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it's 14 months old and carting that big heavy old git around? poor animal, rspca should be called. i wouldn't put 7 stone on it, let alone him.
I think its just sad. Why bother its clearly unhappy (regardless of what our friends at the RSPCA think). The article says he used to train racehorses?! Can't imagine he had many winners if those are his methods
its really sad but people who don't have knowladge or common sense don't realise what they are doing is wrong, even with a little basic knowladge things would get better but what annoys me is that no matter how much people see things like this and complain nothing gets done
14mths old, the saddle alone must be really uncomfortable for him and as for the dirty great big pelham in his mouth, it's a bloody disgrace. No wonder he is standing with his back legs way out behind him, just to support the stupid old sods weight.
This is not responsible behaviour and he should be spoken to by the RSPCA, but i suppose they won't bother there arses.
Cruel if you ask me
Jade I could not agree more with you. Fair dos ride the zebra but he should have least let it mature properly first. I know of this trainer and he is well known for the amount of two year winners he trains. But zebras and thoroughbreds are entirely different as we all know. Ok so zebras need to be pretty damned quick and nimble on their feet from a young age because in the wild they would be the target of several large and/or fast predators. Racehorses and certainly the ones this trainer excels with are the precocious types who are almost the real deal when they take their footsteps on the racecourse. But for him to try and train and ride a 14month old zebra is beyond me. I wouldn't even train it to carry a child at that age, nevermind a fully grown adult. Any respect I did have for this man as a racehorse trainer has now certainly flown out of the window.
That saddle clearly doesn't fit. On the still pictures especially the saddle flaps are shunted way too forward. It must be uncomfortable for the little guy. The bit also raises another question as it does look like a pelham. Although in fairness it is rubber and the reins are attached to the main ring so it should act like a snaffle. But why not just use a straight bar rubber snaffle then instead of a pelham. It is beyond me.
As a trainer of racehorses his total absurdity and total lack of understanding and compassion towards that animal has astounded me. I am truly ashamed!
The bloke just doesn't realise that most equids are not like the race horses that he has happily trained from yearlings. A Zebra is far stronger than a horse, but 14 months is far too young to be ridden.
When I was in Africa I was always told that Zebras have a weaker spine than 'normal' horses and donkey which is the other reason why they are not ridden. I hope for that poor Zebra that it is not the case - he could be in pain.