My husband rides his kicker in ECTRA rides w/ a red ribbon.  He's 
NEVER lost a point yet for it.  He IS occassionally allowed to pick a 
starting order or is hurried thru a stop to keep the crowd & his horse a 
apart & avoid "incidents".  I have had folks run up on a green horse 
& frighten him.  (If EVERYONE is running thataway, there MUST be 
something scary back there, mom!)  I have avoided this situation by 
religiously using a green ribbon until he was steady in a crowd.  I 
appreciate knowing that there is a stallion around - I'll give him 
his space so that we all can be happy.  (There are some boys out 
there that I would never recognize as a stallion unless they had 
their ribbon on!  I REALLY appreciate a well mannered stallion!  
Thank you handlers!)
Anybody can sue for anything.  They may NOT be successful.  Suits can 
be thrown out as frivolous.  We should not stop doing something 
sensible because of a rumor of a tale.  (Not to mention that civil 
law in Ireland (where the original poster got the info from) is a 
little different from that here in the USA.
Linda Flemmer
Blue Wolf Equestrian Supplies/ Blue Wolf Ranch
Chesapeake, VA
   "In case of emergency - Fur side up, steel side down!"