Post by Emily Archberg on Jan 27, 2019 0:39:55 GMT 10
This thread has been quiet for a while but I'm stuck in bed with a flu and these thoughts resonated with me so here are my irrelevant opinions on horse "abuse".
I feel like I have witnessed so much good intention with violent outcomes, as well as outright neglect. It has made me very cynical. I have expressed my feelings on bits on this forum before, but I don't think my posts were very coherent, as I was super emotional while writing them. I'm also not sure if I agree with what I wrote back then.
I have ridden primarily in Finland. We have strict national laws regarding the well being and keeping of horses, as well as EU regulations which all commercial and private stables must follow. These laws and regulations have not protected any horses I have seen from abuse. I have taken weekly lessons in at least four stables ranging in size from 10 lesson horses to 40, in addition to yearly summer camps all over the country. All the stables were a part of the Finnish association for riders (SRL), which is supposed to regulate how both riders and horses are treated. Some of the stables participated in national and international showjumping competitions and were regarded as high-end equestrian institutions that take immaculate care of their animals.
Regardless, I was taught that I should whip an unresponsive horse until it jumps the obstacle, or canters. My first trail ride begun with the instructor advising us to "saw" on the reins to stop the horses if they bolt. (Pulling one rein after the other with force repeatedly until the horse stops) This can cause severe damage to the mouth and teeth. We should not have been on the trail in the first place, but it is expected to go on at least one trail ride on riding camps in Finland. It's what everybody does. I have been told to do variations of "sawing" on a trail ride in Spain as well. They used leverage bits as is the custom in Andalucia. I can only imagine the pain caused by this.
The truth is, that if a horse truly panics, nothing will make it stop. Properly socialised horses that trust their herd will not gallop far away from other horses in most cases. This can be seen with many Icelandic horses, for example. Having "panic brakes" with a prey animal is senseless to me.
Once, when I couldn't pace a pony in-between jumps, I was given a three-ring leverage bit for the next jumping lesson. "That'll teach her to listen to you", the instructor said. I was told to whip the same pony until it jumped over a fence from a full stop. I was praised when she finally did. I have been made to ride sore horses and scared horses and told that their misbehavior is always caused by a lack of respect towards ME. I must be stronger, harder and more aggressive in order to be better. After having a two year break from riding, an instructor I trust and love gave me spurs to use on her personal horse who has become "lazy". The horse is 22-years old. I was out of shape and out of balance, causing the spurs to dig in the horse's sides every time I went over some poles. The instructor then asked if I needed a whip to "remind the horse who's in charge" after receiving small bucks as push back from the pain I was causing the horse.
I have seen horses bleed, bolt, bite, kick, rear, buck, and attack other horses on lessons. Lessons, that were meant for children and beginners. This is not normal, and should never, ever happen with children, nor with adults for that matter. Horses can buck if they're happy and be energetic, making them hard to control but that is not out of malice. Horses that "act out" need professional training, not "reminding" with a whip.
Having these things written out like this may seem like the places I have ridden at treat horses and badly. These things are everyday life for lesson horses everywhere I've ever ridden. You might think that I am exaggerating or only describing the extreme. Believe me, I do not want to write about the cases of literal, violent abuse I have witnessed.
Also, all riders I know in Finland and internationally have had at least some experiences similar to mine. They might have been given harsh equipment when they were moderate/beginner riders, they might have seen horses whipped aggressively in FEI showjumping, rollkur in olympic dressage, horses spending all their time in a riding pen and then a stable box, never getting to run around in a pasture, standing all day with tack on... The list is ENDLESS. Not all of these things cause the same amount of physical and/or emotional damage, but they are very telling on the nature of equestrian world.
The idea that horses need to be dominated by humans is inextricably linked to violence and abuse. "Showing the horse who's boss" with a whip or a slap is only one bad day away from abuse. And that abuse is so much easier to do when you use spurs, whips, and leverage bits. It can happen by accident, like described by some posts in this thread.
I do not think that a piece of equipment itself can be moralized. Inanimate objects are not good or bad. But I do believe that there is a greater chance of hurting a horse if you use spurs, whips and harsh bits compared to if you don't. Accidents happen. Leverage bits should not be used by anyone who isn't an expert, and do experts really need them? I don't know. That I'll leave to dressage judges.
I'm very torn on whether or not I want to continue riding anywhere. I used to go on lovely horse vacations with my family, we've all ridden together since I was a kid. But I feel like even at the best places, where the horses come up to you when you approach them in the paddock and very rarely behave aggressively, I'm being pressured into using equipment I know I might hurt the horse with. I don't want to ride a horse who's been desensitized so severely that it "needs" a whip or spurs on a trail ride. Horses like these need better training and better riders, not me whipping them.
I feel like I have witnessed so much good intention with violent outcomes, as well as outright neglect. It has made me very cynical. I have expressed my feelings on bits on this forum before, but I don't think my posts were very coherent, as I was super emotional while writing them. I'm also not sure if I agree with what I wrote back then.
I have ridden primarily in Finland. We have strict national laws regarding the well being and keeping of horses, as well as EU regulations which all commercial and private stables must follow. These laws and regulations have not protected any horses I have seen from abuse. I have taken weekly lessons in at least four stables ranging in size from 10 lesson horses to 40, in addition to yearly summer camps all over the country. All the stables were a part of the Finnish association for riders (SRL), which is supposed to regulate how both riders and horses are treated. Some of the stables participated in national and international showjumping competitions and were regarded as high-end equestrian institutions that take immaculate care of their animals.
Regardless, I was taught that I should whip an unresponsive horse until it jumps the obstacle, or canters. My first trail ride begun with the instructor advising us to "saw" on the reins to stop the horses if they bolt. (Pulling one rein after the other with force repeatedly until the horse stops) This can cause severe damage to the mouth and teeth. We should not have been on the trail in the first place, but it is expected to go on at least one trail ride on riding camps in Finland. It's what everybody does. I have been told to do variations of "sawing" on a trail ride in Spain as well. They used leverage bits as is the custom in Andalucia. I can only imagine the pain caused by this.
The truth is, that if a horse truly panics, nothing will make it stop. Properly socialised horses that trust their herd will not gallop far away from other horses in most cases. This can be seen with many Icelandic horses, for example. Having "panic brakes" with a prey animal is senseless to me.
Once, when I couldn't pace a pony in-between jumps, I was given a three-ring leverage bit for the next jumping lesson. "That'll teach her to listen to you", the instructor said. I was told to whip the same pony until it jumped over a fence from a full stop. I was praised when she finally did. I have been made to ride sore horses and scared horses and told that their misbehavior is always caused by a lack of respect towards ME. I must be stronger, harder and more aggressive in order to be better. After having a two year break from riding, an instructor I trust and love gave me spurs to use on her personal horse who has become "lazy". The horse is 22-years old. I was out of shape and out of balance, causing the spurs to dig in the horse's sides every time I went over some poles. The instructor then asked if I needed a whip to "remind the horse who's in charge" after receiving small bucks as push back from the pain I was causing the horse.
I have seen horses bleed, bolt, bite, kick, rear, buck, and attack other horses on lessons. Lessons, that were meant for children and beginners. This is not normal, and should never, ever happen with children, nor with adults for that matter. Horses can buck if they're happy and be energetic, making them hard to control but that is not out of malice. Horses that "act out" need professional training, not "reminding" with a whip.
Having these things written out like this may seem like the places I have ridden at treat horses and badly. These things are everyday life for lesson horses everywhere I've ever ridden. You might think that I am exaggerating or only describing the extreme. Believe me, I do not want to write about the cases of literal, violent abuse I have witnessed.
Also, all riders I know in Finland and internationally have had at least some experiences similar to mine. They might have been given harsh equipment when they were moderate/beginner riders, they might have seen horses whipped aggressively in FEI showjumping, rollkur in olympic dressage, horses spending all their time in a riding pen and then a stable box, never getting to run around in a pasture, standing all day with tack on... The list is ENDLESS. Not all of these things cause the same amount of physical and/or emotional damage, but they are very telling on the nature of equestrian world.
The idea that horses need to be dominated by humans is inextricably linked to violence and abuse. "Showing the horse who's boss" with a whip or a slap is only one bad day away from abuse. And that abuse is so much easier to do when you use spurs, whips, and leverage bits. It can happen by accident, like described by some posts in this thread.
I do not think that a piece of equipment itself can be moralized. Inanimate objects are not good or bad. But I do believe that there is a greater chance of hurting a horse if you use spurs, whips and harsh bits compared to if you don't. Accidents happen. Leverage bits should not be used by anyone who isn't an expert, and do experts really need them? I don't know. That I'll leave to dressage judges.
I'm very torn on whether or not I want to continue riding anywhere. I used to go on lovely horse vacations with my family, we've all ridden together since I was a kid. But I feel like even at the best places, where the horses come up to you when you approach them in the paddock and very rarely behave aggressively, I'm being pressured into using equipment I know I might hurt the horse with. I don't want to ride a horse who's been desensitized so severely that it "needs" a whip or spurs on a trail ride. Horses like these need better training and better riders, not me whipping them.