Showing...is this hypocritical?

[Bryndu]

I have had a bit of a musing...

In a recent copy of H&H....in the showing reports....a pony won champion.....and when the connections were duly interviewed....it turned out that 'horsey' had come back sound following extensive treatment for Laminitis......

So this got me to thinking....

In another issue of H&H a prominent rider/judge expounded that he would never put anything up that 'made a noise' because it was an unsoundness.

In general....splints....spavins and the such like are deemed faults (with possibly the exception being the workers).....

So I was wondering......how does a horsey with Laminitis.....albeit contained.....win a championship....and possibly more than one....with a condition such as this? The connections were not trying to hide the condition.....

Just wondering....
Bryndu

 

[Kat]

Presumably because it showed no unsoundness that the judge could detect in the ring.

 

[MissSBird]

I can see the weight issue kicking off again now...

I think the difference is pernamence. A splint, spavin or an unsoundness in wind is (generally) a pernament feature. Laminitus is a disease which can be cured, or at least highly controlled, in some circumstances.

 

[Buds_mum]

Well if it was sound what's the issue?

Laminitis in itself doesnt leave physical marks.... :S apart from perhaps rings on the hooves.

Bit confused what you tbh? :/

 

[tessybear]

Well if it was sound what's the issue?

Laminitis in itself doesnt leave physical marks.... :S apart from perhaps rings on the hooves.

Bit confused what you tbh? :/

This ^^ I find myself agreeing with you again x

 

[Cortez]

If it had a condition and was cured, then it doesn't have the condition .

 

[Queenbee]

Me too.

I know of a local horse who is prone to lami, she is very well managed and wins all the cups and championships, or used to, I think she is semi retired from showing now but it never stopped her winning in her day.

 

[Bryndu]

Thanks for your posts....

Just thinking.....that by mentioning this.....will it affect future results?

Also...you rightly point out that if it was sound in the ring....then what was the issue?
A horse can be sound with a splint....or a spavin.....but because it can be seen....it is deemed an unsoundness (not as in lame unsoundness)....

I just find it odd.

Oh....and I must just add....I show at County Level ....so not bashing....just curious

Bryndu

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

Much of showing is what is seen on the day - and seen by the judge, not family, friends or other competitors

Have seen animals with all sorts of issues up the line (like curbs, spavins, splints, windgalls, enlarged tendons, pin toes etc) - the judge may have missed them, they might have given a far better performance than the others - who knows tho - as thats showing

I fail to see why a condition that is obviously managed so well that it is not apparent in the public eye, should become an issue for another competitor who 'knows' about it

 

[Buds_mum]

This ^^ I find myself agreeing with you again x

Even my incomprehensible phone written posts?

Op you may as well say, well this horse has in the past had colic....? I still can't see what you getting at sorry

If it is sound, blemish free and going well on the day every horse in the ring had a chance at being placed, regardless of past soundness or health issues

 

[MerrySherryRider]

Guess the pony must have been sound and not all laminitics are over weight, so if the pony was well at the time, it shouldn't be a problem.

 

[Bryndu]

Thanks everyone...
Some interesting replies....
Can I just say.....I never once mentioned anything about weight.....nor was my post about weight......just sorry that it came up.....

So.... I guess the answer is that it is ok......

Thanks
Bryndu

 

[dominobrown]

How would the judge know whether the pony had had laminitis though? Unless he had its medical history in front of him/ her or knew the pony.

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

Thanks everyone...
Some interesting replies....
Can I just say.....I never once mentioned anything about weight.....nor was my post about weight......just sorry that it came up.....

So.... I guess the answer is that it is ok......

Thanks
Bryndu

Just dont mention weight that sparks off all sorts of grenades
(thats why I kept my comments to ailments & conf defects )

 

[Walrus]

Sorry OP I don't really follow. What if a horse had had colic, or gastric ulcers or a bad back and had been nursed back to health and done well in the show ring, if the judge knew about that should they mark it down?

 

[The wife]

We have a similar situation, currently have a mare that has both navicular and DJD of the coffin joint, she primarily shows. We have now got her sound without the use of bute, from remedial farriery, extensive rest and extremely careful management and being very selective of ground conditions that she goes on. Does this make her a write off?

For me, if the animal is sound on the day and shows no signs of a condition to the judge then it's as good as the next one. Only we know of our mares condition (and you guys now, albeit anonymously!) and wouldn't exactly go shouting about it. However, as they have openly admitted to laminitis, then potentially as a judge, I may or may not look for any tell tales signs. Saying this our problem is only going to deteriorate whereas laminitis can come and go. I'd personally say it's a brave move to admit it so publicly on a high profile pony but each to their own. It makes good reading however and gives hope to those with ponies with the condition.

 

[Foxhunter49]

I has to be judged on the day.
A pony might be a right monster and buck the ride off in the arena, but if it goes into the ring and behaves impeccably the judges can only assess that days performance not go on previous shows.
Ditto with laminitis.

 

[Sussexbythesea]

I think I can possibly see where the OP is coming from. Lami can deform the hoof and could be seen as a blemish the same as a splint would although neither would necessarily cause long-term unsoundness.

Also you could argue that the horse having had lami is now more likely to be prone to it and many people would avoid buying a horse that previously has had it.
http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=448047



Someone on this thread said why would it matter if the condition is managed? - well there you are saying it has a "condition" therefore should it be placed above a horse without such a condition? If it were breeding stock then Equine Metabolic Syndrome is thought to
be genetically predisposed so this could be a factor.

In showing you're basically looking at the best specimen of that type and any condition you could argue makes it a possibly lesser specimen even if currently completely sound.

 

[AdorableAlice]

Interesting post.

There must be many thousands of equines successfully competing after recovering from injury/disease or having long term problems managed.

My horse was technically unsound throughout his very prolific career. He wore an extension on his nr hind. It could be seen easily but never seemed to affect his results. I was delighted for my farrier when the horse won the best shod hunter at the final Royal Show at Stoneleigh. The master farrier doing the judging commenting on the quality of the work and foot balance.

The hunter confo and ride judges were present when the farrier looked at the horse and were happy with what they saw.

 

[Sussexbythesea]

My comments were only musings really - I don't know that much about the world of showing.

I guess it depends what issues the other horses in the line up have (as the more you look at a lot of horses so few seem to be problem free) or whether the overall quality outweighs the particular issue. Mine also wears an extension has SI issues and although I've only done fun stuff he is nearly always placed up the line. Prob wouldn't get anywhere at a higher level though.

 

[AdorableAlice]

My comments were only musings really - I don't know that much about the world of showing.

I guess it depends what issues the other horses in the line up have (as the more you look at a lot of horses so few seem to be problem free) or whether the overall quality outweighs the particular issue. Mine also wears an extension has SI issues and although I've only done fun stuff he is nearly always placed up the line. Prob wouldn't get anywhere at a higher level though.

If he is good enough for his breed/type and performs he could easily compete at the top. My hunter strutted his stuff complete with heel extension at national level as a hunter and BD horse and he was not beaten very often.

He also had an assortment of 'war wounds', it is quite amazing what can be done with marker pens, waterproof mascara, eyeliner and boot polish.