24/07/2024
Now, more than ever, is a time where we needed to be thinking towards the future.
Now, more than ever, is a time to watch, observe, and learn from other’s mistakes.
As many of you have seen, there have been multiple cases of publicised horse abuse, neglect, & mistreatment over the course of this year. Now, please note I am not referring to any specific incident in writing this, but I am referring to three. All incidents involved a high level rider, olympian or trainer, whose ‘private’ mistreatment of a horse has been made public.
I will not be commenting on any specific incident. All I will say, is that when something like this becomes public, and is (in human nature) appealed or defended, it causes the logical mind to wonder… Just how much more of this are we not seeing behind the scenes.
I will also say that in no way, shape, or form do I, or will I ever condone any of the behaviour we have witnessed in these videos. I will never defend or excuse the mistreatment of an animal that we still to this day do not believe for the majority has a voice of its own.
What I am going to say instead, is in a twisted way… We as riders, should be taking inspiration, and learning from these events.
Am I saying cruelty is inspiring? No, I am not.
Am I saying these kinds of mistakes are universally signs that we should be, and can be, evolving as humans? Yes, I guess I am.
What I am saying is this type of behaviour should inspire us to do better, to be better riders, better trainers, and better people.
I have seen almost every video that has been made public. I have decided my own thoughts on each matter. I have seen these videos and instead of focusing my attention and efforts on what is being put in front of me and contributing to the dumpster fire that is social media, I am instead turning my attention away, and throwing my focus back onto my horses.
I can’t express in words how long I have been trying to cement my own training methods and philosophies that work around the mental and physical wellbeing of a horse. Not just referring to the use of kinder bits and less whips, but also how their lives are outside of the arena.
My inspiration for the study into equine psychology and wellbeing (something that despite my many day jobs, has taken the dominant spot in my brain for the past 5 years) has not been inspired by any successful top rider or idolised athlete, but instead the ones that have failed our sport. The ones that we don’t want to think about. The riders that after a month or so, we throw under the rug and forgive because they have won their country a medal. These riders serve as my inspiration - To be better than them, for the sake of the horse.
We need to start asking the question. Once these riders are gone, once the sport is left in our hands, what kind of rider will be left behind to (for lack of a better word) take up the reins?
I hope, for the horses sake, that it is riders like myself, who have thrown themselves into making each and every horses life, just that little bit better.
This does not mean extra treats or fluffy rugs, this does not mean harsh rides and then a cuddle afterwards to apologise, this means riders that take a good long look at these prey animals and their natural environments, riders that can overwrite their own human instincts and logic to align with that of the horse, and riders that above all else, listen, not dictate.
I do not condone any of the actions shown in the videos I am referring to, I will not forgive these riders for performing actions that I can not fathom practising myself, but what I can do is see this behaviour, and ensure that any and all horses that find themselves in my care, never have to experience what the horses in these videos have endured.
Unfortunately, it’s seen throughout human history that we as creatures seem to lack the ability of foresight. We cannot seem to realise our mistakes until they are made a problem. We act first, and suffer later. It is a behaviour we have clearly not been able to evolve out of. So many revolutions, political agreements and changes have only ever been made in our history after something negative has happened. We can’t seem to see the issue until it is thrown into our faces.
We need to change this. We need to be better.
There are a few things that I hope happen as a result of these issues.
The first is a spike in wisdom amongst our younger generation of riders. If that is you, then I hope you can witness these acts, and instead of come at them from a point of hatred, turn your hatred into love, and passion for the horse first, not the sport. I hope you can feel within yourself that these actions are wrong. I hope that every time you engage with your horse, that these actions remain in the back of your head as an indication of what not to do. I hope that when these riders are gone, that you remain, and you are better than them.
Secondly, I hope that those riders who have been defending the actions shown in these videos learn from this experience. I hope that you are educated, and you begin to see that this is wrong. I hope that somehow, someone or something can convince you that pain and punishment, whilst historically effective, is not the right way to do things.
Overall, what I am hoping is that instead of seeing these acts of violence and cruelty as something to focus on and hate, we look at them as learning experiences, and we simply, learn from them.
This has ALWAYS been about the horse. It is not about you, or me. It is not about stroking our egos and proving that we are the best at something. Our egos, more specifically our super-egos, are built off of the influence of powerful figures among us (Freud used parents as the greater example) and our super-egos are shaped as a result of their influence.
So…. Be the influence that shapes the egos of the next generation. Be better than those before us. We as humans rely so heavily on personal gain and accomplishment that we are often blinded by past practises and selfish highs. If we want to start making a difference in the lives of the horses around us, we need to break the cycle of forgiveness & acceptance towards these acts, and start thinking independently. We need to stop thinking about what we are gaining from these experiences, and instead see what our horses are gaining instead.
Breaking a cycle is hard, extremely hard, but it is something that when done, goes down in history and inspires the next generation to follow the new & improved cycle. Even if just one rider sees this post and agrees with what I have said, that means we are one rider closer to a better world for our horses.
So, for the sake of the horse… Learn from these riders, be better than them. Be better for the horse.
