Tenessee Walking Horse cruelty

Another vote for a total ban on those dreadful shoes, not to mention the chains & soring. All pathetic attempts to make the horse more than it is, rather than celebrating his best points.

With regard to arab showing, there are classes in this country aimed at reducing abuse. Affiliated Crabbet classes (for horses of proven 75%+ Crabbet arabian blood, all 100% arab), no long whips are allowed, & horses must be shown stood in a 'natural' stance, the extended stance is not permitted. It's not a sure fire cure to anyone who would abuse a horse, but it works to reduce instance of abuse such as whip cruelty, which I have seen plenty of in standard arab classes.:mad:
 
20+ years ago I lived and worked (with horses) in Tennessee & Kentucky. I have trained TWH (as normal horses), they are the nicest, most even tempered horses imaginable, and most are naturally gaited. There are "flat shod" and natural gaited classes and shows, but it is the "Big Lick" horses which attract the most money and enthusiasm. It is fundamentally wrong to do this to horses. I am a (retired) dressage trainer, and d'you know? I see things not that far off the TWH scale in dressage nowadays, too.......
 
Cortez said:
20+ years ago I lived and worked (with horses) in Tennessee & Kentucky. I have trained TWH (as normal horses), they are the nicest, most even tempered horses imaginable, and most are naturally gaited. There are "flat shod" and natural gaited classes and shows, but it is the "Big Lick" horses which attract the most money and enthusiasm. It is fundamentally wrong to do this to horses. I am a (retired) dressage trainer, and d'you know? I see things not that far off the TWH scale in dressage nowadays, too.......
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This doesn't surprise me. The "big lick" horses and their shows are full of spectators, can't beleive people sit there and pay to watch, the cheering is unreal too.

The horses are beautiful in their natural way.
 
I feel physically sick having just read through all this, and looked at the FOSH article on soring. Its an absolute disgrace, and the Americans have a lot to answer for. And then to have the post saying that the retired dressage trainer has seen similar cruel systems used on dressage horses over here!! It beggars belief. And I get worked up about draw-reins!

I am not aware that there are any TWH show classes in UK? If there are, I hope our vets are watching them like hawks. And a life-time horse-owning ban for anybody who does ANYTHING like that. I've always had a pipe-dream of owning a TWH, but it makes you wonder what one might have been put through. Is there a TWH Society in UK, and if so, what have they got to say about it?
 
In the UK? No there isn't classes like that in the UK. TWH are very rare over here and as far as I am aware there are no showing classes for them, and they all look pretty normal. As other have said they do have good temperements, which in the UK seems to be why people have them here at least. There is no TWH society in the UK (as far as I am aware, pleae correct me if wrong!)
 
The Americans have a lot to answer for. No, the TWH people have a lot to answer for. The people who watch, fund, own, train, and ride these horses. Unless you can be 100% positive no abuse on any scale exists in England it's being slightly ridiculous. I'm an American and I do not think any of this is acceptable in any way shape or form. So quit with the "I have a lot to answer for". I don't pay to watch these shows, breed, train, Ride or own these horses. I agree all of it should be banned but I actually have enough on my plate in my day to day life to start a crusade simply because I have a lot to answer for. I would not be friends with people who chose this "sport" and would not hesitate to tell them how horrific they treated their horses if I happened upon such a person. How anyone in their right mind can think this is acceptable is beyond me.

Terri
 
Cruelty in pursuit of a 'look' that humans deem desirable is committed throughout the world and even (shock horror) in the UK and Europe. Locking horses in stables, tying them into positions, peppering, beating, shoeing to modify action, extreme breeding is all on a continuum and once you go down this road, no matter how slightly, imo the horses welfare is forgotten and horses become tools and their true beauty is lost for some corrupted human vision of what is 'best' or 'correct' for a breed, type or whatever.
But, of course, as has been said, we 'love' them dearly! :eek: :mad:
 
RutlandH2O said:
The US is a huge country with vast cultural differences between states and geographic locations.
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I agree with this TBH,and makes no more sense to blame all americans for the treatment of the TWH,than it does to blame us in the UK for the harsh treatment and neglect of horses in somewhere like Morrocco.In geographical terms is no different and yet none of us would think to suggest that.
I appreciate in legal terms it's not an accurate comparison,but taking into account the differences state to state even that may not be so different.

It's not fair to judge an entire continent on the actions of one tiny part of it.

A thought that occured to me before some of us get a bit too holier than thou here in the UK,I owned a clydesdale horse a few years ago I was made aware of a terrible practice called 'couping'.It's where they shoe horse (from as young as 6 months old) unevely to create closer lower limb appearance for showing,as the more cow hocked a clyde is the better.Unfortunately as they shoe them so young while they're still developing it affects not only appearance but conformation as well.Many vets have voiced concerns about future lower limb problems due to this practice.
It was banned in England years ago and many vets in Scotland are calling for it to be banned there as well.I am unsure if it has been now,but am certain it still goes on.

Not as awful as the TWH maybe but a good example of un-necessary actions for looks sake,and the fact it is done to foals makes it pretty horrible IMO.

Does that mean that all of us in the UK are responsible though?? Of course not and most of us wouldn't contemplate it or condone it.

I don't understand a lot of what people do to animals througout the world,but I don't think americans are the worst offenders,and I don't think it's fair to tar all with the same brush.Most americans are probably as horrified as us about the treatment of the TWH,and equally as powerless to do anything about it I suspect.
 
devonlass said:
I agree with this TBH,and makes no more sense to blame all americans for the treatment of the TWH,than it does to blame us in the UK for the harsh treatment and neglect of horses in somewhere like Morrocco.In geographical terms is no different and yet none of us would think to suggest that.
I appreciate in legal terms it's not an accurate comparison,but taking into account the differences state to state even that may not be so different.

It's not fair to judge an entire continent on the actions of one tiny part of it.

A thought that occured to me before some of us get a bit too holier than thou here in the UK,I owned a clydesdale horse a few years ago I was made aware of a terrible practice called 'couping'.It's where they shoe horse (from as young as 6 months old) unevely to create closer lower limb appearance for showing,as the more cow hocked a clyde is the better.Unfortunately as they shoe them so young while they're still developing it affects not only appearance but conformation as well.Many vets have voiced concerns about future lower limb problems due to this practice.
It was banned in England years ago and many vets in Scotland are calling for it to be banned there as well.I am unsure if it has been now,but am certain it still goes on.

Not as awful as the TWH maybe but a good example of un-necessary actions for looks sake,and the fact it is done to foals makes it pretty horrible IMO.

Does that mean that all of us in the UK are responsible though?? Of course not and most of us wouldn't contemplate it or condone it.

I don't understand a lot of what people do to animals througout the world,but I don't think americans are the worst offenders,and I don't think it's fair to tar all with the same brush.Most americans are probably as horrified as us about the treatment of the TWH,and equally as powerless to do anything about it I suspect.
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Equilibrium Ireland said:
The Americans have a lot to answer for. No, the TWH people have a lot to answer for. The people who watch, fund, own, train, and ride these horses. Unless you can be 100% positive no abuse on any scale exists in England it's being slightly ridiculous. I'm an American and I do not think any of this is acceptable in any way shape or form. So quit with the "I have a lot to answer for". I don't pay to watch these shows, breed, train, Ride or own these horses. I agree all of it should be banned but I actually have enough on my plate in my day to day life to start a crusade simply because I have a lot to answer for. I would not be friends with people who chose this "sport" and would not hesitate to tell them how horrific they treated their horses if I happened upon such a person. How anyone in their right mind can think this is acceptable is beyond me.

Terri
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^^^These!

I, too, am American. My sense of outrage and disgust at this barbarity is unquantifiable. I used to feel ashamed to be American when I read about this form of abuse. Then I grew up and realised that it's the TWH people for whom shameful is a mild description and for which they have much to answer.

I know the economy is bad, but I would have official vets and observers at EVERY TWH event in the nation, with the power to expel every offender. As there is a national stud book, I would have every farm, ranch, barn, establishment involved with TWH breeding, training, selling, and showing, investigated and evaluated regarding this abuse. Somehow, something, someone has got to put an end to this suffering. The picture of idyllic fields of TWH mares and foals grazing innocently jars with the knowledge of the future training of those babies.
 
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