood,your horse will not be able to carry you off fast enough.

[Heather MC]

2. This would be funny it wasn't so frustrating

These people think they deserve to run the this country but they have no desire to invest their money it keeping it running.

"Were your treasure is, there your heart will be also" Mitt the Twit needs to run for President in the Caymen Islands

[pmdsyr32]

3. to ann romney

what spoiled bitch. go away its time for all you rich bitch's to stop living off us middle class people. go away.

[DaveJ]

79. Go away, I wish they'd go off to some banana republic where they'd fit right in...

..although it's insensitive of me to wish them upon any other country.

[jerseyjack]

4. If the horse wins, they sell it at profit.

If it loses, they sell it at a loss and the taxpayer (that's you an me because only little people pay taxes) foots that bill.

[Ken Burch]

22. Recent photo of a failed Ann Romney dressage horse:

[longship]

28. And if the buyer were Romney...

they would break up the horse and sell the parts to pet food and glue factories.

Disgusting people, those Rmoneys.

[Vestigial_Sister]

39. and if it loses...

it's name becomes 'Alpo'

[trixicopper]

5. Learned something new

Dressage horses wear funny little hats. I didn't know that.

[Cerridwen]

11. It's called a fly bonnet or an ear net.

It's to keep flies and other winged insects away from the horses ears and poll.

Some horses are allergic to fly bites and mosquitoes bring a whole new problem. Since horses don't have a way to brush them off, many humans use fly masks, fly sprays, fly blankets, fly bonnets, ear nets, and other aids to keep the flying insects off the horse.

It's not specific to dressage though it may be specific to horses. It's part of how humans care for their horses.

[snooper2]

53. Growing up around farms and horses my whole upbringing in Missouri

I have NEVER seen a horse wearing a funny little hat like that before


Horses do have a way to brush them off FYI, it's called their tail LOL (and me killing horseflies for them left and right )

[Arugula Latte]

59. Often two horses will stand head to tail

and swish the flies off each others' faces.

[amandabeech]

72. I've seen this many times.

But the comfortable (for the horse) bonnet sounds fine to me.

[Arugula Latte]

77. Definitely. Whatever gives them any comfort.

I used to put liquid roll-on fly repellant around my horse's eyes.

[riderinthestorm]

67. Their tail doesn't reach their ears. A humane fly bonnet is the right thing to do for your horse

if you love it.

[snooper2]

71. It's amazing horses have evolved over the past 50 million years without them!

I guess putting a sweater on your puppy in winter is only the right thing to do if you love it as well right


That little cappy is cute and all but horse flies usually are sitting right on the back of the horse on the spine doing their deed where the skin is thin. If you love your horse maybe you should make a little homemade spray with apple cider vinegar, some pine oil and water.


Or you can wrap it in a fly net LOL





Or, you can always just soak the whole horse in DEET but I wouldn't recommend that

[riderinthestorm]

85. We do put them in fly sheets. Horses suffered mercilessly for 50 million years

from the bugs but now we have things we can put on to help them cope better.

They also used to be parasite ridden, die from colic much more frequently, and have overgrown teeth which shortened their lives. Fortunately we also learned how to take care of those things too.

Its called being a humane caring owner and wanting to ensure your horse is comfortable and happy, just like any other pet.

[Vestigial_Sister]

40. It's mormon....

as magic undies would be too obvious.

[Zyzafyx]

6. What? No cake, Ann?

[enough]

7. My god, that hat on the horse is truly offensive. This is what she actually thinks of the horse.

The horse is a jester, or a servant (to be polite about it).

I've had an open mind about the dressage thing until now, but this crosses the line.

[Cerridwen]

10. It's called a fly bonnet or an ear net.

It's to keep flies and other winged insects away from the horses ears and poll.

Some horses are allergic to fly bites and mosquitoes bring a whole new problem. Since horses don't have a way to brush them off, many humans use fly masks, fly sprays, fly blankets, fly bonnets, ear nets, and other aids to keep the flying insects off the horse.

It's not specific to dressage though it may be specific to horses. It's part of how humans care for their horses.

[woo me with science]

36. I thought it was a blue Satan costume. nt

[TalkingDog]

46. I'm pretty sure that was hyperbolic outrage for effect.

I could be wrong.


I hope I'm wrong.

[enough]

89. TalkingDog, you are a chivalrous poster, what a valliant attempt to salvage a lapse in decorum. (nt)

[Coyotl]

58. How much did the horse hat cost the U.S. taxpayers? Not to mention

the stable boy/girl who has to clean up after these horse's asses

[riderinthestorm]

66. $6 for the fly bonnet (which is not deductible and is a very humane thing to put on a horse)

and $8 for the help. Doubt thats deductible either.

[47of74]

8. My response

[Marie Marie]

24. Nicely said. Simple, but oh so eloquent!

[Ferretherder]

9. Ann Romney: to the people of DU and America,...

Last edited Sun Jul 29, 2012, 10:05 PM - Edit history (1)

...why can't you respect success?

If YOU were successful, wouldn't YOU want people to respect YOU?


...just sayin'.

Of course you guys know I'm being sarcastic, right?

...right?

[DhhD]

13. Respect is earned by doing what is your responsibility. How is using the taxpayers related to

self respect when winning or losing is related to sportsmanship not success.

[japple]

82. You know this picture was not meant for us here at DU

nor for the rest of the USA. It was meant for the 1%-ers. Wonder if there's a (secret) magazine for the 1%-ers that has pictures of the uber upper crust doing their 1% thang?

Wish The Onion would do something along these lines.

[Merlot]

12. Can someone explain to me how watching a horse dance helps her illness?

Yes, I understand she has CP and that's really horrible - I wouldn't wish it on anyone. But how does having a dancing horse make it better? It's not like she rides the horse, she has a trainer and jockey for that.

So, how does a dancing horse make her illness better?

The cynical among us might think that saying she has the horse as therapy for her illness is just a way to divert criticism from the expensive hobby of having a dancing horse.

ps, horses should run and jump, not dance!

[MADem]

14. She doesn't have CP--cerebral palsy. She has MS--multiple sclerosis. She's in remission.

She has THREE horses and she rides them.

One in every barn, apparently.

I don't know if she rides this one, but I gotta say, that horse has a very SAD look on its face, from my perspective. I can't say as I blame the poor thing.

[Atman]

16. "Why the long face?"

Sad? C'mon, the HAT that horse is wearing probably cost more than the best suit in the average Romney staffer's closet.

[MADem]

30. Ha ha!

Why the long face!

[Harry Back]

20. Does she have a HORSE ELEVATOR, though? That's my concern

I mean if the horses were on a level of the barn that needed cleaning, and perhaps it was raining outside and there were lots of flies too, wouldn't she need a horse elevator? Hopefully, that is deductible too. If I ever have need of a horse elevator here, I would want it to be deductible.

[Marie Marie]

25. Not yet. From what I understand, she just rings a little bell and

shouts, "Jeeves, please bring my horse around." (Okay, maybe she didn't actually say "please"..)

[Merlot]

31. Thanks for clarifying the MS.

Still doesn't answer the question as to how watching a horse dance would help her illness.

The horse probably is sad because it's dancing while the other horses get to run and jump. The other horses probably tease it.

[MADem]

54. Heh heh! nt

[DesertRat]

19. My dear friend has MS and no doctor has recommended horse therapy. n/t

[Merlot]

29. Horse therapy would mean actually riding the horse

And if she's riding horses, fine. But I doubt she's riding this horse through it's dancing paces. Thats a very specialized technique for a jockey and trainer.

So, she may ride horses, but probably not a dressage horse.

ps I'm imagining going to the Doctor and having them prescribe a 100K horse as therapy. Would insurance provider object?

[Blanks]

34. Watching horses dance has been recognized for its therapeutic value since Roman times.

or I'm just making shit up; one of the two.

[Coyotl]

60. But, is there a direct correlation between the amount of tax write-off and the therapuetic value?

Or, can you watch the video and save some money?

[Blanks]

78. I'm sure in this instance all of the therapeutic value is on the tax write off. eom

[Moonwalk]

57. Get your friend to a new doctor! Clearly, people with MS need to own dancing horses...

It not only, as in Ann's case, helps the MS but gives them wonderful tax breaks.

[kurtzapril4]

80. And my doctor did. So there. n/t

[DesertRat]

88. I assume you mean your doctor recommended horse therapy?

If so, since it was advised by a dr., is it covered by insurance? thanks

[Walk away]

33. First, dressage is based on the natural gaits and movements of the horse....

second, if you want to compete in Three Day Eventing you have to be able to do in Dressage, Jumping and (my favorite) Cross Country. It's like the triathlon for horses and you have to have a strong and talented horse to do all three well. Back in the day I trained an ex racehorse who I bought for meat on the bone and turned him into and Event horse. He could do it all but I never had the money to get him much further than local competitions.

I had a lot of offers form rich folk who wanted to buy him so they could sit on top of him and win. I'm sure he would have like the attention and the high life but I was afraid of what would happen to him in his old age so I kept him with me.

Regular people work with and train these horses. Rich people just ride them after they are made and collect the prizes.

[fasttense]

44. Ann doesn't even ride the horse.

I'm surprised she's holding the reins. But I guess she has to get her picture taken with it every once in awhile to prove she owns it. She has nothing to do with the horse except to buy it and all the riders and people who care for the animal.

I'm not sure this horse does anything more than dressage. There is a triathlon but not all dressage horse compete in it.

I use to ride in competition and knew many people like her. More money than talent. Their only talent was being able to be born into money.

Did you know the rider pictured next to Ann is 53 years old? And he was in the Olympics. Let's hear it for us oldies.

[Walk away]

48. If you have been in the sport for years then you know...

that without the very rich we would never see the level of horsemanship it would take to be in the Olympics. That's not to say I like it but I have worked with plenty of riders who weren't rich but only one who ever achieved national level competition with her own horses without sponsorship of an Ann Romney type.

Back in the day my horse and I trained with Heidi Erickson who was on the medal winning US team. Her horse at the time was Chardonnay, a million dollar dressage competitor. Even at that level with a horse that she trained to perfection, she had to work at jobs that had nothing to do with preparing her horse for the Olympics. There was always talk of her having to sell him after the games but without your horse in dressage, you have nothing. Now it is even more difficult and costly. It's a rich persons game but they are making it possible for these beautiful horses to exist and to enable the people who breed them, love them, train them and ride them.

[cascadiance]

61. A family member of mine now has a colt of a dressage horse that beat the Romney's horse...

She's been an avid rider all of her life, and in particular in dressage. She's not poor, but she's not wealthy either. It's just an activity that she's loved as many have also who aren't rich (even if it is considered by many as a rich man's sport). Our family certain is not part of the wealthy class. But she took special pleasure in seeing the sire of her current colt beat Romney's horse in the Olympic trials. So part of DU has beaten the Romneys! We will win in the end!

[Walk away]

87. OK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[area51]

41. Out of touch Rmoneys

It's too bad her illness gives her zero empathy for average people in this country who can't afford treatment and medicine for their diseases.

[Honeycombe8]

15. What??? I was told the $$$ I contributed was for a horse elevator! nt

[catbyte]

17. what's with the horse hat?

Poor Rafalca. Nothing but a big ass tax deduction.

[DesertRat]

18. You People just don't understand dressage.

[magical thyme]

21. it is a fly bonnet. it keeps biting insects from getting in her ears.

I put one on my own mare, only hers is a fly mask; it also screens her eyes to keep bugs from driving her nuts when she is trying to graze.

[Atman]

23. I wonder what her training regiment was?

Kinda makes you wonder what she had to do to "qualify." Work three jobs while going to school AND spending ten hours a day training? Or did she simply have her personal assistant draft a letter to the Olympic Committee saying "My horse will be competing...what time can you send someone to the airport to pick him up?"

[Ruby the Liberal]

35. Olympic Committee?

Nah. They FedExed him. Which probably cost more than I make in a year, but its probably deductible.

[Atman]

38. Did you see the Irish gymnast today? Holy crap!

Ireland doesn't exactly have a big Olympic men's gymnast team. But this kid...OMG...

At a very young age, he was diagnosed with some foot problem. Doctors said he'd never walk again. He had surgery, and doctors said he'd walk, maybe, but not much else. Then he broke hips and bones -- I'm absolutely CERTAIN I'm getting the details wrong, but not by much -- and in the meantime, he worked his way through trials and qualifying competitions, holding bake sales and private fundraisers to get himself through these events, and on the Olympic team. And he wound up as one of only two Irish men on the Olympic team. And he did fucking bake sales after years of surgeries (funny how NBC didn't explain how this poor kid paid for all of the surgeries in Ireland). But he made it to the Olympics out over incredible, mind-boggling obstacles. He did an amazing floor routine, but screwed up his final two landings...but the kid was beaming. He made it to the Olympics and he competed.

Ann Romney had her goddam horse flown over on a 747 and she had someone else ride it, and she says she was "in the Olympics."

And these people wonder why we're so disgusted with everything about them.

-----

http://www.reuters.com/london-olympics-2012/articles/gymnastics/mens-gymnastics-artistic/2012/07/28/gymnastics-tears-and-cheers-plucky-irish

<snip>

As a 10-year-old, and already two years into gymnastics training, Behan developed a tumour in his leg.

"Luckily it wasn't cancerous but the operation went wrong and I suffered severe nerve damage so I had to learn to use my leg again and I was in a wheelchair for 15 months," he told reporters.

"I got back into the gym and then at the age of 12 I suffered a head injury. I had a freak accident coming down from the (high) bar on the back of my head and I was again in a wheelchair for a long time.

"After three or so years out I eventually was able to take my first steps back into the gym and then went on from there, but I ruptured both my anterior cruciate ligaments in my knee."

Determined not to give up, Behan battled on and became only the second Irish gymnast to qualify for an Olympic Games.

<snip>

[Ruby the Liberal]

52. I love stories like this!

Thank you for the link. Indeed, I had missed that. What a great kid.

[amandabeech]

73. I saw that young man perform.

He should be proud of himself, as should all who helped him, and frankly, all of Ireland.

What a lad!

[Atman]

74. Probably the coolest performance I've scene in this Olympics.

Not to downplay any of the other athletes, and I don't even usually like this floor-ex stuff...but when you see Kieran Behan's incredible performance, after hearing the what he has endured, you can't help but give him a gold medal in your heart. I know that sounds corny, but it's true. Kieran Behan held bake sales and car washes to get to the Olympics. What have YOU done lately? (And I include myself in that "you." Kieran inspires, while most of us just incite.

[Mkap]

26. the cayman islands

was awarded their first gold medal to...drumroll....

MITT ROMNEY

[Atman]

37. Actually, I think he was awarded a pallet of gold bars.

[allan01]

27. re:A note from Ann Rmoney to everyone at DU and all Americans...

[B Calm]

32. I had to email that pic to some of

my conservative friends. .

[tclambert]

42. I don't understand why horses are in the Olympics.

Is the rider the athlete? Seems like it's the horse. If a horse is an Olympic athlete, why don't we see Olympic horse racing? Why not dog competitors--dog racing and dog obstacle courses and "best in show?" For cats, I imagine competitive napping.

I'm sorry, but I thought the Olympics was about human capabilities. If we open it up to other species, we'll get beat in a lot of sports.

[KurtNYC]

43. why not cute kittens playing with a ball of yarn to music

( "I CAN HAZ GOLD MEDAL?" )

Equestrian sports were part of the ancient games. In the modern games dressage was open to commissioned officers only when they started.

[madinmaryland]

84. Cute kittens definitely belong in the Olympics!!

[hack89]

50. History and tradition

they have always been in the Olympics.

[nadinbrzezinski]

62. 1912 that is when the horse specialties came in

1912, most folks still used horses for transportation, while the rich were opting for a car.

They are also, missed by most, MILITARY skills. A lot of the games ARE martial in origin.

[kurtzapril4]

81. The rider is an athlete.

What they are doing looks easy. I assure you, it is not.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

45. thanks...this is great...just tweeted to Daily Show, Bill Maher, Morning Joe,

[lastlib]

47. Let me guess: it was addressed to "you people"....

...overprivileged twit.......

[raouldukelives]

49. It really is too bad we are facing climate change.

Even worse that we are continuing to play games while the world burns. The old ways have to die if we are going to make an actual effort to save what little is left of the worlds forests and animals. If we want to count ourselves as people who care more about maintaining our ecosystem than shiny medals.

[riderinthestorm]

51. Factually, demonstrably wrong. A private foundation paid for all expenses. US taxpayers paid zero

The equestrian athletes and their equine partners get NO government or US Olympic Committee support whatsoever, in ANY FORM- whether financial or otherwise.

The US Equestrian Team has a special, separate branch within its structure which is exclusively devoted to fundraising and supporting international teams, called the USET Foundation. Most of THIS group's support comes from private contributors- the nickel and dime types which comprise most US citizens. About 5 percent of it comes from corporate and business sponsorships, such as those from the Rolex watch and jewelry company, for example, or the various car companies which sometimes donate vehicles as prizes during show jumping competitions.

In addition, the great majority of international level riders have individual sponsors of one kind or another, and these can and do include both private individuals like the Rmoneys and various companies which support equestrian activities. Tack companies, feed and supplement companies, makers of vaccines and medical supplies for horses, clothing and apparel companies- these are just some examples of who provides funding for equestrian sports as they train, compete, and travel.

[Atman]

55. The tax break came from the LLC they set up for the horse.

Well, not the horse's LLC...it was a corp set up by Ann Romney and her two partners in the horse's ownership.

Corporations are horse owners, too, my friend!

.

[riderinthestorm]

56. A $49 tax break for a legitimate training, lessons, sales, boarding business

(not $77k as has been MIS-stated here on DU ad infinitum....)

[nadinbrzezinski]

63. So Barrons got it wrong?

As well as the other RW media that has been reporting that piece of nooz since it started?

[Atman]

65. Yes, Nadin, Barons got it wrong.

The Romney's CLAIMED a nearly $78,000 tax write off. You can claim a BILLION DOLLAR tax write off on your return next year. But if the IRS doesn't accept it as legit, it gets denied.

The Romney's CLAIMED the deduction. The IRS DENIED it.

Barons got it wrong.

.

[nadinbrzezinski]

69. Okay so now we change into

tried to pay more taxes than he should? Does that disqualify him to be POTUS?

[Atman]

70. WTF are you talking about?

He claimed a $78,000 deduction on his taxes for Ann's horse. The IRS said "No, you can't do that." They only granted him a $49 tax break. I don't know where the hell you're coming from with this "tried to pay more taxes than he should" line. That is lunacy, and not what anyone in this thread has stated, including me.

BTW, NOTHING, nothing at all, qualifies Mitt Romney to be POTUS.

But your post scares me.

.

[wilt the stilt]

75. However, they can carryover

the loss and claim it again if they sell the horse. I read that this morning and it is a special provision for "hobbies". This is what they are driving it towards. You don't really think the accountants they hired don't t[know what they are doing.

[patrice]

76. the loss = a claim for $77,951.00? Which is why they knowingly made the "erroneous" $78K claim in

the first place?

[riderinthestorm]

68. Yup, Barron's misrepresented it. They did CLAIM the $77k deduction, the IRS only allowed $49 nt

[Hubert Flottz]

64. Tally-Ho

And Talley-whacker?


She's always horsing around on Mitty-poo, IMHO?!?!?!111

[Berlum]

83. Hay, Annie. That Horsey Hat makes it look like Reflaka has Satanic Horns (R)

What's up with that?

[progress2k12nbynd]

86. I don't even pay income taxes...

Can't complain too much abt someone else taking deductions on theirs.