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Rider maga-
Another practice, of physi- zine implored,
cally or chemically altering a “Don’t Give
Western horse’s tail so that Ammo to Ani-
it remained flat and unmov- mal Rights Ac-
ing during a class, also land- tivists,” and
ed stock breed competition suggested that
into hot water. In reining, a the PETA crowd
Western sport known for its that descended
fast stops, spins and slides, in protest upon
horses can break down in Eight Belles’
their hocks and other joints jockey after her
at early ages due to the stress death was un-
of repeatedly completing founded in their
complex movements at high actions.
speeds. Knowing of these is-
sues, and having witnessed The New York
shortcut practices in places City carriage
like the training ring at QH
age them to hike them up farther to
industry con-
Congress, made it hard to build an
clear the jumps. Use of the rollkur,
tinues to decry the animal rights
argument about mistreatment in lobbyists that picket their carriage
the racing world.
“If we aren’t our
stands, arguing that these groups
are over aggressive in their target-
Even now it seems that every time I
horses’ first line of
ing of an industry that they mis-
open a horse magazine or scan on- takenly assume to be inhumane.
line news, I am confronted with an-
defense, how can we
Perhaps these protesters do push
other practice in another industry
that negatively impacts the health
condemn the people
the envelope, but shouldn’t we all
already be animal rights activists
or safety of the very equine com-
who attempt to take
if we own and train these animals?
petitors upon which that industry If we aren’t our horses’ first line of
relies. For years soring and uncom-
on that responsibility
defense, how can we condemn the
fortable shoeing techniques have
been standard practice in many
in our stead? “
people who attempt to take on that
responsibility in our stead? When
gaited shows, and despite aggres- will we acknowledge without ex-
sive detection methods, the issue
a dressage training technique that
ception that our horses, with their
persists. The eventing world has
over bends a dressage horse in the
infinite mystery, beauty, and heart,
recently come under fire for a rash
neck, was also the subject of a re-
should not be considered purely as
of deaths and injuries in both hors-
cent FEI investigation, after video
vehicles that facilitate the winning
es and riders, due in large part to
surfaced of prominent rider Pat-
of economic or sociological gain?
amateur level riders entering over-
rick Kittel bending his horse Stanic
challenging competitions, but also
so aggressively against the bit that
My hope is that we are now on our
resulting from professionals cam-
Stanic’s tongue began to turn blue.
way. The last few years have seen
paigning exhausted or unfit horses.
Even the basic stresses of competi-
the creation and inception of a va-
tion, such as being stabled in un-
riety of new showing regulations,
In 2008, the Fédération Eques-
familiar environments, and hauled
training practices and industry
tre Internationale (FEI) instituted
to shows can induce conditions in
legislations that pave the way
thermographic testing to determine
equines such as sleep deprivation
for the maintenance of happier,
whether show jumpers in Grand
and stomach ulcers.
healthier equines. Since October
Prix level competitions had been of 2008, for instance, The National
“intentionally sensitized to pain in
What are we doing as horse owners
Thoroughbred Racing Association
order to provide a competitive ad-
if our horses do not come first? Why
(NTRA)’s Safety and Integrity Al-
vantage,” through the application of
keep these magisterial creatures in
liance, has probed why racing is
chemical agents on their forelimbs
our lives if we are not constantly
often such an unsafe enterprise for
that would make them “hypersen-
working to promote their well-be-
its equine competitors. These in-
sitive to touch,” and thus encour-
ing? A 2008 editorial in Horse and
30 Equine•Connections - the magazine for global equine stewardship - www.equineconnection.org
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