If you see something – say something

Enough is enough

I recently watched this video – https://youtu.be/6V2JpK2anVk

Where a well heeled, outspoken equestrian gave her opinion on the use of shock spurs. And you know what, she’s right. We have to do more.

Why have horse show officials been dragging their feet to get this horse abuser off the records and out of the competition ring.

This brought to my attention something that one of my coaches said to me once,
“You will do anything to win”.

Which to me is almost giving people the green light, or the permission, that it is okay to do ANYTHING to win.

But it isn’t okay to do ANYTHING.

Even if it is at the expense of cheating? Without getting caught?

This is the reason why there are rules in place regarding drug medications, tack restrictions and rider requirements.

But

There are also the fundamentals of animal rights and abuse.

My national sport — Equestrian Canada — has rules laid out for “Cruelty, Abuse or Inhumane treatment of Horses”. The USEF has an entire section “Welfare of the Horse” which outlines what cruelty and abuse is.

Among the list of abuses, besides the obligatory whipping is a plethora of descriptions of what constitutes abuse. 

Including “… any kind of electric shock device…” in the Canadian Rule book and “use of electric device in schooling or showing” in the USEF Rule book.

It pains me to see that these things have to be spelled out in the rules.

And here are some more in case you were wondering:

1.  Use of any explosive (e.g., fire crackers, torpedoes, fire extinguishers except in case of fire, etc.) or laser beam devices anywhere on the competition grounds.
   Read that again – ANY explosive… who does this?
2. Or —use of fire (unless it is an exhibition of some sort)
   
3. Rapping or “poling” a horse. This one is interesting to me because this used to be spelled out and described in great detail in the rule book. Several pages dedicated to what “rapping” or “poling” is.  But now it is a one liner. The lesson here is if you over use it people get wise and watch for it and make rules about it.
4. Hypersenitizing a horse. Either its legs, hooves, back sides. My question is who, does this? Is winning that important to you that you have to sensitize your horse’s skin so it is fearful of hitting a jump.
   On an aside, I did know of a rider who would try to get a horse to bang a jump during the warm up so it would jump better in the competition ring. But purposefully, as a part of the competition pre-set say, don’t forget to apply — insert name of skin burning compound here — so he jumps better.
   

Am I that naive? WAIT! 

Don’t answer that!

In this case of Andrew Kocher, the FEI opened a hearing at the end of October after allegations were reported in JUNE! 

June – July – August – Sept – October – That’s 4 (four) months. WHY?

When we, as horse people think of abuse, we think of people losing their livelihood and not being able to feed their horses so they look like walking skeletons. That is when the SPCA steps in to take over the herd.

We don’t usually think of abuse as an international rider showing sponsored horses over huge jumps.

Maybe we should.

In the meantime, go hug your horse.

If you see something, say something.

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