Show jumping spike poles

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xxMozlarxx

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New jump poles have appeared at my yard today, they are wooden and have lots of metal bottle tops nailed on to them sharp side up so that if hit they will hurt the horses legs. Attempts have been made stack them to hide the bottle tops but they have clearly been used as they have sand from the school on them.
Im pretty sure they are one of the liveries and not the yards, I don't even know if the YO knows they are there.
What is the best thing to do?
 
I would tell the YO if they do not know about this they should be told it is then their responsibility to deal with it, if it was on my yard it could be a good time for a barbeque.
 
Without going imto detail I'm not sure they would react. I thought these things were banned... Not sure who to report it to if they dont do anything. The person in question has some history with bad treatment of horses.
 
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If the YO is going to ignore or condone the use of them, there is probably not much you can do I would not think they are banned as such just considered to be a sign of poor horsemanship, what people do in their own yards is up to them unless there is cruelty involved. Use of them may be cruel but there are far worse things going on and proving anything is difficult, especially if you want to stay there.
 
Thanks for your replies, different views i guess, but I had my instructor there, in fact it was her who saw them, she seemed to think it was a welfare issue.
 
If the yo won't do anything about it there's not much you can do. I'd be tempted to say something if I saw them in use like 'oh wait, the sun is reflecting off something on your pole' & walk over to look just to see what she says. But its not something that will change for the better if you get chucked off over it so unfortunately not much you can do.
 
littlelegs said:
Flatten what? Spikes or owner of spikes? I know which I'd be tempted to use the hammer on!
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Haha..don't tempt me..

Nah...I was upset to see them especially for the lovely horse I believe them to be used on.. But also very embarrassed in front of instructor that something like that is on the yard.
 
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xxMozlarxx said:
Haha..don't tempt me..

Nah...I was upset to see them especially for the lovely horse I believe them to be used on.. But also very embarrassed in front of instructor that something like that is on the yard.
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I can't find any pictures on google, I can't imagine what they look like :O
Oooh, I would be embarrassed too, even though it's nothing to do with you. It makes me sad when I hear of things like that, poor horse :(
 
You could leave them out so that other liveries also see them, the disproval of the yard might be enough to make them think.

I would also put some jump exercises up in the school to encourage carefulness next time you jump when they are around and make a point of using the exercises to make the horse careful not some dodgey poles.
 
LOOOL..ooh I would love to! Having talked this over with a few horsey peeps everyone seems pretty horrified TBH so I'm glad my reaction isn't OTT, a cruel way to try to teach a horse not to drop a leg, at best a nasty jab, at worst a cut leg. The person who i felt was responsible claims it's no worse than hitting a leg on a wall! :confused::confused:
 
Its far worse than hitting a wall a horse knows the wall is solid, the same as an eventer will normally be more careful xc than sj they learn that coloured poles knock down. I know this will be their justification for using these poles, that does not make it right though.
A good trainer will build a horses confidence and technique with correct training not resort to short cuts such as this, it is not going to work in the long run anyway the horse will lose trust and probably start to stop rather than hurt itself.
 
be positive said:
Its far worse than hitting a wall a horse knows the wall is solid, the same as an eventer will normally be more careful xc than sj they learn that coloured poles knock down. I know this will be their justification for using these poles, that does not make it right though.
A good trainer will build a horses confidence and technique with correct training not resort to short cuts such as this, it is not going to work in the long run anyway the horse will lose trust and probably start to stop rather than hurt itself.
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Thanks, I'm really upset by it especially as the yard hosts pony club and riding club..not Ok in my view, don't want to be associated with it. Of course it's not right, to take a knock..so be it, but to deliberately seek to cause it...no way!
 
Is there some way you could let PC/RC organisers know about this? Perhaps if they let their disapproval be known, a different view might be taken by YO, especially if PC/RC pay for use of facilities?
 
Pearlsasinger said:
Is there some way you could let PC/RC organisers know about this? Perhaps if they let their disapproval be known, a different view might be taken by YO, especially if PC/RC pay for use of facilities?
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I think contact YO first and tell them that you don't believe that they are suitable to be on site. If no notice taken in a reasonable time then do what Pearl says ^^^.

Then talk with your feet and let the other liveries know why before you go. Not in a nasty way but a polite word 'I'm afraid I don't agree with the practices being used, it's a pity to leave but I can't stay with practices like this used and accepted on site.'

Poles like that brought on our yard would be disposed of and the horse owner given notice.

Pan
 
I would be disgusted.

I don't care that there are worse practices. For any 'bad' thing I'm sure it's possible to think of something worse, that doesn't mean it should be ignored though or that it is in anyway acceptable.

OP I would in the first instance speak about your concerns to the YO. I would sincerly hope he/she would insist on the removal/destruction of the poles. If nothing is done then I would speak to the person themselves. I wouldn't expect to be able to 'shame' them into stopping though. Just clearly explain that you are against the practise and would they destroy the poles. Someone who is prepared to use such practises and then leave the poles around most likely has no shame at all. I don't know if your BHS welfare officer could help you on this, at least letting you know what could be done or making a visit to the yard themselves.

I hope you manage to get this stopped on your yard. I'm sure it is a drop in the ocean compared to some practices, but no horse should have to put up with this at all.
 
I used to know of a show jumper who used to do this among adding pieces to parts of tack :( it was on another yard near one I was on but never could I have been a livery on there. They would not listen to people who said it was wrong and even tried to give convincing arguments to why it was no worse than other things. Shameful IMO
 
I would find it very hard to stand by and do nothing!

At the very least, the pc/rc should know. I wouldn't want my son's pc using a centre that was happy with their liveries doing that, and would let them know!
 
OP am I right in thinking you posted the pictures in a certain FB group?

If it's the same poles it looks a lot worse than it sounds as well :(

Hope you get it sorted.
 
You could act dumb and say to the YO... Ohhh I have noticed some decorated poles in the school..... are they new? That way you get a jist of if the YO knows or not!
 
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