Another reason to boycott Baileys...

[tiahatti]

If this is top professional horsemanship, I am happy to remain a numpty amateur.

 

[Kaylum]

where is the video? ignore I have found it terrible video.

 

[Kaylum]

that is horrendous poor horse.

 

[Goldenstar]

Those photos are gross .
And should get the keeper of the horses a warning from the RSPCA that they are failing to provide correct nutrition not a sash from a show .

It was the most beautiful horse under all that fat .

 

[Goldenstar]

Baileys horse feeds buy it and you are supporting that

 

[dorsetladette]

That video is very distressing - I'm from a showing background but can not relate to that at all! Why would you want a horse in that position is beyond me. He's not moving forward because 1) he can't see 2) its probably very painful to do so.

(Our showing ponies were never strapped in, they were schooled properly to work from behind and self carriage - this meant we often weren't out with 4 years old in the novice classes as it took longer to produce ours 'properly')

 

[HappyHollyDays]

That is disgusting behaviour, poor horse looked like it was 90 shuffling along. As for the obese cob, cruelty doesn't even cover it. What's wrong with showing a finely tuned well muscled animal. I haven't bought Baileys for a while and I certainly won't be getting any in the future.

 

[Kaylum]

We get horses in like that to our rescue, they go swimming and it helps them loose weight. Why why why put a horse at risk like that. Are these judges placing just because its who it is?

 

[Palindrome]

Side reins should be adjusted a hand's width longer than the natural position of the horse's head.
The natural position of the horse's head will vary with training but will never be behind the vertical.

 

[sherry90]

Many years ago I worked at a riding school and remember seeing one of the horses tied up like this with baling twine. Although I was at an impressionable age I am glad I had common sense to realise it was totally unjustified and cruel.

Whilst I don’t disagree with those who use side reins/lunging (I tend not to use them myself) aids correctly, I do when it’s like the example provided here 😔

 

[ihatework]

There are bad practices in all elite competitive horse disciplines, but there are 2 things in showing that I cannot stand - the obesity and the feeding (and in some cases steroid) to achieve that look [and no, professionally produced show horses are NOT just well muscled] and the training/schooling methods - tied up in gadgets far far too much. I’ve seen it all first hand.

 

[AmyMay]

Yep, not a great advert for a ‘professional’

 

[ester]

I'm surprised that anyone can consider them just 'normal' side reins. I have never seen anyone use side reins that tight! I guess it's a bit like the bit can depend on the rider, like any gadget.

TP it is probably worth reminding people that Jovian was an irish draft, they really aren't supposed to look like that .

 

[Goldenstar]

We get horses in like that to our rescue, they go swimming and it helps them loose weight. Why why why put a horse at risk like that. Are these judges placing just because its who it is?

I would like hope judges are more aware now that this gives showing a bad name .
Show horses should be carrying a lot of muscle more like a dressage horse than an eventer .
Some conformation flaws can be covered up by fat , ( although the horse in the pictures was a beauty ) so that’s one reason some horses get fattened up .
In Ireland they call it grubbing up that’s basically taking a perfectly normal three or four year old and stuffing it’s face with masses of food .
They grow too fast and damage their limbs it’s very sad .
I think it got be a fat arms race at one time I think ( hope ) there is more awareness now .
I was recently looking ( some of you can guess why ) at the guidelines for ID ridden classes and they clearly state that fat horses will be marked down .
Perhaps I will find out in the summer if they mean it .

 

[Goldenstar]

I'm surprised that anyone can consider them just 'normal' side reins. I have never seen anyone use side reins that tight! I guess it's a bit like the bit can depend on the rider, like any gadget.

TP it is probably worth reminding people that Jovian was an irish draft, they really aren't supposed to look like that .

No they are not , it’s very sad to ID,s stuffed like geese to turn them into maxi cobs .
Fatty had been doing some maxi cob classes before he came here he’s not a cob he’s a hunter with an unfortunate head he lost I think was 260 kilos .
The weight of one of my friends driving ponies .
Just think of that carting round a whole ponies worth of extra weight .

 

[PapaverFollis]

Ugh that's horrible. The poor horse. And the poor draught horse that was fattened up to look like a cob, yet somehow wins... nope, just nope.

I have sometimes bought Bailey's products but will consciously avoid now unless they publicly divorce themselves from this horrible woman.

 

[Tiddlypom]

The showing world has been bleating for years that it takes the problem of equine obesity very seriously. Then it allows grossly obese horses to win prestigious competitions.
Weasel words. Money talks.

 

[ester]

Shame we aren’t in full show season as Id be tempted to point out the video on a stand, or even better play it ledbydonkeys style next to it.

I think it’s a shame that maxi cob classes have done that rather than generating a class for actually big cobs.

 

[TGM]

Shame we aren’t in full show season as Id be tempted to point out the video on a stand, or even better play it ledbydonkeys style next to it.

.

Baileys are actually at Your Horse Live this weekend so if any HHO members are there they might like to put their point of view across to those on the Bailey's stand ...

 

[Goldenstar]

If you look at old pictures ( as in black and white ) of show horses the horses are not so fat they just look extremely well .
It started as a mark of wealth it showed you keep a horse just for ‘ show’ but it got seriously out of hand .

 

[sarahann1]

I'd asked Baileys a couple of years ago what they would condition score the cob at, was met with silence.

I'm not against side reins used correctly, these shown in the video look much too short. I'm a showing bod these days, I rarely lunge or use side reins and have a mare who carries herself beautifully when ridden correctly.

 

[Goldenstar]

I'd asked Baileys a couple of years ago what they would condition score the cob at, was met with silence.

I'm not against side reins used correctly, these shown in the video look much too short. I'm a showing bod these days, I rarely lunge or use side reins and have a mare who carries herself beautifully when ridden correctly.

Do you mean the ID masquerading as a cob in the picture above .
Well done you .

 

[eggs]

Many, many years ago when I had my first pony at a DIY yard there was some-one there who had a number of show ponies, a couple of which made it to HOYS. They would stand for hours in their stables with their heads strapped down with baling twine. Very sad that it is still happening.

Apart from this and the obesity I don't like that a lot of show horses are heavily rugged all year round 'to keep their coat good'.

 

[BlackRider]

Its awful! poor horse!

I hope she gets dropped by Baileys....

And as for the maxi cob - words fail me!

 

[holeymoley]

I’m not for turning against someone with a big name, purely from one photo however I really don’t see what they’re expecting this ‘training aid’ in this position to do except to force the horses head in to a horrible position. Not impressed.

As for the obese cob that is shocking, looks ridiculous.

 

[daffy44]

Appalling. Of course side reins are a very common training aid, but not when fixed like that! If she feels that video is good for business and therefore she posts it online I shudder to think what she considers unacceptable. As for the poor obese horse, it needs the rspca just as much as any emaciated animal pulled from the side of the road.

I dont use Baileys feed, but I will be emailing them to ask if this cruelty is what they endorse.

 

[dogatemysalad]

Changing your horse feed manufacturer is easy, but changes nothing.

How many people who really think this is unacceptable would boycott and petition the BSHA and any event promoted by LR and the 8 other companies that sponsor her ?

 

[honetpot]

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.

I used to love watching show jumping as teenager and watched the big riders of the day bring out their B&C horses at local shows most weekends in the summer.
My friend who knows a lot of show jumpers, enough to go on their yards,then told me some of the ‘tricks’ they use, tying a head in is the least of it. I never watch now.
The trouble with most sports if you employ people to police what goes on who are interested in the sport a lot become star struck and soon glamoured by the results.
Stewards powers should be extended to the horse box lines, with a camera. And do not get me on about doping.

 

[cundlegreen]

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 may use side reins lunging, but never that short!

 

[FlyingCircus]

The fact so many people dont realise this is wrong both on here and on FB has amazed and upset me.