Sadly as you say, like many things, the minority
exhibit the behaviour that ends up ruling all. Off topic but like our coffee
shop at work - there was an 'honour' basket where you could throw coins for
newspapers rather than stand in a queue behind those waiting for coffee. Some
turkeys started throwing batteries (that look like coins) and foreign coins into
the basket - so no more basket.
Much of the earlier tightening of rules and
regulations in Australia were in response to a perceived threat from
organisations that sought a blanket ban on particular sports like endurance,
rodeo, (doubt they could touch TB racing) as 'cruelty to animals'. It also
came about due to an active organising body that took horse deaths (during and
immediately after competition) particularly seriously. I am unable to quote any
statistics, but my observations of the last 20 years are that
saying endurance is in Australia, a sport underpinned by horse welfare is
significantly more than lip service, and I see or hear of far fewer
'incidents' of horses being 'cooked', or novice horses and or riders being
disqualified through blatant over riding / inexperience. If nothing it has
served to assist educate less experienced competitors. Or deter those who
unfortunately put $ before horse welfare - I'm sure we've all seen
it.
I find it interesting that tightening of rules and
regulations to improve horse welfare are widely resisted in the U.S. and wonder
whether it is a cultural thing or just the different lobby groups or pressure
that has historically been brought (or not) to bear.
