THE MISTREATMENT OF THE HORSE
ACCORDING TO A FRIEND OF MINE WHO RESIDES IN THE UNITED STATES, RIDER ........ TRIAL AROSE GREAT ANGER AND POLEMIC AMONG THE EQUESTRIAN COMMUNITY. (RIDER) HAD ONE OF HIS TOP HORSES ELECTROCUTED IN ORDER TO CLAIM THE INSURANCE MONEY.
LUCKILY, HORSE INSURANCE IS NOT VERY POPULAR IN OUR COUNTRY - ARGENTINA OTHERWISE QUITE A FEW PEOPLE WOULD PROBABLY BE TEMPTED TO MACH OR EVEN SURPASS THE LACK OF SCRUPLES OF THE AMERICAN RIDER!
THOSE FAMILIAR WITH THE SHOW STABLE ENVIRONMENT, EITHER FOR SELF-PRACTICE OR FOR PROFESSIONAL PURPOSES, DO NOT HAVE TO GO OUT OF THEIR WAY TO WITNESS A WIDE RANGE OF ACTS OF CRUELTY TO WHICH OUR HORSES ARE BEING SUBMITTED BY THEIR �TRAINERS�. ONE SUCH EXAMPLE IS THE POLING OF THE ANIMALS IN THE JUMPING PRACTICE, HITTING THEIR FRONT AND HIND LIMBS JUST A FEW DAYS BEFORE A SHOW SO AS TO REMINDED THEM TO TUCK THEIR LEGS UNDER. TO THAT EFFECT, TRAINERS HAVE COME UP WITH A VARIETY OF PAIN INFLICTING DEVICES SUCH AS: THIN WIRES, BARBEDWIRES, HARD RUBBER BANDS WITH PROTRUDING NAILS SECURED AROUND AND OVER FENCES, ELECTRIC WIPES, ETC.. ALL DESIGNED TO CAUSE INTENTIONAL WOUNDS TO THE HORSES FETLOCKS AND CORONARY BANDS WHICH, MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, HAVE BEEN PREVIOUSLY COATED WITH TURPENTINE OR BLISTERING AGENTS SO AS TO ENHANCE THE �PUNISHMENT�!!
TO SUCH PEOPLE, RESULTS INDEED JUSTIFY THE MEANS!
BUT FOR THE REAL HORSE LOVERS AS A LIVING CREATURE WHO ENTRUSTS US WITH HIS DESTINY EITHER AS A BUDDY IN THE SPORT (NOT AN OBJECT AS A RAQUET OR A BALL) OR AS A WORK PARTNER (NOT AS A PIECE OF PRODUCTIVE MACHINERY!) A DOMESTICATED FRIEND WHO CANNOT DEPEND SOLEY UPON US FOR HIS HEALTH, WELFARE, NOURISHMENT AND COMFORT, AN UNHERDED ANIMAL THAT DESERVES OUR LOVE, COMPANIONSHIP AND, EVEN... RESPECT, SUCH PRACTICES ARE DESPICABLE AND DOWN RIGHT INFURIATING!.
THIS BEHAVIOR IS NOT ONLY SEEN WITH JUMPERS. WHO AMONG US HAS NOT WITNESSED TIME AND AGAIN ON TV OR IN THE MOVIES HOW THE BRUTAL COMBINED ACTIONS OF SPURS AND WHIPS ARE USED TO MAKE A HORSE BACKUP IMPRESSIVELY, OFTEN AGAINST HIS WILL? WHAT ABOUT SUCH DEVICES AS THE POPULAR �SERRETAS� A METAL CAVESSON WITH SHARP TEETH PUSHING AGAINST THE HORSE'S NOSE-USED IN THE �DOMA ESPA�OLA� TO MAKE THE HORSE SUBMIT?
WHAT ABOUT THE DRESSAGE WORLD: IS IT ALWAYS EXEMPT OF SUCH UNFAIR PUNISHING PROCEDURES?
CERTAINLY NOT! WHILE GETTING THE HORSE ON THE BIT SHOULD NORMALLY BE THE RESULT OF METHODICAL TRAINING AND LONG HOURS OF DEDICATED RING WORK, THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO THINK THAT THEY CAN SHORTEN THIS PROCESS AND ACHIEVE SIMILAR RESULTS BY INVENTING CREATIVE DEVICES� THAT GO FAR BEYOND THE USE OF DRAW REINS AND OTHER RESTRICTIVE AND UNNATURAL ATTACHMENTS. LATELY, IT HAS BECOME QUITE A FAMILIAR SIGHT TO SEE RIDERS TRYING TO FORCE THEIR HORSES HEADS DOWN USING DOWNRIGHT CRUELTY:
FOR INSTANCE, Y HAVE SEEN THEM PLACING NYLON THREADS NOT MUCH THICKER THAN FISHING LINE OVER THE HORSES NOSE AND TIED AT BOTH SIDES OF THE SADDLE OR GIRTH , FOR THE SOLE PURPOSE OF FORCING THE HORSE TO SUBMIT THROUGH THE INFLICTION OF ACUTE PAIN TO HIS FACE. SUCH PROCEDURES AS WELL AS THE PRACTICE OF VERY SHORT SIDE REINS LEFT ON THE HORSE FOR SEVERAL HOURS OR EVEN OVERNIGHT ARE EXAMPLES OF BEHAVIORS THAT SHOULD BE SANCTIONED BY THE EQUESTRIAN COMMUNITY AND ERADICATED FROM OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR FOUR LEGGED FRIENDS. THESE DISGUSTING PRACTICES MUST NOT STAND AS �METHODS� OF TRAINING FOR THE NEW GENERATIONS OF RIDERS TO WITNESS.
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