Another reason to boycott Baileys...

[JFTDWS]

Earlier today, Lynn Russell posted a deeply unpleasant video of this horse tied down into an unnatural and forced head carriage, before deleting it when it attracted some negative attention.

This isn't the first time Bailey's Horse Feeds' sponsorship of LR has been called into question - there was a lot of social media discontent when her grey cob, Jovian, won at HOYS in 2017. The issue of obese horses in the show ring is an ongoing issue, which exists at all levels in the showing world, perpetuated by the actions of feed companies offering sponsorship to the worst offenders.

 

[milliepops]

what was the explanation for winching it's head down?

 

[JFTDWS]

what was the explanation for winching it's head down?

Is there any satisfactory explanation? I've seen no explanation, tbf. She may yet release some kind of statement about it.

 

[FlyingCircus]

Funnily enough, I messaged both brands mentioned in her post - Baileys saw my message and ignored me Eqclusive responded very quickly that they have shared with management.

 

[milliepops]

Is there any satisfactory explanation? I've seen no explanation, tbf. She may yet release some kind of statement about it.

nope I just wondered if she justified it to herself somehow.

 

[Alibear]

From the photo its in the school in a roller and side reins connected to a snaffle. Something people do all the time with a lunge rein attached. So it doesn't upset me, but I agree its not the best press image. She says its young but no idea what age it is.

 

[Dyllymoo]

The video was awful, a friend shared it and I couldn't believe it Very sad.

 

[JFTDWS]

From the photo its in the school in a roller and side reins connected to a snaffle. Something people do all the time with a lunge rein attached. So it doesn't upset me, but I agree its not the best press image. She says its young but no idea what age it is.

You think it's acceptable to tie a horse's head down into that position, whether on the lunge or loose? It's not that it's not on the lunge which is an issue - it's the tying up. The video, which I will try to post, shows that it is barely able to walk in this position.

 

[JFTDWS]

nope I just wondered if she justified it to herself somehow.

I presume she must, in order to sleep at night. I have no idea how, but if I see a statement from her, I will share it.

 

[milliepops]

I think most people would lunge with looser side reins though. I accept that often when standing still the length of rein that is BHS-correct for trot work can look a bit on the short side, but I can't see what productive work could be done by screwing the horse down that short.

(eta before accusations of BHS bashing, I was taught to lunge under this system and it was drummed in that you should release the side reins asap on stopping).

 

[dorsetladette]

Apologies my eye sight is awful.

Is he wearing a headcollar, a bridle and then 'just' side reins or is it like a bungee thing going over his head?

 

[Goldenstar]

I think it might be a bungee rein , still don’t like it though
Milliepops is spot on about the BHS lunging you where taught never to leave the horses stationary in side reins and you took them both off the bit to adjust their length .

It was a ridiculous picture to choose to put on line it’s just yuk .

 

[JFTDWS]

[Content removed]

And it's why I have no time for showing as a discipline at all - not that people don't do horrifying things in all disciplines, but...

 

[Alibear]

I see a roller, side reins (which may be elasticated) and snaffle bridle, I can't see how that is tying down into a fixed position? I can see its restrictive and not something I'd chose to do. If combined with leaving the horse like it alone or accompanied in it for more than 15 mins then yes I agree with the uproar but that's not been said or posted.

 

[JFTDWS]

I see a roller, side reins (which may be elasticated) and snaffle bridle, I can't see how that is tying down into a fixed position? I can see its restrictive and not something I'd chose to do. If combined with leaving the horse like it alone or accompanied in it for more than 15 mins then yes I agree with the uproar but that's not been said or posted.

Then all I can say is we have very different ideas about acceptable head positions, or training techniques. Which is fine, you're entitled to your opinion, even if I don't agree (and I emphatically do not).

 

[honetpot]

This is common in showing, I went to a showing lecture, by someone very well known and they lunged in tied in fixed head carriage. Usually it’s done with baler twine, because you can not buy side reins that short.
I have also seen lead rein ponies tied to the backs of lorries with their heads tied in with bailer twine.
When ever I see a small pony with the perfect ‘on the bit’ head carriage and a small jockey it makes me wince.
As a child on a dealers yard it was common to tie young horses in, that was nearly fifty years ago. It’s ingrained in people, they say one thing and do another.

 

[JFTDWS]

This is common in showing, I went to a showing lecture, by someone very well known and they lunged in tied in fixed head carriage. Usually it’s done with baler twine, because you can not buy side reins that short.
I have also seen lead rein ponies tied to the backs of lorries with their heads tied in with bailer twine.
When ever I see a small pony with the perfect ‘on the bit’ head carriage and a small jockey it makes me wince.
As a child on a dealers yard it was common to tie young horses in, that was nearly fifty years ago. It’s ingrained in people, they say one thing and do another.

I can't bring myself to like this comment, but yes. Indeed

 

[ThreeWBs]

 

[JFTDWS]

Thanks, threewbs, your tech skills are appreciated.

 

[EquestrianE01]

Oh that's just absolutely awful, poor sod

 

[MotherOfChickens]

I see a roller, side reins (which may be elasticated) and snaffle bridle, I can't see how that is tying down into a fixed position? I can see its restrictive and not something I'd chose to do. If combined with leaving the horse like it alone or accompanied in it for more than 15 mins then yes I agree with the uproar but that's not been said or posted.

maybe, just maybe the horse keeps its head there to avoid the pain in its mouth from having a jointed bit pulled on by the reins, acting on his tongue and/or bars-elasticated rein or not.

 

[NLPM]

Video is very uncomfortable. Poor horse. She refers to him as a baby - any idea how old he is? [Makes no difference to how 'OK' this isn't, before anyone thinks I'm about to justify it].

I stopped buying Lynn Russell products when I read an article in one of the national magazines about preparing your horse for shows in which she commented that horses with whiskers look scruffy, and everything needs to come off. Not 'trimmed' - actually shaved right off. It's one thing to have an opinion on that; it's another to use a national platform to push something which is illegal in other countries on the grounds of horse welfare. (I was a little surprised that comment was published, but I guess that's not really relevant here!).

 

[planete]

i groomed for a show jumper for a short while ages ago and remember going into a young horse's stable to skip out and finding the horse tied up like that. When I questioned the other grooms I was told the horse had been throwing his head up during the schooling session earlier that morning and this would teach him not to do it! The horse was supposed to stay tied down in that over bent position for several hours.

 

[NLPM]

I see a roller, side reins (which may be elasticated) and snaffle bridle, I can't see how that is tying down into a fixed position? I can see its restrictive and not something I'd chose to do. If combined with leaving the horse like it alone or accompanied in it for more than 15 mins then yes I agree with the uproar but that's not been said or posted.

The video isn't the clearest so I could be wrong, but I don't see any real slack in those reins. Have tried pausing it a couple of points, but there doesn't look to be much 'give' at all.

I usually try hard to reserve judgement with horses that look to be 'btv' in a snapshot moment. One of mine likes to fidget when she's standing still - I've got plenty of photographs where her chin is tucked in because that's just where she was at that moment in time. If she's bridled at the time, though, then the reins are always, always slack so that's always what I look at in horses with a curled up head carriage. I don't see much slack in the video, although as I said it's not crystal clear.


Planete that's shocking.

 

[scats]

Saddened to see this. Arguably that picture is a snapshot in time, which can often paint a much worse picture, but having seen the video, it was really not nice viewing. Amazed that anyone would put this out and not expect a backlash.

If that’s what it takes to become successful and get sponsorship off a big feed brand, then I never will be, nor would I want to be...

 

[Errin Paddywack]

Really don't like this

A friend of mine had a holiday in Germany many years ago with a friend who was living there and had taken a horse over there. She went riding while she was there and all the horses were strapped down like this while they were being ridden. She was horrified.

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

It's not walking but shuffling. Just stops and cannot halt square.
It doesn't need 'more condition' from feeds.

Basic training means they learn to walk out and square halt - in hand and on long reins - before progressing...... tieing them in does not get them to balance themselves, but I'm already typing to those who know this.....
Argh!

 

[Kaylum]

monkey see monkey do and if your a show winning producer and others want to be a show winning producer what are they now going to do.

The sponsors now have a responsibility for the welfare of equines they sponsor.

 

[JFTDWS]

but I'm already typing to those who know this.....
Argh!

Apparently not exclusively

 

[Goldenstar]

Just watched the video it’s terrible .