Re: [RC] Mariposa protest reply to Bruce - SandyDSA
Interestingly enough, at a recent Open and HIGH PROFILE horse show in
Burbank, Ca, where our junior stallion competed with the "big boys" (and was
PINNED!) , I was appalled to see a Big Hair (do they HAVE those in open?)
literally beating the living CRAP out of a large, frightened T-bred looking
horse, simply because he as hesitant to jump with ANOTHER HRS EIN HIS PATH. It
was the warm p ring, and this big name trainer/rider apparently didn't stop to
think that perhaps the horse was smarter than he - and so this poor horse was
beaten every time he sat back on his haunches. Mind you, he did not stop, he
simply sat back a bit as though preparing to stop if that horse did not get out
of his way. As a result, when this pair went into the class, the rider AGAIN
beat the horse for stopping at a fence, and then the horse reared STRAIGHT UP in
the air! He then got beaten for THAT. The pair was ultimately disqualified for
refusals but why on EATH the judge did not ring him on abuse is beyond me. I
heard after the class that he was "a good rider who had been around a long
time". Too long if you ask me. So in the end, the FAILURE of the people in
position to actually stop it caused a great deal of stress to that horse - and
this is at the class AA level! I am pretty sure this is not the first time this
rider has abused horses in his care. CARE! That's a joke! So what I am saying is
to stop looking only under the bed of the beginners - that is likely not the
best target for two reasons:
1. In GENERAL not always - the newer riders are horrified to imagine that
they are thought to be abusive, and for the most part - not always - are HAPPY
to be quietly instructed as to how to work through difficulties and NOT abuse
their mounts.
2. If we are to inculcate a new generation with a solid sense of humanity
and decency, then they must see it in the people who are held up as ROLE MODELS
- that is, those who would consider themselves to be the upper echelons - in the
news, in the stats, in the press, and on the trail - models of decency and
sportsmanship. It will NOT help to hammer newer or younger riders if we do not
first hammer - rightly - those who are in the forefront of the sport - when they
demonstrate anything that is inconsistent with sportsmanship and decency. It
will NOT help to penalize LD and its riders and supporters if we do not first
set and enforce boundaries of behavior at the higher and more visible levels.
So before thinking let's just dump LD and we will
be rid of the problem - how about cleaning up the house at the top of the hill
and see what happens. Remember - fallout travels downhill best.
