Video - Abuse in the showing world

Showing is often disappointing to watch i find

Although some are good riders, ali oliver riding a hack stood out to me some years ago

I look and see over bitted ponies that don't bend when going round corners a sort of overall impression of not being schooled to carry themselves and whilst I can admire certain animals movement it's often ruined by their training and wooden performance

Tying the heads down has gone on for ever, then leaving tied like that for hours

I'd like to say here that totally wrong and should be condemned by these showing societies who need to look into educating their members how to train correctly for the welfare of all animals involved in the classes these societies promote and offer

Furthermore no horse should be forced into that position, and held there, its totally wrong and utterly cruel, and ruins the horse, it's torture on a scale no civilized country should allow, and when ridden the horse working on the bit should be given regular opportunity to stretch forwards throughout every schooling session, every few minutes or after a good movement on a completely free rein to allow the blood the circulate and muscles relax and recover

Horses only learn to carry themselves over a long period of time it builds up its like a work of of art, rush it, force it, ruin it

Patience is what is lacking and insight
 
It was also the nonchalance of oh he’s done that with 4 people now maybe there’s something wrong. Thank god the owner wasn’t riding/injured as a result

I wonder who made the decision (vet/owner) to test for potassium bromide.
 
VictoriaSponge said:
Does it happen? Absolutely, no question. And I think the societies do a pitiful job of preventing it. As I’ve stated a few times on this thread, I think it’s disgraceful that the people who do this go on to win, despite the fact that in many cases it’s a known issue.

But, the post I was replying to implied that everyone in showing is like that, which isn’t the case. In my experience it is most definitely the minority, and I, along with plenty others, am ashamed to share a ring with them.



I wouldn’t agree with this on the whole. Cob classes and natives, yes I think you could make a very good argument that most are overweight, and that is not acceptable. I don’t think it’s the case at all for the horse classes, but there are exceptions. But you are very correct in that if all you see of showing is a cob class that you happen to catch at your local county show then see this video, it’s going to leave a very bad taste.
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HOYS side saddle winner, fat

Happy-Valentines_HOYS_PN24_170083-920x517.jpg


HOYS show hunter winner, also fat

515503856_10172152238120694_1550155204030466677_n.jpg


I could go on and on with photos and links. It has got marginally better, but its still endemic.
 
I'm Dun said:
HOYS side saddle winner, fat

Happy-Valentines_HOYS_PN24_170083-920x517.jpg


HOYS show hunter winner, also fat

515503856_10172152238120694_1550155204030466677_n.jpg


I could go on and on with photos and links. It has got marginally better, but its still endemic.
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I distinctly remember seeing an article about a HOYS cob (don’t know if they won, probably placed though) and the cob was insanely fat, I was shocked by how “normal” it’s seen as being, as well. The cob in question had a hugely deep rain channel and looked, honestly, like a lump of lard with legs!

I’m of the mind that you should be able to see 2-3 ribs and feel most (particularly the last rib) with some pressure. My cob is a very similar type to the HOYS one I saw, but not a hint of rain channel in sight! Horses, including cobs, should not have a rain gulley on their backs.
 
ester said:
It was also the nonchalance of oh he’s done that with 4 people now maybe there’s something wrong. Thank god the owner wasn’t riding/injured as a result

I wonder who made the decision (vet/owner) to test for potassium bromide.
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You'd like to think someone would have had a vet look him over after the first time!
 
humblepie said:
I stick up for and support showing as a discipline. There is nothing more eye catching in my opinion than either a National Hunt racehorse jumping beautifully or a gorgeous superbly schooled show hack, riding horse or RoR.
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I always feel sorry for ex racers going to be show horses. Although they are impressive and beautiful.
 
In defence of showing - I used to be critical and sceptical about it and a bit dismissive to be honest. Then I had the privilege of having a horse who was smart enough to show. Wow, what incredible experiences I have had, at incredible shows and people have been so kind and generous with their time and knowledge. For horses to perform in those electric atmospheres and be able to deal with an unknown rider getting on and give them a nice ride is impressive. Without showing, we'd lose a lot of visibility, and a significant job, for some of our breeds such as the M & M's and draft horses, that already have dangerously low numbers.

Sadly, it's not perfect. As with dressage, their needs to be a fundamental change in what judges are rewarding.
 
Clodagh said:
I always feel sorry for ex racers going to be show horses. Although they are impressive and beautiful.
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I sometimes feel a bit sorry for ones that have done a lot of racing and feel they may have just preferred to chill out which is very hypocritical of me. I think it again depends on their lifestyle at home and that they are not over shown. I ride mine past a stud and I say to him, would he rather have been a brood mare (obviously if he wasn't a gelding) and just stay in a field, or if he likes his countryside wanders and occasional outing! He hasn't replied yet.
 
sbloom said:
Showing also has almost all horses, certainly most ponies, working over tempo as well as overbent and on the forehand. I think we've forgotten what true horizontal balance looks and feels like, let alone uphill balance.
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I will probably be corrected about this, but time after time we see photographs in magazines of winning animals from lead rein to top show champion horses, which to my mind are BTV, in some cases incredibly so….
and in double bridles as well…..
If it’s wrong in dressage surely it’s wrong here as well…
 
I've just watched the first two videos of the Welsh pony.

I have used potassium bromide for several horses over the years, recommended to me first by a vet, and always used with any current vet's knowledge. Only ever used for box rest or similar scenarios.

I am shocked at what I saw in those videos and cannot watch any more. How the h*ll much bromide was that pony given to create a response like that. None of the horses under my care or ownership on bromide have come anywhere CLOSE to that level of what I can only describe as ataxia. Just shocking.
 
I think he might have been having a more extreme reaction than most, in my vets experience welshies are often very sensitive to sedation generally. My own had a note in his passport about being allergic to one, he actually wasn't it was just that 1/4 dose had him very sedated. Poss not part of it and not sure how soon the blood test was pulled to give the blood result it did (ie how high it might have been at the time of video)
 
Marshpiper said:
I will probably be corrected about this, but time after time we see photographs in magazines of winning animals from lead rein to top show champion horses, which to my mind are BTV, in some cases incredibly so….
and in double bridles as well…..
If it’s wrong in dressage surely it’s wrong here as well…
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Someone has commented on a HOYS Facebook video saying that it’s astounding that these show horses have a ‘more correct head carriage than modern dressage horses.’
 
It’s doing the rounds on FB… only just seen the picture and that was enough thanks!!! Did not play the video. Disgusting.Can anyone confirm what is happening re investigation. I hope the owner has taken the horse back and isn’t knowingly part of this process.if the horse is only worth ‘dog meat’ which purports to be the justification for this vile treatment of a helpless horse then I will take it.. and give it a life it deserves. What a lowlife individual this producer is..sadly there are some who will support his actions in their quest to produce their horse by whatever method it takes. None of the disciplines are exempt sadly.
 
ester said:
I think he might have been having a more extreme reaction than most, in my vets experience welshies are often very sensitive to sedation generally. My own had a note in his passport about being allergic to one, he actually wasn't it was just that 1/4 dose had him very sedated. Poss not part of it and not sure how soon the blood test was pulled to give the blood result it did (ie how high it might have been at the time of video)
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I've used bromide for at least 3 Welsh Section Ds, one of them in particular very sensitive to IV sedation and who needed much less than the full dose. He had alot of C breeding and was about 14.1hh, so not all that dissimilar to the Welsh in the video. The level of bromide I used for him - which was more than enough to keep him calm for the duration of him needing it - did not take him anywhere close to what is seen in the video.

Potassium bromide tends to have a short loading period of a few days I have found (and as advised by the vet who recommended it to me in the first place), and then you can and should reduce the dose back to find a good and fair maintenance level. Even during the loading period I have never ever seen a horse have this sort of reaction, so I state again that I wonder how the h*ll much bromide the horse in the video was given.
 
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