09/07/2022
And TWH are still being tortured by their owners and trainers, on public display...and they call it a "show."
Having owned many breeds, mostly "mutts," and ridden may more, my preferred breed is the one I'm sitting on at the moment. My preferred, no, my JOY is whatever kind of riding I am doing in that moment when he or she underneath me is enjoying it, too. That's my definition of successful riding.
Watched so many breeds decimated, and disciplines turned into systems of torture over the years, all in the name of "competition."
Why do Americans have to take everything to the extreme and only, maybe, start to back off when they figure out, yet again, extreme tortures, maims and kills.?
The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, expecting a different outcome.
A great and United country embraces and uplifts ALL of its diversity, while it maintains Respect and Responsibility in balance with Appreciation and Applause. Bragging "Rights" are worthless.
Supporting a breed or a discipline, or both, doesn’t necessarily indicate non-support for some other breeds or disciplines.
I have personally decided to lend support to the Morgan breed because it is a small breed, much more vulnerable than the Thoroughbred, for example, and because it is often perceived as mainly a show ring breed, it can help broaden the Morgan’s appeal to demonstrate sport uses.
The Thoroughbred breed is beginning to take hugely more interest in what happens to its athletes AFTER their racing days are over, and I am feeling pretty good about those efforts.
I am not feeling pretty good about the efforts of the leadership in the sport of eventing to react to so many crippling injuries and fatalities to both horses and riders. I have the sense that the sport has become deadened to shock after just so many, year after year. Just a week ago, the reigning World Champion horse died
while competing, just two weeks after two other horses died at one event, and if THAT doesn’t get the sport to start making some REAL changes, is there much hope?
Responsible oversight does not happen until those in power MAKE it happen. They could start immediately by tinkering and lowering somewhat the required speeds, which are the same now as 60 years ago, when there were far more straightforward open galloping courses. You can’t drive a car without getting a driver’s license. Why should a rider be allowed to go preliminary or higher without a license? Or whatever---Do SOMETHING different to at least prove you notice and care.
In the meanwhile, support the breeds and sports that you care about, and that will include, I believe, being willing to speak up for changes if you feel changes need to be made.
