February is the love month but this month I am sad to write about the mistreatment of animals and in particular horses. Some basic mistreatment is mainly neglect or lack of knowledge on knowing how to look after your horse(s). For some, mistreatment is too gentle a word. The barbaric treatment of horses would be better and you know who you are.  Who I am referring to are those in the horse world who compete, and mainly showing. 

 The Tennessee Walking horses are one of the most abused breeds. In order to gain a blue ribbon the horses must step high and hold their necks up high. Some showmen in order to get their horses to hold their heads high put a device around the horse's neck prior to the show which gives the horse a shock in his neck making him flinch and hold his head high. They also get their farrier to trim the horse's hoof down to the sensitive area making it sore for the horse to walk and therefore making them step higher then their normal gate. They also put chemicals on the horse's hooves and legs to burn the hair off making it sore again to make the horse step high to impress the judge. To me this is barbaric cheating. Of course if officials catch them doing this at a show then they are banned but of course these sleazy cheaters find a way round it by getting their 'mates' ('friends') to show their horse.  Unfortunately, some horses which are chemically treated goes wrong and the horses are so scarred and burned they cannot ever walk again. The owners still keep these horses alive which is even more barbaric, their quality of life had gone, they cannot be shown so why not put them down?  

 I remember growing up that with show jumpers the 'old school' use to nail dead hedgehogs (porcupines) on the top of wooden poles, then they would have two assistants stand at either end of the pole and when the horse jumped the pole usually clearing the height of the pole the assistants would raise the pole as the horse jumped, thus the spiky hedgehog needles would prick into the forelegs of the horse and the purpose was to make him jump higher.  The Germans were renowned for this but of course it has to be proved.  Even in dressage or showing people do 'things' to their horses to make them show better and win. 

 I liked to show jump because it was fair. If your horse knocks the pole down, it knocks the pole down and you're out whether you are an Olympic medalist or not. But unfortunately in the showing or dressage world a 'name' or well-known blood line helps.  I remember writing dressage scores at an eventing competition, Mark Todd rode his dressage test on an unknown and he rode so bad the dressage judge said oh my gosh this is terrible but it's Mark Todd, three-time Olympic Gold Medalist, we can't give him bad marks and gave him 7's instead of 4's. 

 I was so completely upset as this was not fair. We all have bad days and bad horse days so it gives a chance for others to win, so many with a horsy spoon in their mouths win because of name, money, or their instructor is judging not through true horsemanship, which is a shame.  Remember if you are cruel to your horse you will be known, and sooner or later it will come back to kick you.

 Be fair to your horse and your fellow competitors.