Letter to German FN and FEI...

Kareen

Kareen

Well-Known Member
Joined
13 January 2009
Messages
55
Location
Raddestorf, Germany
www.germanhorseconnection.com
Thought this might interest some of you. I have written a letter to our German FN as well as the FEI addressing some really nasty photographs of a recent show I've been sent this past weekend. I feel there are so many things going wrong in the sport and its organizations right now it has become quite unbearable. I'm not sure how much the UK is affected by this but at least on the international level you must be feeling the same pain surely?

If you're interested I'll see if I can post the link here. If not I will at least post whatever response I will get :)
 
FEI have totally lacked teeth and been cowed by money in endurance, don't see their response to dressage being any different (unless less money is on the table....). Hope the fact that there's no oil money involved means I'm wrong and they do something. Keep reporting though, it is only through this that the tiny moves they've done in endurance have happened, otherwise given the chance they would have whitewashed over all the irregularities and cruelty. you have to force them into action.
 
Hope it works
https://www.facebook.com/germanhorseforum/posts/1494243427536267

We have not 'outed' the rider as we feel this would let authorities off the hook too easily. They could give these riders a slap on the wrist and be done with it. However we all know these few riders photographed last weekend are not the only ones and they are not even the core of the issue but the core as I see it is in the structure of our organizations and decisions going completely wrong so it won't do to just suspend or fine a few riders. Do you agree?
 
links work. I hope you get an answer but knowing the fei they will say its a moment in time or some lame excuse for doing their usual nothing
 
Mince Pie said:
Photos are of a very tight, very low drop noseband so can't be a moment in time :)
Click to expand...
you and I know that but the fei could easily make up some sort of excuse like they have in the past. I used that phrase as an example as its one that was used to explain away other practices. the grey horse seems to have enough leather and chainwork on for 3 horses :(
 
It's an incorrectly fitted noseband and should have been picked up at the tack check .
Do stewards not do those any more ?
Used to terrify me I would be awake all the night before worrying .

There enough stuff on the grey to fill a tack shop.
 
About the pony with the too low and too tight drop noseband both the steward and judge have been informed and neither deemed it necessary to step in and do something about it. Apparently there was talk about losening it but nothing happened and the pair showed up (and showed) with the same setup on the Sunday. As far as the grey goes I am unaware of the specifics but I'm going to drop the owner a note to let them know this doesn't fly well with me maybe they will see reason and tune down on the contraption. It's a horse that has successfully shown over 155 with just a snaffle as far as I can tell (as of 2014). He also used to show with a lady rider. Yes he is a bit of a hothead and looks like quite a tank but it's doable so why have him in all that restrictive gear.
 
Good luck with your quest Kareen. In your line of work you are a brave lady to stand out and fight for what you believe in, kudos to you.

For me and my views, when we use animals for competitive gain there will always be a moral and ethical subjective grey area of what is and isn't acceptable.
I don't believe there are many competitive riders out there who get up in the morning thinking 'today I'm going to abuse my horse(s)'. This isn't confined to equestrian discipline or origin country either (although I appreciate for you tackling the German National Federation is the obvious starting point).
Riders either through ignorance or brainwashing (for want of a better word) from those they look up to/take advice from gradually slip into thinking their tack/training is perfectly acceptable.

I know I'm preaching to the converted but the problem is systemic and needs to be addressed from the top down. Unfortunately the top appear to be too spineless to do something about it. The middle men (stewards/judges etc) are so concerned with the wrath of competitors and for rocking the boat with FEI that the turn a blind eye. It would take a brave steward to make a move.

I'm pro horse sport. We are so lucky to be able to work with these animals, and whilst some of the extremist animal rights groups are quite frankly a PITA, there is still a message there to be listened to.

Good luck Kareen, I will follow any small progress you may make with interest.
 
Well we have some news. FN suggests to talk (upon which I have responded politely that I expect to see some answers to my questions first so there will be a level playing field and grounds to base any talking on). Yesterday morning I called FEI because I hadn't had any reaction despite sending the original letter on Sep.20. I first learned that neither the president nor his secretary were in but expected back at work on Mon Oct.5. I furthermore got out of the telephone lady that she would ask the original addressee to get back to me shortly.
Later that day I did receive a phonecall from her (lady in charge of PR) and she was very friendly, apologized for not responding sooner and appreciated my sending in the photographs. She acknowledged they were disgusting and the displayed contraptions shouldn't have passed the Steward. She also said nosebands were a topic at an upcoming round table and that animal welfare was a top priority within the FEI.
A written statement was announced but she couldn't say when or who would respond (which is understandable and a response I can live with for the time being).
Meanwhile it looks as if one of our biggest monthly equestrian mags has picked up on it and some of the issues addressed happen to be subject of their reporting throughout the entire October issue. I feel we must keep increasing the impulse to bring on change. I am working on a catalog of suggestions to both German FN and FEI. Feel free to get in touch if you have any contributions. I have also started to accept donations via paypal because from all I can tell we will need some hired expert help. I know who to ask and I know how to go about it but I do not have unlimited funds and a job of my own to look after. I am also far from being a profound connaisseur of current FEI or FN rulebooks and structure because I have stopped actively competing about 12 years ago. If I want to do this right I will need help :)
 
Thank you for your support. I'm afraid it will be a long and tiresome battle and I'm not sure how I will be able to fund and go about it but someone had to start doing something that has become even more obvious by the responses from FN and FEI I have received thus far.
Someone who supports the cause thinks it would be a good idea to drag the matter out into the public to increase pressure on both authorities. I am not yet certain because that would mean to make more non-horsey folk aware of the things we would like to fight and that would be counterproductive for the underlying quest to give horsey-lifestyle a better standing again. Because you know how public opinion works, someone sees something bad within any given group (ethnic, religious, profession, whatever...) and automatically assumes it's the norm. Anyone have a good idea how to face that dilemma?
 
Goodness Kareen - I am very impressed with your courage and determination to combat these dreadful abuses - thank you and well done.

I don't really have any good ideas on the PR angle other than to wonder if there is someone who is quite high up in PR / media who is also a horse person and who also despises the way that horses are mistreated in the name of sport. (but I don't know any)
 
Thank god they seem to be moving. I am not yet convinced these round tables will bear results as there have been other round tables before that didn't bring on much of an improvement. I believe public pressure needs to be raised until the structures have been reorganized because the system as it is has failed us so badly over years and the sport has become a paradox. Thank you for your support. I am not getting a lot of sh** from opponents but there are still some who believe it's acceptable to put horse-welfare under economic interest.
 
Kareen, I am shocked by the photos. I wish you great success in your campaign. We have a Shagya stallion who has completed 3 x90km endurance with mares and stallions, in a snaffle and jumps in a snaffle. His full sister is much stronger and pulls. We have not put her in a stronger bit but worked on her flatwork with a sympathetic trainer.

I hate to see horses ridden in an iron grip.
 
Good grief, those photos are awful. What they are hoping to achieve with that drop nose band god only knows...how is a horse supposed to perform at it's best with its breathing restricted???
 
so if a horse has blood coming from its mouth in dressage its elimination. if a horse scratches its leg xc and has blood it is pulled up. but if it has blood coming from its mouth caused by a bit/noseband cutting into the horse xc its fine as long as it stops when the vet or td sees it?
 
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