Grayson
Member
Last week I had cause to complain to Horse & Country TV and Ofcom that a program H&C showed indicated that to establish leadership and make your horse dependent on you as provider, it was fine to limit its access to water.
I pointed out that if the program were shown anywhere in EU, where the animal welfare legislation specifically states, as it does in UK, that horses should have permanent access to water or offered it every four to six hours, then the TV station could be seen as promoting a practice that breached animal welfare law.
Horse & Country replied promptly:
Ofcom are still investigating.
Yesterday, I received an email from someone in US involved in investigating equine welfare crimes for twenty years. My informant was at the Colorado farm of the trainer in the H&C programme, and noticed
The email tells me that two years later on, matters at the trainer's ranch had gone from bad to worse:
My informant is clear about the reason for the renal failure: the trainer
There was a 300 gallon water container for the 30 horses*, the dominant horses would get their fill, horses number 29 and 30 died of thirst after two days! The Colorado State Vet was informed and 'investigations' began, but failed to result in prosecution on that occasion.
The email ended:
My informant wishes as many people as possible to be aware of what is happening but has so far received physical threats and been warned of reprisals from the training organisation. If there is a ground swell of support and any legal case made to deny the allegations, my informant will proudly stand up in court as a witness to the abuse observed.
Water deprivation is a cruel and abusive way to treat a horse. The ironic thing is that it can only serve to boost the ego of the trainer, it has no benefit to the horse and there any many more useful, natural, simpler and sympathetic ways to establish your role as leader. The sad thing is that there are students of such trainers who will find any number of excuses to support his teaching.
At the end of the day, we need to ask who benefits. Is what I just did of benefit to my horse, or does it benefit me? If the answer is you, you have to be very sure of the ethics behind the activity. If the action breaches the best animal welfare laws of any civilised country, you have to question how you understand the word 'ethics'.
* Note UK legislation is clear how much water horses need:
I pointed out that if the program were shown anywhere in EU, where the animal welfare legislation specifically states, as it does in UK, that horses should have permanent access to water or offered it every four to six hours, then the TV station could be seen as promoting a practice that breached animal welfare law.
Horse & Country replied promptly:
Dear Grayson,
Thank you very much for contacting Horse & Country TV and for expressing your concern about a section of [the program].
We take matters of animal welfare very seriously at H&C. We will review the episode straightaway for any future broadcasts.
Best regards,
H&C TV team
Thank you very much for contacting Horse & Country TV and for expressing your concern about a section of [the program].
We take matters of animal welfare very seriously at H&C. We will review the episode straightaway for any future broadcasts.
Best regards,
H&C TV team
Ofcom are still investigating.
Yesterday, I received an email from someone in US involved in investigating equine welfare crimes for twenty years. My informant was at the Colorado farm of the trainer in the H&C programme, and noticed
"
the horses were kept in outside pens with no shade. There was no water kept in the pens. The "pen" horses were led by the humans twice a day to drink. [The trainer's] ranch is at high elevation and the sun can be brutal. When I was there the horses were fed hay cubes. Hay cubes + high elevation + no water or shelter = poor management."
The email tells me that two years later on, matters at the trainer's ranch had gone from bad to worse:
"
I received a call from a vet who had performed two necropsies on two horses that died that week. They died of renal failure due to water deprivation. There were 30 plus head of horses turned out in a large pasture with no water."
My informant is clear about the reason for the renal failure: the trainer
"would whistle, open a gate and let the horses drink for 15 minutes and then they would run the horses out."
There was a 300 gallon water container for the 30 horses*, the dominant horses would get their fill, horses number 29 and 30 died of thirst after two days! The Colorado State Vet was informed and 'investigations' began, but failed to result in prosecution on that occasion.
"Because of the way the laws are written and [the trainer's] power there was nothing to be done."
The email ended:
"I get a little heated up when I hear these things are still continuing. [The trainer] is nothing short of an egotistical bully. His media market machine is so powerful they crush any criticism. They are tricky, too, as they have allied themselves with the Humane Society of the United States...what a perfect cover. However, I know what I know...and I know that whatever "talent" he may have had as a horseman is sullied and tainted by his cruel ego. It has nothing to do with the love of horses and their wellbeing.
It sickens me. People are stupidly naive following the Pied Piper without "seeing" the reality.
The horses are the innocent victims....they are prisoners of their jailers. At every turn we must be advocates for their wellbeing.
From someone who has witnessed things as above first hand."
It sickens me. People are stupidly naive following the Pied Piper without "seeing" the reality.
The horses are the innocent victims....they are prisoners of their jailers. At every turn we must be advocates for their wellbeing.
From someone who has witnessed things as above first hand."
My informant wishes as many people as possible to be aware of what is happening but has so far received physical threats and been warned of reprisals from the training organisation. If there is a ground swell of support and any legal case made to deny the allegations, my informant will proudly stand up in court as a witness to the abuse observed.
Water deprivation is a cruel and abusive way to treat a horse. The ironic thing is that it can only serve to boost the ego of the trainer, it has no benefit to the horse and there any many more useful, natural, simpler and sympathetic ways to establish your role as leader. The sad thing is that there are students of such trainers who will find any number of excuses to support his teaching.
At the end of the day, we need to ask who benefits. Is what I just did of benefit to my horse, or does it benefit me? If the answer is you, you have to be very sure of the ethics behind the activity. If the action breaches the best animal welfare laws of any civilised country, you have to question how you understand the word 'ethics'.
* Note UK legislation is clear how much water horses need:
The amount of water required will vary depending on the individual horse but can range from 25-50 litres per day for an average size adult horse (around 5 litres per 100 kg bodyweight per day). The volume required will increase in hot weather
From this we are looking at a minimum of 6 gallons for a small horse in our normal climate. When comparing with the US gallon, a 300 gallon tank when full would hold 250 Imperial gallons. If the tank were full, in the heat of Colorado, it might fill the needs of 25 thirsty Mustangs or just about all thirty if they have free access to it all day long.
