WAITSBURG – When it comes to equitation, Doug Phipps has just about seen it all.

For some three decades, the smiley, wiry figure you may have seen around town in his broad hat, jeans and boots has trained as many as 100 riders and as many horses around the world.

From countries like Aus­tria, Holland, Germany, Spain, France, Israel and here at home, he has led a number of them to world titles in Western Pleasure, Reining, Showmanship, Trail, Hunter Under Saddle and English Pleasure.

But there’s something that bothers Phipps about the sport that made him one of the better trainers in the busi­n...