Lets take this blog to the next level

If you have a photo of crappy show riding, know of a jerkwad trainer or judge, or someone in the show world that is an abusive piece of shit then send the info to me. This blog is not anti-showing, it's anti-abuse. So there is no truth to the claims from the TWH, ASB, western pleasure and dressage zombies that I'm trying to shut showing down. Instead I'm trying to make showing more honest and to get abusive practices out of the showring! Email me at shameinthehorseshowring@gmail.com



I have a request for my readers: If you have successfully rehabbed a show horse, or gotten a rescue and taken it on to a show career then let me know, I'd love to feature you here!






Friday, May 9, 2008

Tails up or tails down?


One thing I’ve noticed in the last 20 years is the problem with the horse’s tail. Seems like ti would be a rather moot point. All horses have tails. Flies are a problem. Tails are pretty and reflect the horse’s mood. Some breeds want it up, like Saddlebred and Tennessee Walker and some want it down, like AQHA and the rest of the stock breeds. WTF is the problem with letting the horse carry it naturally? And what is going on with still docking draft horses and some pony breeds’ tails?

Let’s take a look at the tail up issue first. Seriously, what is the appeal? It looks fake, it looks like shit and it has got to be painful to wear that metal thing stuck up your ass when you’re not in the showring. http://www.american-saddlebred.com/equipment/tailset.jpg Does that look comfortable? Hell no! It looks like the horse can’t even crap without wrenching his spine. Just how early do they start this torturous stuff? Here’s a young horse that has obviously had her tail done and it’s just a baby.
http://www.meadowwoodstables.com/photos_and_sale/photo_detail.php?horse_id=

Sorry, but this isn’t okay. It isn’t cute and it isn’t something any good horseman would do to a horse. If you want a nice floaty, airy tail then take a tack from the Arab horse world and let it flow naturally. Here’s another thing that pisses me off about the whole tail nicking/setting thing: It’s permanent, but those horses don’t stay permanently in the show ring. One day they retire and then they are stuck with a tail that doesn’t function normally. Thankfully this stupid, and cruel, shit is restricted to the gaited horse world, which seems to earn first place in cruel and ignorant horse treatment.

Now for docking. Didn’t you idiots that practice this crap read Black Beauty? Docking is not a good idea. I don’t want to hear all the stupid arguments about it keeping the tail out of harness. Bullshit! I watch Standardbred racing and those horses have long tails. If you can’t figure out how to braid, or tie a decent mud knot, in order to keep a horse’s tail contained, then you have no business owning a harness horse. It is ridiculous that we have reached the Millennium and people are still finding excuses to cut off horses’ tails. WTF is wrong with you people? There doesn’t need to be a hackney pony out there with a docked tail. And shame on those damn beer pimping pigs the Budweiser people for still docking their iconic Clydesdales’ tails. http://www.sunnyfortuna.com/festivals/clydesdales_apr_03/DCP_8588_small.JPG.
Once again this is something done for a period of a horse’s life that is relatively short, yet the effects are long lasting and permanently damaging. I think we need to dock the balls of the people that still do this crap to horses.

Tails down. Blocked tails are a touchy subject. Pros love them, people that actually know how to train, and care for a horse, hate them. Say what you like about the Arab show world, you’ll never walk the grounds and find a blocked or dead tail. For some reason the stock horse industry has embraced this harmful practice like rednecks have embraced Nascar. Tail blocking hides the poor training practices that are epidemic in western pleasure, reining, cutting and halter. Tail blocking covers up spur stops, over cuing, exhaustion, bad tempers, being lip chained until your gums bleed and reactions to abuse. Unfortunately it can also add to real problems; creating spinal displacement, impactions, fecal dribbling and problems with foaling. It does not always “wear off” correctly and repeated injections can cause long-term damage. I have seen some severe wry tails created by improper injections.

Seems like this stupid practice has even spread to the sport of dressage, which used to be about harmony and is now about brute force. Once more it is an indicator of poor training and abuse. It’s disgraceful that it has found it’s way into the USEF world. You sorry assed bunch of no-training idiots should be kicked out.

On the surface AQHA does have a no tail blocking policy, but we all know that it is not enforced at a regional level. It sure as hell isn’t enforced in NSBA or the Congress. I have no idea what the policy is for APHA, but looking at show photos pretty much says that tail blocking is done, a lot. ApHC has a no blocking policy, but it has never been enforced at any show that I know of. I know that some of their BOD have spoken out against it, but nothing is done because the show manager and CEO don’t want to ruffle feathers. So go show ApHC with a blocked tail, because you’ll never be punished. They seem to like adding injections to the show game and just recently welcomed a lot of drug rules. Way to go guys!

NRHA and NCHA don’t appear to do anything about it either. Tail blocking a reining horse is the absolute cruelest thing you can do. Horses do use their tails to balance and flex. Asking a horse to spin, slide and rollback with a dead tail is like asking someone to run a race with a damaged tailbone. It fucks with your perceptions of what is happening in your rear end.

I know the little reiner trainer brutes are going to be outraged and scream that I have no idea what I’m talking about. Like all assholes, they try to shout down anyone that points out their cruelty. If they think that blocking a tail covers up the fact they suck as trainers and have no idea how to actually get the best of an animal they are wrong. A reiner with a dead tail is a big advertisement for your incompetence. By doing nothing about it NRHA, ApHC, NCHA and USEF are telling the public just how loaded with jerk-offs their organizations are.

43 comments:

Anonymous said...

I haven't been to an Arab show in over 10 years now, so I don't know if this has changed or not - but... ginger salve was commonly used on the halter horses to "obtain" a tail that was held aloft & away from the body. It was illegal, but was considered a rule that was impossible to enforce.

While ginger salve isn't permanent, I personally consider it cruel. A burning, irritating substance inserted in the rectum that continues to "heat" for some time is just plain abusive to me, especailly when its only purpose is to achieve a specific look that is considered desirable.

Paso Finos are also guilty of altering tails surgically in a most horrible abusive way. The sole purpose of this is to achieve the look of the "j" tail as it is often called. It is a South American tradition & custom that has carried over to the states & many of the Paso trainers & breeders believe they cannot win without it. I have heard stories that people have said they were told by judges that if they wanted their horse to win they had to have its tail done.

The job is often botched & the horse looks like its tail has been bent at a 90 degree angle from the body. Other times, the alteration results in a dead tail that just hangs there, useless.

This is done for no other reason than for the belief that it makes the horse beautiful & "finished" looking.

Mrs C said...

I would like to apologize for my comment above being posted as anonymous. I had typed up the reply & didn't realize until the end that unless I posted as anonymous I would lose all the content by signing up for an account, as I did not have one until now.

I have just signed up for an account, so no further comments from me should show up as anonymous, but under my user name of Mrs C

ShameintheHorseShowRing said...

Mrs. C,

What is a J Tail? I've never seen one. Do you know where any photos of a J tail would be?

Sounds horrible!

The Half-Assed Blog said...

NASMA (N. American Saddle Mule association) has specific wording in the rule book that mules can't be docked for swishing tails. They swish tails whether or not they're agitated, it just wiggles all day like the ears and the mule is still happy as could be. When my molly is out grazing you could calibrate a metronome from her tail.


Trojan mouse- the J tail on pasos is where the tail is held out but flat but the end sticks up like a backwards J. Hold a golf club at a 45 degree angle with the end sticking out and that's it.
Unless I'm sorely mistaken. There was a paso at the barn and what I remember besides his moonwalk gaits was the way he carried his tail.
There's something going in in this video:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=e8LOP2tXVnA

Another:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=mNdjfcZzrGw


This one definitely looks altered:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=sVq1Qid6WvA

AKChic said...

Just an FYI, I have an ex performance TWH. His tail was cut, but it does function normally and looks normal to see it. To FEEL it is another story though. It also flops over his back when he poops.

Anonymous said...

I agree with what is being said here however I disagree a little for the tail docking. I agree to the fact that it is inexcusable just for the sake of a show horse blah blah. But I Have a friend who breeds Clydasdales and Clyde x TB crosses but he actualy uses his drafts to plow the earth (he grows his own hay and grows eccinacea (sp)) and it's just completely impractical to have the tails grown. He does however put fly sheets and fly masks on with extra insect repellent to make up for it.
Oh and he doesn't dock the tails of the horses he sells.

The Half-Assed Blog said...

Sorry, I saw four drafters with docked tails get attacked by flies all summer. Same barn also had some other work horses with natural tails, and they never got tangled in the harness.
If we get my mom a drafter like she wants it will be undocked.
You can cut the hair off right at the end of the tailbone and they'll still have a much better tail than the little docked one.

Duske said...

I found your blog on the FHOTD blogger and I am glad I did. I agree with you wholeheartedly about the tail issues here, especially docking the tails. People are so stupid, and to quote black beauty, it's all do for fashion.

You know, the Bible tells us that God gave us dominion over animals. He didn't say -abuse- them.

Anonymous said...

Well, it looks like Google/Blogger is giving me a hard time - it keeps telling me my password is invalid, so until I sort it out, I have to post this as anonymous again to avoid losing the text I already typed - Mrs C.

Just about any search online for Pasos will show varying examples of the tail alterations. There will be horses with normal, unaltered tails, which look much as any other horse. Some alterations are subtle, the bend, which is usually several inches from the tip of the tail bone is barely noticable. Then there are the painfully obvious ones - where the tails are distorted & bent out at the alteration site so unnaturally at steep angles.

What is really sad about this practice with the Pasos, is that the alterations were illegal & against the rules. Yes, I said WERE.

Just this year, 2008, a rule amendment was proposed & passed to ALLOW the tail alterations. The reasoning behind this was that the Paso Fino Horse Association was afraid of losing revenue from entry fees at shows.

The PFHA had until this year been researching ways to effectively enforce the no alteration rule. It was known that is was being done, despite the rules, & many members wanted the rule enforced.

However, money talked, as it often does, & those members, owners & trainers who are in favor of the alterations began making open threats to form their own Paso association to show in where they could have their altered tails. So, the rule change was proposed to allow the tail alterations with the written reasoning provided along with the proposal that it was to avoid substantial financial loss to PFHA. There were other rules that addressed the tail alterations with various wording & every rule that tail alterations would have been covered under was rewritten to allow them, with the same written reasoning provided for each change.

Interestingly, the legal counsel for PFHA advised against allowing the tail alterations because of the potential problems that could arise from humane asscociations & animal protection agencies, but obviously that advice fell on deaf ears. This advice by the legal counsel was also included immediately underneath each proposal & reasoning - a copy of which was mailed to PFHA members prior to the vote for the changes.

Are there any other breed assocaitions that anybody else knows of that has rewritten & changed their rules to allow a cruel & abusive practice that had been illegal?

ShameintheHorseShowRing said...

Mrs C,

>Are there any other breed assocaitions that anybody else knows of that has rewritten & changed their rules to allow a cruel & abusive practice that had been illegal?


ApHC just altered their drugs rules so that horses that are not well enough to show can be shown while on drugs. Lasix was added, so bleeders can now run games. Acetazolimide was added so symptomatic HYPP horse can show. Both drugs are diuretic and actually cause damage to the kidneys and liver if used over a long period.

So now breeders can continue to produce defective horses and show them.

I already mentioned in the initial post that ApHC has a rule banning tail alteration, but they have never made any effort to enforce it.


TJM

Anonymous said...

Not to comment anonymously but my internet isnt liking me and crashing when i try to register. While i agree that docking is unnecessary sometimes for a horse that is only used for driving it does keep the horses tail from being caught over the reins and then because they feel the reins there clamping down. When this happens the driver has to let go and reach forward to fix the tail thus losing all communication with the horse for that moment. Even tied up this could happen because its the bone that is getting in the way not all the hair. This could happen while a horse is simply swishing away flies. That moment of losing contact with the horse on a busy road could lead to serious trouble. But this is just my two cents. Sorry about the anonymous thing again

Aelfleah Farm said...

Bullshit about harness horses needing docked tails.

I drive competively (combined driving with a bit of carriage pleasure driving) using Arabians and crosses. And if you think that that lovely ground length tail doesn't get swished over the lines when the horses are either pissed at something or even just swatting at bugs, you're wrong. BUT... A trained harness horse doesn't mind things getting caught under the tail, and the driver should know how to correct the issue with a flick of the wrist. Or stop and correct the problem if unable to otherwise fix it. No damn reason to chop off the tail. Tails DON'T get "caught" on harness, any more than a riding horse will get hairs caught in tack when swating flies. I've done many a mile with the tail drapped over the shaves because that was where the horse put it while displaying his displeasure at having to stand stopped for more than 2 minutes. Yes, we've gotten individual hairs caught in the swingle tree, even in the trace clip, but still no reason to chop off the tail.

Yes tails get muddy. Drivers just need to learn to tie a mud knot.

One of my driving ponies broke his tail. Couldn't swat flies for nearly a year until he healed. Also couldn't be driven for that time because lifting his tail high enough to get a crupper under it was too paionful. Miserable, miserable pony, even though he got a flysheet and daily spraying.

Side note on gingering: I show groomed as a yougster, and ginered my share of tails. Wish I would ahev been the kind of kid to refuse to follow the trainer's whims, but I wasn't. Not something I'm proud of.. You could always tell who had been gingered, as even in repose they held their tails up. It took about an hour or so for it to wear off. I don't see giner nearly as often, but there are equally abhorent, if not worse, practices still around.

Justaplainsam said...

Show and coach AQHA and ApHCC, and I cant stand 'done' tails. Ive seen my fair share that were done improperly and led to disfigurment. I also saw a mare who's tail had been broken in several areas so it wouldnt move... yeah it wouldnt move alright... she couldnt lift it up to pee or poop, let alone for us to breed her. And it was obvously very painful. I was super worried about when she foaled.... poor thing.

sorry for the spelling!

OldMorgans said...

IF tails need to be docked for harness work, do tell why the entire sport of carriage driving does NOT dock tails!
When I first saw the Paso Finos w/J tails on RFD TV, I thought they all were so wound up & nervous (the front lips are tightly flapping too)that they were doing that J thing. I am appalled that the J tail is sought after. But then, these are the breed folks that think that fear is the same thing as brio.
And what is with the Paint assoc., I think it is, that will now allow fake tail extenders with weights in the show ring.
Ginger is used in the Morgan show ring also, sad to say. And many show Morgans wear tail sets and the people will look you right in the face & say the tail sets help them to relax their back muscles. Oh yeah....

Anonymous said...

The ginger thing is still around for Arabs. One of the farms I toured last semester explained it while showing off his breeding farm. It's why he has extra strength chutes for the outside AI mares.

carriegl said...

I just can't imagine a race horse giving its' best if it had something done to its' tail.

I know that if I had a dead appendage, I certainly would be very concerned about it while I was performing any type of duty.

Taking the time to Train and Groom should be "required"........but alas, shortcuts abound in the Horse Industry.

Carrie Giannandrea
Dances with Horses
Formula One Farms

carriegl said...

I feel for the horses with docked tails, personally, I thought it was a thing of the past.....guess I was wrong.

Carrie Giannandrea
Dances with Horses
Formula One Farms

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

used to strip stalls at the Eastern States Expo grounds after shows (aka Big E Fairgrounds). We found so many syringes in one stall we refused to clean and the showholders had to pay for biohazard cleanup. I've also found ginger after Arab shows, many used bottles of tranqs at Saddlebred shows and many syringes at all except the minis. It was truly disgusting, not only did these big name show people not clean up after themselves (pan of lasagna, anyone?) but they couldn't even hide the evidence of their drugging and sharps containers are supplied in every other row.

One benefit of them being pigs was the free tack and buckets (I used them for washing cars). I got a gorgeous leather triple-stitched halter someone left in a stall since once everyone cleared out it was fair game.

hope4more said...

I am new to the horse world and I think I annoy the s**t out of every trainer/horse shower there is because I see this stuff and always ask why? Why this, why that. I even had my horse at a trainer and told him and the assistants I thought they were stupid. Of course I ask these questions with a not so nice look as since I have grown up in the city I truly do not understand some of these practices and think they are just horrible. I think they get mad because the only answer they have for me is,"Because....." and I wait for more but really all they can come up with is that they want them to look this way and it is all just for looks and has nothing at all to do with how the horse actually performs which obviously from reading a lot of what the rest of you have written screws up the preformance more than anything because they loose balance.

As an outsider and having friends come watch that have never been on a horse it is really interesting to hear what they have to say, such as after they see the Western Pleasure people. My girlfriend freaked because she saw a gal outside warming up and the lope is so slow they look lame to me and she thought the horse was hurt and limping and was so upset the gal was riding it! I had to explain which just further pissed her off actually that they are made to ride this way. There are so many things I don't understand that happen. Why don't people just show their horses naturally. No soring, no tail stuff, I do understand some uses of drugs like athletes do for their bum knees and such but not the extent of Eight Belles where they are figuring she had so much medication she couldn't feel what was going on and SNAP there goes both her legs. ( I know there is so much more to that hole thing, just commenting on the drug part) I just feel so badly for animals, it seems people just go overboard with all this stuff and are so dead set on winning and care about nothing else.

Shadow Rider said...

Are there any other breed assocaitions that anybody else knows of that has rewritten & changed their rules to allow a cruel & abusive practice that had been illegal?

Can we say TWHBEA? sure you can. Pads and chains used to be illegal in shows, but money and pressure changed that.

Money always talks.

I can't even look at a Paso any more. I had one years ago (20+) Wonderful horse, show trained, but we were clueless and rode him like a western horse. He was a bundle of nerves at first, but after a while he relaxed, did a lovely gait without fretting or snorting fire, and held his tail naturally high and out. He was bombproof, kid and beginner safe, and the horse everyone wanted to ride.

Shadow Rider said...

By the way, love this blog! I am one of those who is totally opposed to show torture.

kismetsh said...

"No soring, no tail stuff, I do understand some uses of drugs like athletes do for their bum knees and such but not the extent of Eight Belles where they are figuring she had so much medication she couldn't feel what was going on and SNAP there goes both her legs. ( I know there is so much more to that hole thing, just commenting on the drug part) "

WRONG, WRONG, WRONG!

Who exactly is "they"? Don't know where you get your info from, but Eight Belles' trainer is one of the most outspoken anti-drug, *ethical* trainers in TB's! Her autopsy results were released to the public, she was not on any drugs, nor was she on steroids!

There are plenty of TB trainers who are "bad guys" but please don't spread such horrible misinformation about one of the good guys!

Unknown said...

I'm sorry you feel negatively towards every horse discipline known to man. But contrary to your obvious belief that you know everything about tails, many of your statements are false. I am only going to comment on the 'gaited horse' industry since that is what I know best. 'Cutting' tails is permanent, but it does not restrict the movement of the tail in anyway. It frees up the tail to bend and be comfortable in a tail set (one of those metal things stuck up their ass, in your language). They are still able to swish flies, and yes, crap without wrenching their spines. The only thing involved in 'cutting' tails is one little incision. Only partially cutting a retractor muscle, while the tail heals it is kept in a tail set so that it will heal in a desirable fashion (mostly just straight). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saddle_seat
All function returns to normal when the tail heals, the only thing that is inhibited is that the horse cannot clamp its tail down as tightly as before.

Also, your picture from Meadow Wood Stables is a pony. It is not a baby.

I truly am sorry you feel this way about our industry, and unfortunately you are not alone. Our industry is smaller and the only public attention we get are things like this. Please take the time to research your facts before you post them on the internet for all to see. Just because you feel this way does not give you the right to insult the rest of us.

Anonymous said...

I second Shannon's comment. I personally know of many big name Saddlebred trainers who are now practicing merely stretching the tail daily from weaning on to achieve the same results in freeing up the tail. The end goal is to have a slighly loose tail head that will allow the tail to go into a more vertical position. I own two retired show Saddlebred who now live at home with me in the field. They both had their tails cut, and they still have full use of their tails.

VistasEB said...

Trojan Mouse,

Just thought you should know that the "baby" saddlebred you posted a link to is ACTUALLY a hackeny pony. You should hurry and fix that before people start to realise you have no idea what you are talking about...oops too late

roanhorse said...

You know, I could take your blog seriously if you knocked off the swearing and presented your concerns in a professional manner. Until you do you're just another unhappy exhibitor.

You bet the problems are out there and the breed organizations at their world show levels and elsewhere take a dam dim view of the nonsense that goes on with chains, gingered tails, injected tails, cut tail nerves, soring, and any other manner of abuse that is shoved at a show horse.

Several breed organizations have their own DSQ's (designated qualified people) checking for forbidden drugs used on horses and for the above mentioned abuses of show horses and these individuals work in conjunction with the show veterinarians. Certain amounts of drugs are allowed only with a veterinarian's script which must be presented to show staff when initially reporting to the show office; however, the exhibitor must be prepared to show that script whenever asked at a show. It helps to have the top placing horses in a given class, usually a championship class, pulled out for drug testing....

For those organizations that cannot police their members at a show it's no ones fault but their own.

The horses that have received alcohol injections as a nerve block procedure on tails do regain normal tail function usually after about eight months or so. To declare that they don't is incorrect.

I've seen horses working at the NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity, Reno, with blocked tails and I've yet to see one unable to turn around or stop during the reining portion of the three required elements.

They've not had a problem taking a steer down the fence nor have they had a problem with their sliding stop. If it truly "fucked with their perception of their rear end" to quote you, I doubt any of these manuevers would be done with any degree of proficiency. No doubt their riders would be endangered to boot. I'd certainly challenge you to contact one of the group of top ten trainers in working cow horse and tell them they suck as trainers....you could only hope to achieve what they have in the pen. Blocked tail or not.

The Wenchster said...

Your research skills are poorly lacking. Draft tails have been docked for centurys now since their intended use is to pull carraiges, wagons, and plows. Have you ever seen a horses tail get tangled in plow reins or hitch gear? It's not pretty.
And to bash Anhauser-Busch. How ignorant are you? Have you actually ever walked into one of their many facilities or their breeding ranch? Their horse's are treated better than the Queen of England. They are given proper fly gear and sprayed with fly spray for their comfort. Are you going to go after Preifert next?
Honestly this blog is surely lacking an intelligent party. You just sound like another one of the Fugly followers that aspires to have a blog as big and attention getting as hers. Are you hoping that she throws you a line and posts your blog link on FHotD? Hoping that your over use of F-words and such will get everyone's attention?

Missy said...

You realllllllly need to do some more research on this before you go and start talking all this crap. I have a saddlebred and no I didn't cut her tail but I do set it naturally because her tail is loose enough to do so. She wears a tail set and really doesn't care...Its doesn't even see, to phase her. It doesn't hurt them. And those that do cut them are not hurting them either. None of these horses care. They still have full use of their tail when not in the set too. They can still swat flies and everything...and it actually does look gorgeous. Also, tail sets do not hurt theor backs/spines...it actually helps them...it stretches their back and all their muscles and helps to strenghthen their back. You really need to do more research before you talk. You don't know anything.

Missy said...

You realllllllly need to do some more research on this before you go and start talking all this crap. I have a saddlebred and no I didn't cut her tail but I do set it naturally because her tail is loose enough to do so. She wears a tail set and really doesn't care...Its doesn't even see, to phase her. It doesn't hurt them. And those that do cut them are not hurting them either. None of these horses care. They still have full use of their tail when not in the set too. They can still swat flies and everything...and it actually does look gorgeous. Also, tail sets do not hurt theor backs/spines...it actually helps them...it stretches their back and all their muscles and helps to strenghthen their back. You really need to do more research before you talk. You don't know anything.

horsndogluvr said...

Wha? People suddenly coming over from some Saddlebred spot and commenting on an old post?

I'm an ASB fan, and worked for a trainer many years ago.

I think we can live without tail sets. I know they aren't cruel. But the only purpose is to fit the fashion, which began as a way to make the horse's back look shorter. There is more cruelty inflicted in the name of fashion... and not just for horses. Would any woman wear 4-inch heels, if not for fashion?

And if the tail-nicking surgery goes wrong, there are problems. We had one horse whose tail was rubbery like latex, due to a slip of the knife. He could not use his tail normally to brush off flies. He could flop it a bit, but not effectively. He had to wear a brace in the ring.

He would still have been eye-catchingly, drop-dead gorgeous with a natural tail.

How about starting a new fashion?

Ruthie

pasofinofreak said...

My SHOW gelding has not has his tail done and we placed 3rd at Nationals last year so it has nothing to do with whether their tails are done or not. Also, my horse holds his that way naturally. When he is very excited, it is even more exaggerated. I have watched this procedure being done. The horse is under general anesthesia and local anesthesia all the way down the tail bone. I watched four horses get their tails done and the never flinched. They can still move their tails when they are through. The "J" tail is not the same as blocking a tail because they still have full range of movement.
***this is my paso gelding with an UNALTERED tail***
http://hphotos-snc1.fbcdn.net/hs135.snc1/5780_1101593616069_1113540182_30246851_3825454_n.jpg
***this is the stallion i show with an ALTERED tail***
http://photos-sf2p.fbcdn.net/v330/168/52/1113540182/n1113540182_30028328_1001.jpg

*my gelding's is more exaggerated than the stallion's* just to prove a point.

pasofinofreak said...

My SHOW gelding has not has his tail done and we placed 3rd at Nationals last year so it has nothing to do with whether their tails are done or not. Also, my horse holds his that way naturally. When he is very excited, it is even more exaggerated. I have watched this procedure being done. The horse is under general anesthesia and local anesthesia all the way down the tail bone. I watched four horses get their tails done and the never flinched. They can still move their tails when they are through. The "J" tail is not the same as blocking a tail because they still have full range of movement.
***this is my paso gelding with an UNALTERED tail***
http://hphotos-snc1.fbcdn.net/hs135.snc1/5780_1101593616069_1113540182_30246851_3825454_n.jpg
***this is the stallion i show with an ALTERED tail***
http://photos-sf2p.fbcdn.net/v330/168/52/1113540182/n1113540182_30028328_1001.jpg

*my gelding's is more exaggerated than the stallion's* just to prove a point.

PASO231 said...

I wanted to add that I have 12 Paso Finos and all of their tails are done and I am sorry but they are done by a certified large animal vet. They don't even feel it and that just loosens the muscle and you massage to get the "look". It doesn't even hurt them. So don't go grouping everyone into the same group and all of our horses can use their tails like normal. If some stupid person does it wrong then that is their fault and it's still not going to stop them from doing it. They do it naturally usually so you really can't tell if it was done or not any way. A couple of our youngsters did the 90 degree angle, that you were talking about looking awful, naturally so I don't see where it makes a big difference if you do it right.

saddlebredsrule said...

just like to say that i have a sixteen year old saddlebred mare. her tail was cut at the beginning of her showing career and yes, she wore a tail set. she was retired a few years later and became a lesson and a pleasure horse. i can tell you that she has absolute control over her tail. she has the ability to do all the things a horse without a cut tail can do with theirs. additionally, our show horses wear a tail set only after the tail is cut (to make sure the mucsles stretch as they heal) and a few days before a show (if they even need it). many of our horses are never gingered as well. if you came up close and personal to an actual tail set (rather than a picture) than you'd find that the horse is able to do most anything it does without the tail set on. they are buckled loosely enough for the horse to move and roll and shake and do everything else as they normally do, and the "metal piece" actually supports the base of the tail through leather straps attached to the surcingle of the tail set. absolutely nothing is inserted in the horse's rectum.

saddlebredsrule said...

we also used a tail set to our advantage at one point. we had a young show mare purchased at auction who had been trained horribly for the first few years of her life. after some serious visits with a chiropractor and a massuese we were finally able to ger her under saddle. but she was so tense that she would clamp her tail down physically between her legs and you could feel the huge hump in her back. we used a tail set with a small bustle (no metal pieces with this one!!) to encourage her to carry her tail more naturally and got her to lengthen her back. she's to the point now where she carries her tail beautifully and had a wonderful back. tail sets and other torture devices can be used to correct the errors other have made. i'm not saying all saddlebred trainers are angels, but to assume all saddlebreds are tortured to become amazing show horses is totally unfounded

Anonymous said...

People in general need to learn correct horsemanship without altering any of the horse's natural attributes.

Naylee said...

I have a rescued saddlebred. Thank goodness not tail cutting or hoof weights that I can tell. On FB I have asked questions in the American Saddlebred Assoc. About the cutting or the hooves always an answer comes back. No big deal ...does not harm the horse. I bet if those horses could talk they would say it hurts to wear all those weights to move. Having my tail cut is not fun and being always in some kind of contraction is painful too.

anonymous said...

I think your blog is a breath of fresh air , really , and yes very well said , and assertive. I love how you clearly have evidence of what and how it's done when it comes to cruelty and horses. That's why I love the arabian class , it's free natural , the way it should be. My hat goes off to you , big applause some one had to speak out.

briarlee said...

I am working hard at banishing tail docking...and have been trying to get Budweiser to stop the mutilation they do with nearly 40 horses every year...it is just so cruel. They ignore everyone and don't seem to care at all about their horses and just keep amputating all of their tails. So sad.

https://www.change.org/p/carlos-brito-kees-storm-anheuser-busch-budweiser-beer-i-want-budweiser-to-stop-mutilating-their-horses?recruiter=15836060&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=copylink

Heidi Madsen said...

I just love these Dumb Ass people who have a blog and think they are an expert, because if it's on the internet or Facebook, then it must be true!!

Yes, every breed has bad people who think they know what they are doing when they know shit about training a horse.

Have you ever considered visiting a Saddlebred barn and watching them workhorses or even bothered to ask the appropriate questions to the trainers so you get the answers you are looking for? Nope, it's better to bash the breed and put false information out there, cause well you can.

When I got into Saddlebreds some 25 yrs ago, I learned from Top trainers and asked questions pertaining to showing, training and etc... I like to research what I'm going to be involved in and I've never regretted a single moment. These Horses who are like athletes lead a life of luxury and are treated better than You and I will be in this lifetime. So Please before you deicide to spread poor misinformation out there, Visit a Barn, ask questions and be Smart about it and not be a Dumb Ass and spread lies. It just really makes you look bad!

Georgie Girl said...

In my younger years, I once worked at a farm that trained Saddlebreds for the show ring. It was extremely disturbing to see how their tailbones were broken and then put into tail sets for the time they weren’t in the ring. I was not allowed to enter their stalls or especially show them any affection. They wanted them crazed when they go into the ring. Their tack room had many fake tails in all colors - tail extensions. I didn’t work there very long and couldn’t understand the cruelty.

Orchid said...

Great when a 13 year old blog post gets revived over and over haha.

Anyway, I ended up here after trying to figure out WHY people use fake tails. I'm not a born and bred horse person. I grew up around rodeo horses not show horses. Fake tails would have been an incumberence. Unless even rodeo people have stooped to using them now too. It just seems like so much effort (even all the above mentioned stuff) to try and make your horse fit a standard that it doesn't fit. False advertisment if you ask me. I used to show dogs. We'd crop their ears. The problem with that? There was a breed standard for natural wars, but no one even bothered to keep them natural to see if their dog even had proper breed ears. The one or two pet dogs that grew up without having their ears docked had the most hideous ears. All because they didn't want to take the time in their breeding program to ensure they were keeping the ears right. Nope they just took the lazy route. Well, I can't even begin to tell you how pissed people were when I came in with my natural eared dogs. Gorgeous ears on them. You see, I managed to not crop them. I wasn't afraid to lose a few ribbons if it meant having the right ears for the standard. But no, it seems these horse people have lost sight of what's important and gotten themselves into a real huge realm of fakery. What's next, completely dying a horses hair to make sure it's lustrious? Teeth implants? Hoof prosthetics? Mane extensions? Genetic engineering? All out DNA mutation? Binding? Where will it stop. These are beautiful animals and in their raw real natural state are gorgeous to the onlookers who don't know what frills are expected.