Hippo-Ethic
by,
Corinne H. Mehas
Every year it arrives in my mail-
phones while lunging or riding their
est passion by detailing his family’s
box. The Schedule and Entry book-
horses into semi-exhausted compli-
close ties to the racing industry,
let for the All American Quarter
ance.
and commenting on their owner-
Horse Congress, the largest single-
ship of several racehorses. He was
breed horse show in the world, and
At one Congress, I watched a woman
unprepared for my rancor when I
a “who’s who” of both amateur and
take her young horse in the face by
responded by launching several tid-
professional Quarter Horse com-
the bridle and then spur him deeply
bits at him about the often uncom-
petitors. Most of our past and mod-
to punish him for some infraction
fortable ways that racehorses are
ern day Quarter Horse greats have
likely induced
prepped
passed through the ranks at the
by his age and
“He was unprepared for
for their
Congress, and for those of us with
lack of un-
a bleeding heart for stock horses,
derstanding.
my rancor when I
vocation,
the un-
the event is unsurpassed in its po-
Tears welled
responded by
natural-
tential for heady levels of equine
in my eyes as
ness of the
exposure.
I watched the
launching several tidbits
physical
abuse, and
The Congress used to be a “must
when she final-
at him about the often
demands
placed on
see” event for my mother and me,
ly relented in
uncomfortable ways that
very young
back in the days when I rode and
her attack and
h o r s e s
showed my own Quarter Horse in
maneuvered
racehorses are prepped for
trained
southwestern Ohio. Every year we
him towards
would make the two hour trek to
the ring’s exit,
their vocation...”
with hard
gallops,
the Ohio Exposition Center in Co-
I waited for
and the
lumbus and eat indulgent fair foods
the pair at the
anger and
while watching all the glistening
gate. As she passed I commented
fear that I had witnessed in the
ponies circulating within the ring.
to her on what a fit, good looking
Thoroughbreds that had I worked
Seeing the riders decked in their
youngster her gelding was. She
with as a hot walker on a Kentucky
sparkly show ring finest filled me
agreed, and was poised to enter
track. Though I would later go with
with dreams of competing among
into a discussion of all of his merits
him to visit his family’s horses,
them.
when I cut her off with the simple
and modify my opinion of the rac-
request that she realize how hard
ing industry from experiencing it
As years passed, however, I began to
he was trying for her, and to give
with people who truly cared about
spend more time on the rail watch-
him a break. She huffed off with the
the horses that they owned, he and
ing warm-ups at Congress than in
downtrodden horse in hand, and I
I would often return to discussing
the stands watching competition.
left that year’s Congress feeling the
racing’s seemingly negligible com-
During these periods I became
uneasy weight of knowing I would
mitment to horse welfare.
acutely aware that competing at
never again watch the competition
this level motivated many riders to
with the blissful naiveté that I had
The main debate between us though
rely on unsavory and even abusive
enjoyed as a teen.
was not always whether racing was
“training” techniques to develop the
unsafe for its Thoroughbreds. The
tractable show ring personalities re-
It was at about this point in my life
spate of deaths and injuries that
quired in just about every Western
that I had my first meeting with a
had occurred on prominent tracks
sport. I saw horses’ heads dragged
man with whom I would have a long
throughout the country (involving
to the ground with draw reins, rein
relationship. It being our first date,
most notably Barbaro and Eight
jerking, bit bumping, aggressive
he attempted to connect with what
Belles), and the charges of steroid
spurring, and riders gabbing on cell
he already knew to be my life’s great-
and drug abuse that were rampant
28 Equine•Connections - the magazine for global equine stewardship - www.equineconnection.org
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