Peoples opinions please

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Hannah_izgr8

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I was just wondering what peoples views are on the methods poeple use when preparing to get their horse measured.
Recently on my yard a horse was going to be measured so they took of his shoes and trimmed his feet - this is what i would expect. However they cut them back so far that the horse was crippled, he couldn't even walk across the stable to get to his haynet. I then noticed he didnt have any water, when I questioned this I was told he was not haveing any as he was being measure the next day. I seemed to be the only person on the yard who had a problem with this and would like to know what everyone else thinks.
Thankyou.
 
never heard anything so crazy...
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I can only assume that they wanted it to be a certain height for a specific reason. Not something I would do or approve of. It is abusive to the horse.
 
Sorry - but this isn't that unusual if they need a height certificate and he is borderline. An extra 0.5 cm can put a horse or pony out of a class and substantially affect it's value. Withholding water and trimming feet back hard are just some of the methods I've heard used.

ps I'm not saying this is acceptable
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Disgusting but doesn't surprise me...

my horse is borderline and will be measured shortly - but I will not, under any circumstances allow her to be cut back further than necessary on the feet and will not resort to abusive tactics to get the height....
 
I agree with RRS - i am guessing that this is either a showing pony or a BSJA pony, where there is a lot of potential prize money riding on the height cert. Its unethical to say the least, not to mention downright cruel, but sadly, it is not as uncommon as it ought to be.

Its tempting to hope that the poor pony STILL measures over-height despite their efforts - perhaps they will sell it on in disgust to someone who will love it whatever size it is.
 
Presumably he's overheight, or almost.

For most showing classes the bigger the better (in weight and height) so if they can get a Life Height Cert of just below the absolute maxium they will.

Another trick is working the horse into the ground just before hand - the rib cage is suspended within the shoulder sling (held up by the pectoral muscles basically) and a very tired horse (or a very unfit on) will drop it's rib cage a little, making them slightly smaller.

There's a whole list of horrific thing people will do to their horses in order to win show rossettes
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Thankyou I am glad im not the only one thinking this! They are getting it measured for a competition and needs to a certain height which he may be over!
Not giving them water will make its muscles tighten because it is dehydrated amking them shrink.
I was appaled when questioned they responeded with its only a horse and only for one night!
It makes me sick, but they get upset when questioning their horse ownership and try to justify by saying well if you horse kicked its bucket over then it wouldnt have any water either!!
Some peoples minds are messed up!!!
 
Yes sadly I have heard of this as a way of getting them to measure in for the height restriction.
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Very sad and cruel way to treat any animal. I was told it was not unusual.
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may want to tell them dehydrating them won't work....they test, blood test and offer water by the vet prior to measuring
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but no don't agree with the extremist measuring in measures... but fully understand the importance of getting them measured in the correct height! One of ours had his the other week and juuuust got in. Relief!!!!
 
Im a shocked that people say they care and love their horses but willing let them suffer for a competition! The owner responce is its my horse I will treat it how I like! It makes me angry and sad for the poor horse.
I understand horses have to be measured and that is fine as long as the horse doent have to suffer.
 
Is this a 14.2 by any chance?
There was a list of things that we were told to look out for when measuring ponies and horses....
Some of them are very cruel,others plain mad.Whats worse is that a most of them just do not work!

Its terrible but a 142 that measures over plummets in price over here as they are no longer a jumping pony.There are often dealers that buy overheighters from the stations at low prices chuck them in a field then bring in a skinny,poorly mucscled lame from the hacking of their feet horse to be measured the next year.

The one you descibed is fairly common trim the feet to hell,then either add the shoes to give the extra inch,(tho i think measuring with shoes on may have been banned in ponys now)or keep them bare on concrete with no water overnight before the measuring.

The vet in the station may well do a skin pinch and feed their horse a bucket of water before sending them back the line if their dehydrated.So its a pointless exercise.

On the degree of lameness if the vet decides you horse/pony isnt physically fit for measuring then you dont get measured and your only option is to get an appointment in UCD on a different day to have it done there in the vet collage.If you get refused a measuring in UCD or at a centre on welfare grounds you may face disaplinary action from the SJ association

If you want them to have a good chance at measuring under then yes trim the feet,resonably!,clip the top of the withers where it the pole rests but also just get them used to being measured so they wont be hyper and reacting to the stick coming near them..you can try lunging them before hand but it makes very little difference most of the time....

Sedation is blood tested for if the vet has any suspecions.
Measuring is an absolute mine field of problems in ponys i dont envy the vets on the stations...
 
QR

There are a whole host of 'tricks' used prior to measuring to get them to the 'correct' height, and most are totally despicable methods.
 
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