To save some time in my recent research of inhumane handling and mismanagement of horses in sport, I have included an exerpt from Dr. Daniel Beatty, DVM who blogs about this subject. See below.
Also included in this page is a selection of you tube videos that shares what is actually occuring in our world of equestrian for those of you that are unfamiliar. I wait as many others do for the day where we can find a congruent balance of equine sport with the horse where it is enjoyed by both the equine athlete and rider alike in all disciplines.
Daniel Beatty, DVM is a wholistically minded veterinarian, with a love of giving out information to make the horse owner more knowledgable and able to handle any health issue with confidence.
Arabian Show horses – being gingered which entails applying ginger, a caustic substance to the anus of an Arab so that it is uncomfortable to place its tail down in the area. Although this is an “illegal” show activity, it happens many, many times as it helps maintain an appropriate tail flagging height.
Western Pleasure – Chemically denerving or blocking of the tail, causing the tail to be limp, so no flagging occurs during a show. Consequently, the horse can no longer swat flies either. Or my favorite since I am an animal chiropractor – tying the head up for hours and hours. Why? So that the head hangs low, the muscles are too exhausted to raise the head up, so it “teaches” the horse to ride with its head down really low. Oh and this last one is legal!
Racing – allowing young horses to heavily train so they can race when they are two. Reason – because otherwise you have to wait one more year to see if your investment will be a good one or not!?! Although the health of these horses are of the utmost importance when winning or trying to make a horse a winner, the big picture is lost by allowing them to train too early.
Jumpers – polling – using a long pole to smack the front legs of a horse as he comes over a jump to “teach” them to tightly fold their knees to avoid brushing the bar.
Saddlebreds – What can I say the entire process to make them do what they do. OK they have a natural gait but the techniques that “improve” or exaggerate those gaits can be very shocking and is widely accepted such as tail cutting and applying a tail set, which is cutting the lower ligaments of the tail allowing for exaggerated tail movement up over the back and applying a bar behind the tail and leaving it there for hours and hours to train the tail to be in that position. The shoes which create a long term defect in the feet, causing a pencil thin frog and crushed heels.
Halter horses – Forcing yearlings to grow so fast and large that they look like 5 year old studs and I am talking about the fillys!
I can go on and on about almost any of the sports and activities we do with horses. Are these next on the agenda for legislators? Are humane groups looking into these activities? Or is the horse world going to have to police itself and when the majority finds these activities inhumane will they stop or is the desire to win that much stronger?
I really do not have an answer to these questions and I have to deal with horses that have these things done to them on a regular basis. Am I contributing to their inhumane treatment by working on them, allowing them to continue to perform? What do you think? Do these activities really affect the horse’s health or are they even really in-humane?
The following video below is disgusting. The horses tongue is so impinged in the mouth with the bit and straps to keep it shut that it cuts off the circulation to the tongue, you will notice it is blue. This is done apparently to get the horse to carry themselves in such a way they look more glamourous. I don't know the exact details on this one and have been made aware that outside of the sport of dressage this method is accepted by other equestrian discipline.
See It Through My Eyes ~ Is a Girlscout Award Gold Project ~ Might there be opportunity for Voice For The Horse to consider doing a Story Writing Competitions on this subject and others that are apparent of the abuse our horses are subjected too? See video below.
Offensive Performance By Craig Schmersal ~ Champion in Reining. The sea-saw effect going on in this horses mouth is beyond pain. I will provide more information on the misuse of bits at the bottom of this web page. See video below.
This little girl has been put on a horse to compete in a child's barrel racing competition. The child is not equipped with a hard hat to protect her precious little head and it also appears that the horse did not want to trot (most likely intent to look after the little girl) however her mother is not pleased, walks into the ring, puts a lead shank on the horses bridle and makes the horse trot. The little girl is so tiny that she has no chance to stay balanced in the saddle when the horse picks up the trot around a barrel, she falls off. What were these people thinking? This child was scared already to be alone in the ring with the horse yet forced to compete and when she cried the parent did not get the fact the little girl was terrified ~ what a shame for the sake of a ribbon.
Well, this evidence below is worth paying attention to, be kind with your hands if using a bit!!
