Shocked at treatment of pony at local show today...

OWLIE185 said:
Unfortunately this sort of behaviour puts horse riders in to disrepute.
The solution is to have all the families animals taken away from them and re-homed with a ban on them ever keeping animals again, their children put in to care and the parents sterilised to prevent them having any more off-spring.
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I vote owlie!!
 
I watched a young man, who I know lives with his partner and 2 children with 2 dogs, talking to his friend who was sitting in a car. One of the dogs, a Bullterrierx, jumped into the car and sat in the footwell, Young man told it to get out and didn't immediately do as it was told so he grabbed it, pulled it out and started kicking it. Needless to say the dog yelped. I was just putting something into my car and turned and said in my best teacher voice, "That's enough". I got a mouthful of abuse, which I ignored and carried on about my business, the friend didn't know where to look. The kicking stopped.
I see the young man exercising his dogs quite often and he always looks very shame-faced.

As this was somewhere I visit quite often, I realised that the reason he reacted so badly when the dog jumped into the car was that the driver's partner visits quite often and he drives off with her, sometimes taking the dogs. I assume that the liaison is not all above board and he didn't want the friend to know that the dog is familiar with the car.
 
What you should have told the show stewards that if nothing was done about these people you would put it on the horse and hound forum and let the world know that they don't take complaints of cruelty seriously. Just a pity you didn't name the Show I would have done, as that would make others think twice about trying to shovel it under the carpet. :)
 
God, the things you see while out and about and in yards, I was in the trailer park with my young cob, a grey horse passed us and at every stride the poor horse had a crack of the whip and spurs dug in, I couldn't say anything as my youngster was on his toes, but I was aware of it, apparently this horse was whipped and spurred all the way round the forest ride, I felt awful for not speaking out.
Equally, a YM was bringing in a liveries fell pony, being paid for doing so and because the pony fidgeted while the Ym stopped to chat, got a punch to the head, I made a mental note to keep this guy away from my horses, as others have said, he was naturally aggressive and my landlord to boot
 
I understand that in the showing world the ponies have their heads tied down overnight so that it helps with the head carriage. Words fail me.
 
Well, if you see them do it again and manage to video it, you could always publicly shame them by putting a video of their abusive actions on your local horsey facebook group - if they deal it will hit them where it really hurts.
 
Hoof_Prints said:
it's a tricky situation, I felt I intervened more effectively by getting someone with a bit more authority than me to tell them (authority regarding the show) and my presence would have just been laughable to them. If it was a different person doing it, it would have been different and I would have gone over myself, it's hard to explain without you knowing them but they are a bit rough and tricky to deal with. They keep to themselves and don't talk to anyone, very unfriendly and uncooperative. I don't think it's a lack of understanding most of time, it's just pure anger at the animal (not necessarily a horse). I doesn't take much intelligence to know when an animal is scared and acting out of fear! Violent people just like to attack anything that is annoying them or not going their way... I also forgot to mention that after he punched the poor thing in the nose, he yanked it's reins so hard they snapped off the bit.

The committee called him over to the entry box to have words but I didn't hear what they said, I'm going to keep a very close eye on them next time we go.
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It is very tricky and I think posters have to remember that the guy punched the horse in the head! I'm normally one for stepping in but I have to admit, I wouldn't in that scenario. A man like that would no doubt not hesitate to threaten or even physically assault someone in that frame of mind.

I think the OP should be commended on her actions. It's a shame the show organisers who were informed didn't put their big boy pants on and boot them off and not ever allow them to return.

I feel in these sort of situations, it's the show organisers who have a responsibility to uphold high welfare standards.
 
I'm still bothered by the fact that a couple of years ago I watched a guy leading in his wife's small show pony from the field, holding it tightly by the headcollar. The pony was lively (stabled 20+ hours a day) and on its toes, and shaking its head because of how tightly it was being held and dragged. He suddenly turned on it and thumped it around the face several times, cursing. I didn't intervene...he owners were long standing multi pony owners at the yard, I was a newbie and desperate to keep my place and not rock the boat. Feeble excuse, and it's bothered me ever since. Poor sad pony.
 
springtime1331 said:
Well, if you see them do it again and manage to video it, you could always publicly shame them by putting a video of their abusive actions on your local horsey facebook group - if they deal it will hit them where it really hurts.
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Personally I think it would have more long term benefit to video it and then send the footage straight to the RSPCA and provide a witness statement. These sorts of people deserve nothing less than a ban.
 
My OH used to shoe the ponies of a local woman who we used to hire an arena with for schooling. One night, one pony didn't jump too well. OH was due to her yard in am and she said casually oh probably won't be able to catch ......as he got a walloping for misbehaving last night.....Oh stopped working for hr shortly after. her kids win a lot and it is a shame that no one knows what goes on really, couldn't prove anything sadly
 
Landcruiser said:
I'm still bothered by the fact that a couple of years ago I watched a guy leading in his wife's small show pony from the field, holding it tightly by the headcollar. The pony was lively (stabled 20+ hours a day) and on its toes, and shaking its head because of how tightly it was being held and dragged. He suddenly turned on it and thumped it around the face several times, cursing. I didn't intervene...he owners were long standing multi pony owners at the yard, I was a newbie and desperate to keep my place and not rock the boat. Feeble excuse, and it's bothered me ever since. Poor sad pony.
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Urgh, what an awful thing for that guy to have done. But don't be so hard on yourself. Forgive yourself - what's done is done and you can't change what's in the past. Move on from it and if anything like this happens again in future, be at the ready to jump into action and do whatever you can. Unfortunately the way that some horses and pets are treated, even in the public for all to see, means that the chances are that we'll all come across a similar scenario at some point :(
 
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