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!






Thursday, January 15, 2009

Things we learned about the horse show industry in 2008.

I went back and reviewed my blog entries and some of the replies and if I was to take them at face value as being reflective of the horse industry then this is what I’d think:

1) Any amount of abuse can be justified as long as you can blame another breed/discipline/organization for something you think is worse.

2) Rolkur is acceptable as long as people like Anky are doing it.
Forget that it looks like shit. Forget that it obviously hurts the horse's mouth. Forget that it can't be doing any good for the horse's windpipe. It's okay because some Olympic gold medalist does it.







3) WP riders don’t have a problem with tail blocking. Despite the fact it can cause long term damage and is uncomfortable for the horse. Nothing like having to wait for your human to remove the packed in shit from your rectum after they've numbed your rear end so your tail can't lift.

4) Some saddlebred people can’t read or understand a URL. I posted this link: http://www.meadowwoodstables.com/photos_and_sale/photo_detail.php?horse_id= and endured endless complaints on the trot.org forum that I mislabeled the horse. I didn’t do shit, the people that own meadowwoodstables.com are the ones that labeled the photo. I was merely commenting on the fact the horse’s tail had been done, which it is obvious it had.

5) Most WP people condone the use of spur stops, without having a clue what a real spur stop is. The most vehement proponents of spur stops actually described a leg/seat stop, which is normal. If you’re going to bitch about being in favor of something then at least know what you’re talking about.

6) According to the WP and HUS people trainers shouldn’t have to have good equitation because they are trainers. How fricking stupid is that? It’s a horse show. This means that the best of the best are competing. Not the best of the leaning back, mouth chucking, spur stopping, heels up, no riding pieces of shit trainers. I was actually shocked that people said things like “trainers don’t have to ride pretty”. Of course they do. “Pretty” is based on centuries of riding mechanics that complement the horse, instead of hindering it. If the horse is good with a shitty riding trainer imagine how wonderful he’d be with someone that actually had a good seat and knew how to use their legs!

7) It’s okay to ride two year olds because everybody does it. Forget the growth requirements of the horse’s frame. Forget the mental and physical stresses that a horse goes through, it’s okay because the Big Name Trainers ride two year olds, it happens in every breed and every discipline.


8)It’s okay for a judge to harass and abuse a child, because being a carded judge absolves you of all ethical considerations. Carded judges can do anything and get away with it because they belong to the Good Old Boys’ Club, also known as the “I’ll Scratch Your Back If You’ll Scratch Mine” Club.


9) The Tennessee Walking Horse Big Lick industry will never be reformed because there is too much money in blatant cruelty. Shame on the TWHBEA for being such a bunch of chickenshits that they don't put a stop to this crap once and for all.







10) The stock horse industry has no idea about what a real Hunter looks like, and they are blissful in their ignorance, to the point of being orgasmic about it.






11) People enjoy posting their brag photos all over the net, but go fricking crazy when you point out how crappy they are riding, or how bad they are making their horse look. They are as bad as people that walk up to a judge and say “Why don’t you like my horse?” Honey, it isn’t your horse that’s the problem. Most judges love your horse; they just hate what you’re doing to it.




12) The Pleasure Horse Forum will defend to the death their Big Name Trainers, even to the point of deleting posts against one, until it becomes a big story, then they pretend to be offended. If the pleasure industry hadn’t been turned into the stock horse version of Big Lick IE completely artificial movement and cruel training tactics, then there wouldn’t be so much abuse to bitch about.




13) The Icelandic show industry needs some serious revamping! There is no reason to have a curb bit and a dropped noseband. No reason to have horses hyperflexed. No reason to ride like a sack of grain sitting on the horse’s kidneys. Next to the ASB people the Icelandic people are in the most denial.





14) The halter industry, which is supposed to be producing each breed’s ideal horse, actually produces the worst conformations and biomechanically unsound horses out there. There is no flaw so bad that a big muscled ass and huge forearm can’t excuse it. I’ve come up with a personal slogan for the halter industry “Anything from the elbow down doesn’t count!”





15) Lip chains are okay, because being a lazy piece of shit trainer, that hasn’t a clue how to handle a horse, is the norm now. Forget training, forget the fact that being at a show means your horse, and skills, should be the best! It’s all about showing the public you are such a piece of shit you need to lip chain a weanling filly. Just how much more bad-ass can you be? Perhaps we should get you a basket of kittens or baby bunnies to torture, because they are sooooo dangerous at that age.





16) The WP and HUS riders really have no clue how to create collection, or what collection involves. The concept of collecting from the shoulder and rounding the back and hip is alien to them. To the WP industry collection is a vague term that means the horse isn’t running away with you in the arena. In other words, if you can tug/check that horse every other stride he’s collected.





17) Genetic defects are fine, as long as the bloodlines that produce them are high dollar horses. The stock horse industry has become the go-to place to get all kinds of genetic problems, which any self-respecting real horseman would never consider reproducing. Sadly it looks like the Arab industry is going there too.



18) The horse show industry is absolutely saturated with enablers. Doesn’t matter which breed, or which discipline, these people will defend every abuse, atrocity and poor training practice because it’s part of their traditions.

19) Some saddlebred people are in complete denial about the shit that goes on in their industry. Weanlings in bitting rigs? Never happened. Forget the video proof, it never happens! Yearlings in bitting rigs? Never happened! Forget that Mr. Big Name Trainer recommends it on his website, it never really happens. Tail gingering? Can’t be stopped. Forget that there is a very simple test for it! It simply can’t be stopped because everybody does it! I have to say that the ASB people that posted here to “defend” their practices were the most unknowledgeable group I’ve ever seen. They didn’t even know how the bits they use work. They don’t understand biomechanics, morphology or the laws of physics. It boggled the imagination to read their statements and realize that there is an entire show industry built on this type of ignorance. My respect for the breed skyrocketed because it takes the most tolerant and kind horse in the world to put up with the kind of shit that gets thrown at them.


Of course most of the above is tongue in cheek. I really don’t believe any of the “justifications” and “enabler” bullshit. The horse show industry is so piss poor right now because people are too lazy and too unethical to clean it up. It’s only when a huge case pops up, like Mr. Wells, that the stock horse industry even pulls its pointed little head out of the sand. Why the hell do you think that horse was abused to that degree? It wasn’t because he was a bad horse. It was because he was being beaten into a frame and way of going that are unnatural to the horse. He couldn’t do it because he’s not made that way. Yet in order to be considered worthwhile, and to promote the trainer that abused him, he had to conform to this artificial ideal of what a WP horse is supposed to be. This isn’t the first major WP abuse case, and it won’t be the last. The more the show industry encourages artificial movement and the abusive techniques used to get it, the more of these cases we’re going to read about.



I can only hope that 2009 will bring about an improvement in the treatment of the show horse, and the intelligence of the people responsible for it.

55 comments:

GoLightly said...

Jeepers do I HAVE to be first, again??
Oh, well.
Hear, hear, TJM!
"applause"
"standing Ovation"

Keep that rant fire going.
The bad training isn't going to go away unless sane people like you keep ranting about it.

Trouble is, it's hard to find sane people in the horse biz.
Glad I found you.
You make excellent sense.

Anonymous said...

I'm with GoLightly, every word of it. It's unfortunate that most show industries and professionals are run by their pocketbooks, not by a passion and love for the animal they're showcasing. Anything to make a buck, and anything to dominate the horse.

Thanks for the wonderful blog! I'm also very glad I "found" you--I saw your link in a Fugly comment and followed it!

Candy said...

I'm glad to find you, too! If people only had the guts to just completely BOYCOTT their breed shows, whatever type horse they show, MAYBE these associations would take notice!! I think it's time we do that instead of turn a blind eye. Find another type of horse show to go to, like a local open show! They're much more fun, anyway, and you win better prizes (at least better than at most AQHA shows!). And if these abusive trainers all of a sudden just didn't have any more horses to train, they just might get the hint, too!! There are more ways to skin a cat, people!!! Thanks for this website, it is GREATLY needed!!!

Anonymous said...

Am I the only one who sees that a lot of these breed organizations are operating in a cult mentality?

Here's one of the definitions of "cult" from Dictionary.com: "Obsessive, especially faddish, devotion to or veneration for a person, principle, or thing. Note: The term cult often suggests extreme beliefs and bizarre behavior."

Sounds about right to me.

People can't even see the error of their ways because the powers-that-be cannot possibly be wrong. Really, people, it's OK to remove the blinders and stop following without question.

I think every person who has participated in this horrible shit for the sake of presentation, glory, and 50-cent ribbons should have to work with a rescue that specializes in their breed of choice. Maybe if they saw firsthand the pain and suffering caused by what they do they would change their minds.

But I doubt it.

attafox said...

LOL, and it was one of those unknowledgeable ASB people posting here who made you aware of the simple test for ginger.

ShameintheHorseShowRing said...

Attafox,

>LOL, and it was one of those unknowledgeable ASB people posting here who made you aware of the simple test for ginger

You are wrong yet again. My sister, Tuffy, is the one that posted there was a test for the ginger. The trot.org forum went into full scale denial and then found out that *yes* there was a test for ginger, the ASB people are just too cheap to pay for it. Go back through the posts the first person that says there is in fact a test is Tuffy, and she's defnitely not an ASB person.

Jean

Tuffy Horse said...

Attafox,

Sis is right, I brought up the ginger test and got called a liar and told it just wasn't possible.
It is possible to test for ginger, the ASB people just don't want to.


Tracy M

Anonymous said...

How hilarious--the ASB people are at it again!

Candy said: "If people only had the guts to just completely BOYCOTT their breed shows, whatever type horse they show, MAYBE these associations would take notice!!"

That's exactly what I tell people who want to avoid the TWH sore horse industry. Don't show at those shows. I have a friend who says she thinks she's making a difference, that they see her sound, big striding gelding and he wins, so they will think hey, I can do that too. She's SO wrong. When sore horse people get beat by sound horse people, they go home and sore their horses more or pass it off as saying the judge doesn't know what he's doing. They don't give a shit about sound horses--they want the money in their pockets. So when you show at a sore horse show, all you're doing is putting money in their pockets to continue soring. That's just how it goes. Avoidance is the key.

Meghan said: "Am I the only one who sees that a lot of these breed organizations are operating in a cult mentality?"

I agree with you whole-heartedly. In fact, in the TWH world, it's really a thug/Mafia mentality. These are people with lots of money who can easily get rid of those who make noise about what they're doing. It's definitely a cult, that's for sure, and it's ingrained. It is absolutely in these people's nature to continue things business as usual, no matter what breed association. And the justification comes down to three things: you just don't understand, this is how we train them and we've been doing it for 38 years, and everyone else does it, so I should to.

Just ask anyone who has ever sored their horses and changed their mind and find out what has happened to them since then. It's horrible what they go through. They are heroes in my book, though. People who make a change like that will always impress me.

CurtsBooks said...

But the best of all as to an excuse for any poor training-breeding-riding-whatever is....
"You are just jealous because your horse can't win."
Yep, the old sour-grapes argument.
Been reading your blog almost since the start & have seen exactly what you write about.

sagebeasties.blogspot.com
curtsbookshemet.blogspot.com

attafox said...

Tuffy Horse;

*I* am the one who said there was a test for ginger along with vlayne.

Buck Hunter said...

Jean,

Good post. I think all of the things you mentioned need to be addressed.

I hope they will be!

Cassandra

Tuffy Horse said...

Attafox,

>*I* am the one who said there was a test for ginger along with vlayne.

Nope, not until I said there was. If you search the blog reply page, using either Test or Ginger as your search word, the first mention of how to test for it is this post which is my reply to Leslie. (prior to this post everyone was denying that ginger could be tested for)

QUOTE
Leslie wrote:
>As for convincing the USEF to put in a ginger rule, it's unlikely. There used to be a no ginger rule in Morgans, but they got rid of it because there was no practical way to test for it. The AMHA insisted it wasn't condoning the use of ginger by nixing the rule, just getting rid of a rule that was unenforceable.

Poppycock. Ginger is a caustic. A simple wipe with a PH strip would detect it.

Tracy M END QUOTE

Then AMW rider asks if I have told the USEF about the ginger test. Here's my reply to her ( still no sign of a post from you on the blog yet)

QUOTE
AMWrider wrote:

>>Poppycock. Ginger is a caustic. A simple wipe with a PH strip would detect it.<

>So, have you suggested this little tidbit of information to the USEF? To the AMHA? To the AHA?

Let me ask you something: Why is it that the ASB people want the outsiders to make the noise? I just gave you the information so you can research it and do something about protecting your breed. It's not MY job to fix the public image of YOUR breed.

END QUOTE

Those are December 16th, which if you review the trot.org forum archives that is specifically bitching about the blog you will see it is BEFORE you and vlayne suddenly mention that there is a test, and that is has to be paid for.

Search engines, gotta love them.


THEN you and Vlayne went an looked for it and found out there was indeed a test in existance for gingering.

Check the time stamps and dates. I brought up the need to test for ginger first. It's 3/4's down on the first page of replies. Prior to my post all the statements regarding testing say that there is no way to test for it, and you hadn't even posted at that point. Go ahead and search your name and vlaynes.

Tracy M

Tuffy Horse said...

Attafox,

In searching further I find that you didn't even mention the ginger testing on the trot.org forum until AFTER the timestamp of my post here and you don't even appear on this blog until December 18th, which is two days after I said there was a test for ginger.

So again, I mentioned the fact it could be tested for and the ASB here tried to deny it.


Tracy M

Carrie Giannandrea said...

As much as I would like to compete two of my horses in the ring against their own breed, I can not condone what the ApHC is. They will not get money from me this year. I want the current CEO out and I want the show ring to contain people who respect the exhibitors, of any age!

We will ride in Open competitions only.

Carrie Giannandrea
Dances with Horses
Formula One Farms

CHT said...

Hey, you left out the Hunter Jumper people!

I think anytime ribbons become the goal and not the icing on the cake you will find issues with calculated cruelty...it doesn't matter if it is a breed show or not.

Good Blog.

http://www.compassionatehorsetraining.com

Serendipity said...

The more I see of it, the more I think HUS is a joke. Seriously, why was it created? Just because your (stock) horse can canter around on a loose rein without running off, doesn't mean you can roll around in the saddle like a sack of wet cement. Get on a real hunter and see how tolerant they are of that.

And I'm beginning to think the judges are as bad as the riders/trainers. We had a judge at an open show treating our English Eq and road hack classes like an HUS division, pinning the uncollected four-beaters over the forward-moving sport horses. I don't think half of them would know a real English horse if they got trampled by one.

Anonymous said...

Hey now, not EVERYONE in WP and HUS is horrible. ;) There are still a few of us left.

And with the exception of perhaps TWH (I have no idea how to fix THAT mess) I think avoiding shows is causing MORE problems. The associations aren't going to listen to people who aren't putting money in their pockets. If the majority of people were caring trainers, the association would listen because that's where the profit is. But, as it stands, the more you avoid, the more greedy/shit trainers stay and win and get into the business, and now they are more then just the majority--they are almost EVERY trainer and rider.
You need to get back into the association if you ever plan on helping to fix it.

Tiffani B said...

I have a question; color me confused.

If you are so disgusted with the show ring, why are you advertising that your horses Colida Twisted Lace and Twisted Heiress are priced at a private treaty "to show home"? Why do you brag that your fillies Twisted Heiress and Miss Will Dun have "Fabulous halter and performance bloodlines with numerous world and national champions"?

You are encouraging the "show" mentality here. Given your abhorrence to everything related to showing, shouldn't you be advertising that your horses are NOT for sale to anyone who will show? And that the champions in your filly's pedigrees possibly obtained those championships through means you find disgusting? Who knows what kind of abuse those poor horses may have endured to win in the show ring! Is your advertising of "show quality animals" driven by your pocketbook, or by the desire to do what is best for your horses?

And please, do not take credit for my knowledge. I knew of the ginger test LONG before any vague "guess" was made on this blog. You said it would be easy to test for - you didn't even know such a test ACTUALLY EXISTED and was in use.

GoLightly said...

Oh, c'mon get over it, Tiff!
Mooove on.
The dialogue, as TJM said, was mostly tongue-in-cheek. MOSTLY.

It's out there. Open your eyes. Change can happen, if enough people have the guts to stand up for the horse. You've told me that yourself. I do believe with more education/training and less SNEERING, good things can happen.

Say something, I never did, in the H/J world, or I'd have lost my job. So true, katphoti. I should have said something, but I needed to eat.
Good points being made.
LOL, TJM, boy, did I get my arse smacked on mugs, for asking about the weird low-head set in WP/HUS/& reining. Jeez, you'd have thought I was asking "Why is pedophilia acceptable??"

Wow. I am staying the heck away from these arguments. If you ask, you are dumb, if you don't ask, you don't learn.
Sheesh.
Learning is a good thing, at least in my poor, uneducated, horseless book.

It's about the HORSES.
Not YOU.

Tiffani B said...

Tongue-in-cheek: Definition: ironic and insincere. Some Synonyms: blithe, comic, comical, dry, facetious, farcical, flip, flippant, funny, humorous, in fun, in jest, ironic, ironical, irreverent, jesting, jocular, joking, jokingly, joshing, kiddingly, laughable, not serious, playful, pulling one’s leg, putting one on, sarcastic, satirical, smart, whimsical, wisecracking, witty.

I would NEVER say this blog is any of the above. TJM is VERY serious about everything she writes. And I do agree with the basic principals of her idealogue. Unfortunately, exaggerations and errors make the truths needles in the proverbial haystack. Cry wolf one too many times... eventually one loses their credibility.

GoLightly said...

Has katphoti cried wolf about the TWH?
Is TJM crying wolf about the Cleve Wells scandal?
Did I cry wolf when I asked why did that trainer make sure no-one was around when he "trained" it?

The tongue in cheek statement simply signifies that TJM knows that NOT EVERYBODY does what she rants about.
THANK GOD.
Otherwise, all horses would/should have turned into carnivores, by necessity, by now.
Jeesh.

kat, I've been saying TJM rocks, for a while. That's partly why, I guess, the western folks umm, dislike my avatar, shall we say, politely:)
I've grown to like the ASB horse, more and more, from this blog. I guess, that's a bad thing?
I'm so confused...

Tuffy Horse said...

Tiffani wrote:

>If you are so disgusted with the show ring, why are you advertising that your horses Colida Twisted Lace and Twisted Heiress are priced at a private treaty "to show home"? Why do you brag that your fillies Twisted Heiress and Miss Will Dun have "Fabulous halter and performance bloodlines with numerous world and national champions"?

Tiffani, I'm not the owner of the blog, so don't apply her opinions to me. Those are my horses, not hers.

There are good people in the show industry and these are the people I sell my horses to. I screen buyers very carefully.

>And please, do not take credit for my knowledge. I knew of the ginger test LONG before any vague "guess" was made on this blog. You said it would be easy to test for - you didn't even know such a test ACTUALLY EXISTED and was in use.


You're completely wrong. I knew there was a test because they were testing for ginger at Arabs shows long before the ASB people even admitted ginger was a problem.

You seriously need to get a grip and qui enabling the abusers in your breed.

Tracy M

Tuffy Horse said...

Tiffani wrote:
>Unfortunately, exaggerations and errors make the truths needles in the proverbial haystack. Cry wolf one too many times... eventually one loses their credibility.

It works both ways. Continue to deny the abuse, despite videos, photos, first hand witness accounts and eventually your breed takes on the aura that the TWHBEA has: Liars that abuse for fun.


Add to that the people within a breed that spout off about bits, hoofs, equipment and such without having a clue about what they're spewing and it makes the people within the breed seem ignorant.


Tracy M

NewHampshah said...

Good blog. I'm glad that more and more people are getting outraged over the bad breeding, training, showing, and judging that is wrecking the horse industry.

One complaint though: when I try to copy a web address which you have imbedded in the text I get the message that goes something like this: "Don't copy my stuff, grow some balls and start yer own blog!" Actually, I laughed my ass off when that popped up! However, I would like to be able to copy, cut, and past web adresses of interest. Can you post live links?

Tuffy Horse said...

Tiffani B or Vlayne or whoever you are:

I would appreciate it if you would go to the Modern Saddlebred forum and delete the copy of my article Because My Daughter Grew Up With Horses from the forum:

http://www.modern-saddlebred.com/forums/showthread.php?p=27306

Which you posted WITHOUT my permission and in violation of my copyright.

If you don't remove it I will contact the moderators and report the copyright infringement.

Tracy M

Tiffani B said...

I have edited my post.

I'm sure the sites you've named as copying your writing, that have removed it per your request, would appreciate you taking their name off of your list. Like Knollwood...

The street of respect runs both directions.

Tuffy Horse said...

Tiffani,

Respect is not stealing something in the first place.



Tracy M

Tuffy Horse said...

Tiffani,

The method in which you edited your post isn't going to do you any good, since I've already contacted that website too in order to get the article removed.
They don't have permission to use it either.

Tracy M

Tiffani B said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Tiffani B said...

Wow. Just... wow.

Tuffy Horse said...

Tiffani,

It is a wow when people steal your intellectual property and then claim authorship, try to sell it to magazines, print and sell it on posters and all kinds of other things, which I have dealt with for almost a year now. To say it is aggravating is an understatement.

Tracy M.

Tiffani B said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Tiffani B said...

Yet you are going after the folks who actually DO give credit and provide your name after the article?

I can understand the aggravation, but really... being quoted, when the person is providing proper citation, should not be something you're going after. It's standard literary practice, to quote someone. As long as they provide the name of the writer/speaker, it is perfectly legal. I could quote from one of Obama's speeches, or one of Stephen King's books... as long as I cite the source, and not pretend it is my writing, it's fine.

Go after those who are legitimately plagerizing your work (and ESPECIALLY those profiting from it!) with both guns ablazin. But don't take down the people who are quoting you correctly and respectfully and not using your words to make money.

Tuffy Horse said...

Tiffani,

There is a big difference between quoting and using an entire piece. Quoting is using MAYBE one paragraph. Using an entire piece is theft.

And what you're not considering, is that when the article is posted somewhere WITHOUT the copyright credentials then other people feel free to "borrow" it and pass it around too.

Tracy M

GoLightly said...

Tiffani
The honourable thing to do would be to post a link to Tuffy's site. Let them read it on her site.
It's hers.

Sheesh.
To The HORSES, sheeples!

Unknown said...

I was reading the stuff at the bottom of the page and curiosity strikes. This person talks about not being a member of any horse stuff, but has relatives on boards. This is signed by Tuffy Horse. From what I could gather, TJM is the one who owns this blog and is not a member of clubs and TH is the horse "active" person. I also saw one of the postings a couple weeks ago signed by TH and it was later changed to TJM. So who is TJM and who is TH and are they posting for each other? I can see why some get it mixed up as to who owns the blog.

GoLightly said...

WGAFF who owns the blog??
That they are sisters is SO incredibly relevant/fascinating.

(scanning)
Jeez, there's Two of them. Eeek.

TO HORSES.

gah. Honestly.

oops, I told myself to be quiet. Wish MY sisters had liked horses.
Heck, anyBODY in my immediate family. But nooooo..
stomps off.

ShameintheHorseShowRing said...

Gail,
>I was reading the stuff at the bottom of the page and curiosity strikes. This person talks about not being a member of any horse stuff, but has relatives on boards. This is signed by Tuffy Horse.

No, you're incorrect. The thing by Tuffy Horse is about PETA. I wrote the stuff below it.



>I also saw one of the postings a couple weeks ago signed by TH and it was later changed to TJM. So who is TJM and who is TH and are they posting for each other? I can see why some get it mixed up as to who owns the blog.

No you didn't. You cannot edit posts. You can either delete them or leave them up, there are no other options. Tuffy and I both have the same initials, TM. Her last name is Meisenbach and mine is Maus. I go by Jean, because I dislike my first name which starts with a T, and her name is Tracy.

To make matters worse, if our three brothers showed up we'd really have a mess because they have the same first and second initials too.

Jean

Unknown said...

TJM, thanks for the clarification, I was getting mixed up.

GoLightly - your response to me seems rude. Is that how you greet new people?

Anonymous said...

"kat, I've been saying TJM rocks, for a while. That's partly why, I guess, the western folks umm, dislike my avatar, shall we say, politely:)
I've grown to like the ASB horse, more and more, from this blog. I guess, that's a bad thing?
I'm so confused..."

No worries, GL. If you like the ASB horse, that's fine. I have met one very nice ASB horse in my life and she was a safe trail horse. The most uncomfortable horse I've ever ridden, but she was safe for an advanced beginner rider on up. Beautiful bay mare with a heart of gold, even though she was higher than a kite all the time.

No, I don't like ASBs. I also don't like Arabs, Paso Finos, and Appys. But so what if I don't like those breeds? Someone does, and they wouldn't exist if someone didn't.

It's not the horse for me when it comes to what I'm talking about, though. It's the ASB practices and the industry and mentality that goes along with it that I hate. I have the same feelings toward the TWHBEA/NHSC/KWHA/WHOA/WHTA show groups (all sore horse industries). I also hate the way WP, Hunter, and Halter QHs look now and the horrible dish faces of the Arabians. I hate the Rolkur (SP) method for Dressage. I can't stand that some draft horses are subjected to a form of pressure shoeing to make them step higher. I also hate the continued willy-nilly breeding of DSLD Peruvian Pasos, HERDA and HYPP QHs, and various other medical problems. I hate starting any horse in harness or under saddle before it's three years old. I love my trainer dearly, but the stud colt she has, while having a great dispostion and is probably homozygous for tobiano, has horrible confirmation, and she wants to breed more like him.

To go even further, I can't stand it when people say "all horses lose weight in winter" or "he's a weanling/senior horse, so of course he's thin." The lack of general knowledge about horses and our continued methods of neglect and abuse, even in our own backyard trail horses, is astounding. I don't understand why someone can own a horse and not understand even the basics: how to recognize colic, what a correctly trimmed or shod hoof looks like.

For me, it comes down to this. I have the same philosophy about domesticated animals as I do about children: if you have decided you want one, then it is your responsibility to create a happy, healthy, and well-educated/well-trained life for that being. If you can't afford it, don't own it, and if you can't do the proper training/education and health care, then don't own it. It seems so simple, yet it is so hard for so many to grasp.

Don't worry, GL. I think it's great that you've learned about a breed and want to learn more. Maybe you'll find a nice ASB to add to your barn someday!

Anonymous said...

DressageinJeans,

LOVE that avatar name.

"You need to get back into the association if you ever plan on helping to fix it."

I agree with you, and I wish it would actually work. There are so many who have been trying in the TWH industry for decades. The only thing that HAS convinced them that there is a problem is the recent decline in memberships and registration transfers. They ignore those of us who are screaming about changing the abuse because we are not screaming with our pocketbooks the way the sore horse people are. I find that most horse industries only care about money and NOT about the horses, like they say they do. WHile I have no problem with a business making money, I DO have a problem with 1) making money by abusing others (animals included), and 2) telling the public you're doing one thing while actually doing the opposite behind closed doors.

Plus, if enough of us do what's right and not support them, eventually they are going to get whittled down to only a select few who will still show with them. When they only have those few that support them, then they aren't going to grow the industry and get more money.

So, I definitely agree with you. I just wish it worked. I just cannot justify sending money to an industry that continues to support animal abuse. Until they eliminate all pads, stacks, chains, bands, long-shanked bits, and various other implements of torture, then I will not support them. For them, actions (writing checks) speaks louder than words, so I am accepting the same philosophy. Stop telling me you're going to do something about it and actually DO it.

Anonymous said...

DiJ,

Sorry, that last comment wasn't directed at you--it was directed at the TWH sore horse industry. :)

Tricky said...

Katphoti said:
"
For me, it comes down to this. I have the same philosophy about domesticated animals as I do about children: if you have decided you want one, then it is your responsibility to create a happy, healthy, and well-educated/well-trained life for that being. If you can't afford it, don't own it, and if you can't do the proper training/education and health care, then don't own it. It seems so simple, yet it is so hard for so many to grasp."

I am so glad there is a like minded person out there that feels this way, I thought I was alone on that stake.
I also agree that the way to change things is through actions - and in the case of most associations the action is money. The reward for soring and being on board 2yo, breeding hideously deformed halter horses, using rolkur, racing 2yo Tbs is MONEY - take away the reward, by taking away the ability of the association to fund it, and guess what? Less and less people will go to all this trouble and risk to do these hideous things because there is a smaller benefit for it.
Keep the knowledge flowing TJM - I for one never knew about soring, QH lip chains and the like. (could be somehting to do with being in Australis) Thanks for opening my eyes.

GoLightly said...

Gail, I apologize. I didn't need to add the WGAFF. My rude. Conceded.
This sister topic has been covered ad.nauseum, though. Sorry.
I don't see why it makes a difference, is all. Do you think there's a conflict of interest between them or something?
Why?
Because they're sisters?
Do you have sisters?
Sorry, I'm in Mad Cow mode this week, well, seems like every week, these days.

I'm for the horses.
To heck with sisters that aren't interested in horses:)
I'm jealous, ok?
Must be NICE to be in the same biz, that they both care about so passionately.. Familial strength and all that.
I'll be quiet now.

Anonymous said...

GL,
I'm jealous, ok?
Must be NICE to be in the same biz, that they both care about so passionately.. Familial strength and all that.


I am too. I am the ONLY one in my family that has a passion for horses. I was lucky to marry a man who is a horseperson, but he doesn't like to show or anything like that, just weekend trail riding for him and raising a colt for himself. My sister-in-law is an excellent rider, but she's consciously oblivious when it comes to the care and training aspect of it. She owns horses yet acts like she doesn't know anything about them. She doesn't want to know anything--she just wants to ride. She is an excellent candidate for having a favorite horse at a riding stable that she can rent anytime she wants.

Then there are my parents, who give me shit all the time because I own horses--they're a waste of time and money, blah blah blah. In fact, they support my brother's decisions far above my own. I believe I am a disappointment in my parents' eyes. At least my brother understands my passion, even though he's afraid of horses. He doesn't like how my parents treat me, either.

*SIGH* At least we have blogs where we can find each other and share like-minded ideas! :)

Anonymous said...

Tricky,

I'm glad there's someone else out there, too! But I also know there are lot more like-minded people like us. Plus, I don't have kids for the reasons I stated.

Here's a quote I live by:

"You need a license to buy a dog, or drive a car. Hell, you need a license to catch a fish! But they'll let any butt-reaming asshole be a father."

~ Keanu Reeves, Parenthood

Not like he was oh-so-smart enough to think of it himself, but it's stil an awesome quote. I believe whole-heartedly in it for animals and children alike.

Tricky said...

Love it!

Makes my day a little brighter.

slavetothehorse.blogspot.com

cattypex said...

Wow... Nice summary TJM! It's so true about the $ issue. Those of us who operate in the world of logic, good faith and sanity need reminders about the real nastiness that goes on all the time in the name of horse showing.

GoLightly said...

kat, thanks.
I need a barn, fields, fences (arena would be nice) and some billions$$ first. We never did get that "challenge" horse sent up here, from the ASB blog, remember?
If it ever happens, come and help me, 'k?

all the best!

To Sisters!

Anonymous said...

GL,

WILL DO! Count me in!

roanhorse said...

God you're a wreck "Shame"; no doubt an early demise from stress or early heart attack from your emotional, overwraught blog. Your blog is based soly on your perceptions, right or wrong.....more often so clouded by your prejudices which draw incorrect conclusions. No doubt you've found a good supply of sheep(minions) which will follow your every word as the gospel. You and Fugly are a pair to draw to.

Caitie said...

who are you and who do you think you are?! you are are bashing the pleasure world and why? have you ever trained a pleasure horse? Have you ever bred a halter horse? Do you show AQHA or APHA? Whats your name? whats your horses name? Lemme look it up! my guess is you complain about it because you don't know what your doing.

Caitie said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
NollieB said...

I agree with most of this. However, I will say that 99% of the western pleasure people (trainers, breeders, showers, etc.) have a major ethical problem with tail deadening. It is one of the most enforced rules in the industry, and tails are slowly coming back in both the APHA adn AQHA from what they were several years ago.

lee said...

Where r y nownass hole??