pip6
Well-Known Member
This weekend I went to Stoneleigh to watch this. Horse we bred was there, & we hadn't seen her in over a year so went to show our support.
The thing that struck me, as an endurance bod, was how morbidly obese (so far beyond fat) some were. There was one class of a heavier type (I know the class but don't want to embaress owners if they read this), only 2 entrants, well as they went round we renamed them Mr Ripple & Mr Extra Ripple. Guess which one won? The extra ripple of course! No kidding, when they trotted they just wobbled up & down. I mean can these judges really not see how fat they are? Do they not kow what a good condition (slim, active, well muscled) horse looks like? This isn't sour grapes as the classes didn't involve the horse we went to watch (who is a lovely shape, well muscled, fit & healthy).
I know I'm from the opposite end of the spectrum, but I felt so sorry for these animals in the heat. How much are they fed? Some of the ones in the inhand (including the final so had won their class or come 2nd) were massive, & I'm not talking height. Spillers were there offering free condition / weight assessments, I suspect these blobs didn't ask for advice. Maybe, as Spillars sponsor it, all competitors should be condition scored & any deemed morbidly obese should be withdrawn on health grounds.
All the fuss about heavy riders, surely the extra weight these fatties carry is much more than a big person would weigh by miles. It's still the same force going through the joints, even without a rider on board. It must also be worse as it is 24/7, riders are generally only on for less than 10 hours a week. Maybe they should do a Crufts where any breed judge who places an unhealthy dog (as judged by a vet) is called to account for their choice.
I'm sure there are good judges out there who penalise flab, but they weren't judging the classes I watched! As a non-showing person (horse we were watching is youngster so only doing it for experience, will start to event next year, much more interesting) I've heard about the weight issue but thought judges were getting on top of it, but apparently not!
The thing that struck me, as an endurance bod, was how morbidly obese (so far beyond fat) some were. There was one class of a heavier type (I know the class but don't want to embaress owners if they read this), only 2 entrants, well as they went round we renamed them Mr Ripple & Mr Extra Ripple. Guess which one won? The extra ripple of course! No kidding, when they trotted they just wobbled up & down. I mean can these judges really not see how fat they are? Do they not kow what a good condition (slim, active, well muscled) horse looks like? This isn't sour grapes as the classes didn't involve the horse we went to watch (who is a lovely shape, well muscled, fit & healthy).
I know I'm from the opposite end of the spectrum, but I felt so sorry for these animals in the heat. How much are they fed? Some of the ones in the inhand (including the final so had won their class or come 2nd) were massive, & I'm not talking height. Spillers were there offering free condition / weight assessments, I suspect these blobs didn't ask for advice. Maybe, as Spillars sponsor it, all competitors should be condition scored & any deemed morbidly obese should be withdrawn on health grounds.
All the fuss about heavy riders, surely the extra weight these fatties carry is much more than a big person would weigh by miles. It's still the same force going through the joints, even without a rider on board. It must also be worse as it is 24/7, riders are generally only on for less than 10 hours a week. Maybe they should do a Crufts where any breed judge who places an unhealthy dog (as judged by a vet) is called to account for their choice.
I'm sure there are good judges out there who penalise flab, but they weren't judging the classes I watched! As a non-showing person (horse we were watching is youngster so only doing it for experience, will start to event next year, much more interesting) I've heard about the weight issue but thought judges were getting on top of it, but apparently not!
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