Are things EVER going to change.

[LauraWheeler]

I know this topic has been done to death on here but I have to say I was shocked watching some of the M&M classes at royal windsor horse show.

I realy thought the showing world was changing till the Fell, Highland and Dales class entered the ring. It was full of fat ponies. I know they are chunky breeds but there is a huge diffrence between being chunky and being obece I felt sick watching the poor poor ponies going round the arena.
Do there owners realy not care what they are doing to there ponies
They were all at high risk of Laminitas and even if they are lucky enough not to get that, think of the damage they are doing to the ponies joints and heart by letting them get that fat.
In the end I just had to walk away. I couldn't bare to watch for a moment longer.
I realise by making this post I may get jumped on and ripped appart by people who think this is an exceptable way to keep ponies and that this is showing. I have been told in the passed that I will never do well in showing as my ponies arn't in "Showing condition" My response is always the same.
"If I have to make the choice between loosing rosettes and putting my pony at risk of laminitas, I'll loose the rosettes every time"

I wish I had a video camera when Lucy came down with laminitas. She couldn't stand up and it took us nearly an hour to walk her 100yards to her stable. Everytime she moved a foot she tried to lay down again as she was in so much pain. She had rotation in all four feet it was a miricle she pulled through. If more people saw how devestating it was maybe they would think twice.
I'm starting to wonder if the showing world is ever going to change In my opinion it is just as crule to let a ponie get overweight as it is to starve it.

 

[AmyMay]

It has been done to death. Showing will never change, and a surprising number of show horses never have any health problems.

 

[Quantock-cob]

Well said Laura. I agree with all of your post. But until someone at the top of the breed sets out new guidelines, things will not change. But there is hope - changes were made in the dog showing world - tail docking etc - so with enough pressure changes could be made to attitudes.

 

[Shantara]

I hate seeing fat animals. I saw two morbidly obease pugs yesterday, they could barely move and hardly breathe :-(
my dog was slightly on the tubby side for a little while, but it was ssooo hard to keep the weight off. She was never obease, just a little podgey.
i hope it will change, it's not fair on the animals :-(

 

[Fransurrey]

We were there, watching it, too. My other half is non-horsey and remarked that the shettie (who took the class) was stupidly fat. We were hoping that she was in foal, as they did mention that she was a broodmare. I was surprised with all the bad press over recent years that the top end of showing hadn't improved.

On a more cheerful note, we were stood just outside the highland ring and I noticed lots of press snapping away opposite me, pointing cameras to my right (but there were people to my right, so I couldn't see). I did wonder why they were taking such an interest in the highlands, when Madge herself walked right past me. I could have poked her in the eye. I was most amused, especially as I was also with my non-horsey mother, who said, 'What? That old woman in the scarf was the QUEEN?'

 

[JFTDWS]

I was disappointed to see that in this week's H&H in the section about the Queen's horses, one of the highlands pictured, being shown in hand, was very much "in show condition" in the most derrogatory sense

Laura, I have actually been told by M&M judges that Fergs "can't be a pure bred highland, he is not fat enough". I was also told the same by some highland owners at another show. I'm also reasonably confident that the highland I saw winning at Olympia the other year was both fat and unsound.

Furthermore, even on here you get comments like "he's a bit skinny for a native". Why should a native carry more condition than a non-native? It's a complete fallacy of judgement that because something is a good doer, or a native, it should carry more weight.

Sadly, I don't see much signs of change, despite the widespread publicity about the dangers of obesity.

 

[LauraWheeler]

LIZ66 Sadly you are right

Nah I see lots of fat Pugs You are right it isn't fair on the animals.

Fransurrey It was the same in the other classes then I just couldn't bare to watch any more. The foresters and connies weren't to bad. Afew were alittle fatter than ideal but not to bad which is why I thought things may have finaly started to change. LOL at your mum I was just coming back from looking at obstical 5 in the driving marathon when I nearly got ran over by a get away driver in a land rover. You could imagen my shock when I realised it was the queen driving I got a couple of nice pics of her

 

[L&M]

Sadly I have stopped showing my cob for that very reason...I have lost count on how many judges have said to me that he would be placed higher if carried more condition!

We went to the Royal Welsh last yr and I mistook the Sec C class for the cobs, as they were all so overweight and overheight.

My cob is a true all rounder, jumps, hunts etc so I can not allow him to get into that condition as we would not be able to enjoy all the other activites we do.

Intersestingly he does very well in WH classes, all be it at local level, but get a lot more satisfaction out of beating the 'showier' types that didn't manage a clear round!

 

[LauraWheeler]

JFTD I love seeing pics of you highland He looks fab to me. I also don't understand why people think natives NEED to be fat. I always get told my ponies arn't in show condition. Lucy often got marked down in Veteran classes because she wasn't carrying enough "Condition" She worked hard esp for her age as was well muceled and very fit.
I have renamed all the best condition classes at our local shows They are now called Most condition classes as I'm always last and the winner is the fattest unfittest horse in the ring Alot of the ponies in the ring at windsor looked unsound to me. Well more stiff under all the weight. Alot of them had clicky joints to probably from all the extra stress of carrying the extra bulk around for most of there lives

 

[ThePony]

Lucy often got marked down in Veteran classes because she wasn't carrying enough "Condition" She worked hard esp for her age as was well muceled and very fit.
I have renamed all the best condition classes at our local shows They are now called Most condition classes as I'm always last and the winner is the fattest unfittest horse in the ring

Hate the fat show ponies/horses. How on earth can the judge make any assesment of confo when it is burried under half a tonne of lard!

Lol at your quote - we have just the same prob. OH mare is a fit and healthy hardworking vetern, getting placed behind lame fat horses is getting a little annoying, we are sticking to dressage and breed classes now instead.

Am also an avid hater of the native must = fat type assumption. Some people on my yard have made admiring comments on my mare when she was fatter than I'd like and was healthy for her (time off work annoyingly!), she isn't a cob so I'm not going to feed her up to look like one, she doesn't have the bone or body type to be stocky!
Have had a couple of goes at best condition with my mare (only class she really fits in lol!) and it has been a little soul destroying having my fit (certainly not thin!) decently put together riding club type placed at the back end of the class.

In showing I totally understand that it is the judges decision you are paying for, however since it seems I routinly disagree with the choice (regardless of it we were in the class or not I would place the class completly differently, fat and undermuscled in an attempt to hide pants confo is not a good horse!) we have also decided to have a bash at other things!

 

[picolenicole]

I don't think it will ever change, but some insurance companies have said that if the horse/pony is to become over weight then the insurance will not cover them if anything was to happen, like laminitas. Maybe more insurance companies should say the same

 

[Cocorules]

It really needs ponies to be excluded from the class altogether if they are over or underweight. The shows I have been to most recently would in some classes have hardly anything left to judge though.

 

[LauraWheeler]

Sidney That is why Herbs and I will mainly focas on WHP classes

ThePony I also understand it's the judges opinion you are paying for but I think the welfaire of a horse or pony should come first. I'm shore if I went in the ring with a very very thin pony there would be uprour. I personaly don't see the diffrence between a thin pony and an obiece one.


picolenicole I hadn't heard that about the insurance companies A small step in the right direction I hope.


Cocorules I do feel this would be the only way to make owners see sence. If obiece horses/ponies continu to be placed then things will never change. People will continu to think it is an aceptable way to keep your horse/pony

 

[abercrombie&titch]

Yes, far far too many overweight, over bitted, over height ponies at shows. But the only way the change things is from inside, not standing outside being critical I think - so despite being told my cob would do better if he carried more condition (no, then he'd be fat!) I still show him - we are doing our first county level this summer. I find its like marmite - judges either love him or hate him - some are very pleasantly suprised that he's not fat, it improves his way of going and he's capable of doing several classes without breaking sweat!....ditto for my highland.... she has lost a shed load of weight since we had her, more to go, but at least its going the right way.... I am determined to make a small stand for showing ponies who are not overweight, overbitted or over height.... we'll be the ones at the end of the line up, but at least we'll be there!!!

 

[LauraWheeler]

abercrombie&titch Good for you I still show when I can (can't at the mo as no transport ) My ponies are fit and healthy, ridden in snaffle bits and are always in the right hight section. So I can assure you i'm not just sat outside being synical It just makes me sad when I see such fat ponies/horses and owners try to justify it by saying "thats showing" when It doesn't have to be that way at all.