"Unruly, Rogue" Horses and Whips at the Racetrack
Published August 19, 2009 @ 02:25PM PT
The Des Moines Register has an article up about the switch some jockeys in the horse-racing racket have made to so-called soft whips that supposedly "sting a horse less."
There's much talk of when and why which whips are "better." But of course, no one ever stops to point out that, hey, maybe if we have to force and even hit the horses at all, we're doing something to them we shouldn't be doing in the first place.
Some gems and translations from the article:
Terry Thompson, a jockey, rode last summer at Delaware Park, where the soft whip is mandatory. He said he prefers the conventional whip, because some horses didn’t try as hard under the soft whip.
Translation: The conventional whip may hurt and scare them more, in which case they're more likely--and more quick--to do whatever the hell their abuser wants them to do, to keep from being whipped again. But the "soft whip" hurts and scares them too, of course; it just doesn't make them "try" to escape as much.
Trainer Chris Richard said if he had a choice, he’d prefer his jockey use a conventional whip to make sure he can handle an unruly horse.
“With an unruly, rogue horse, you need a stick to get his attention,” Richard said. “Not to abuse him, but just to get his attention."
Translation: A horse who tries to be, um, a horse rather than a machine or a slave following humans' every command, who just wants to do and be what and who he wants to be, is a "rogue" animal with some sort of attention deficit disorder. Just because he wants to be a horse and have control of his own movements. Just because he wants to be in charge of his own body. Just because he dares, even momentarily, to resist being controlled, used, abused, and treated like a tool.
The take-away lesson here, in case it isn't clear: Don't support horse racing. Fight to shut it down. Even if we ignore all the many, many cruelties and dangers that we know to be inherent in the horse-racing industry, we're still left with the fundamental truth that the racing industry treats and thinks of these animals as moneymaking machines in a system that encourages punishing them--hitting them--even if they try simply to think and move for themselves, even if they just try to be horses.
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Comments (45)
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Stephanie is an independent animal rights advocate, a vegan, a tree-hugging environmentalist, and a freelance editor and writer. She lives in St. Louis with an aging corgi-lab and an adolescent rescued pit bull.
I live in Baltimore, where the Preakness is held every year. Two years ago, my parents had the TV tuned to the race, and we watched as Barbaro broke his leg...and we all know what happened after that. That really shocked me into awareness of what racehorses are subjected to. It's sick and cruel, but no one here wants to hear that because Preakness brings in so much money.
Posted by Shannon Davis on 08/19/2009 @ 03:17PM PT
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Shannon, you have my support! I am against horse racing as well as any other sport where animals are involved, exploited, abused and/or subjected to dangerous consequences. I am for animal protection all the way. People need to wake up and realize that these kind of events are not entertainment and should be abolished.
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Posted by Stacey C. on 08/23/2009 @ 04:08PM PT
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I agree with you and am disgusted with Animal Planet airing the show Jockeys for a second season. Not only is the sport cruel but many of the horses are retired at the age of 3-4 then sent to be sold and shipped to Mexico or Canada for inhumane slaughter. We owe horses so much more repect and they should be looked at as companion animals. I wrote to Animal Planet and said what will be next a reality show on Greyhound racing owners?
Posted by Elle Simpson on 09/03/2009 @ 11:00PM PT
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I agree with you and am disgusted with Animal Planet airing the show Jockeys for a second season. Not only is the sport cruel but many of the horses are retired at the age of 3-4 then sent to be sold and shipped to Mexico or Canada for inhumane slaughter. We owe horses so much more respect and they should be looked at as companion animals. I wrote to Animal Planet and said what will be next a reality show on Greyhound racing owners?
Posted by Elle Simpson on 09/03/2009 @ 11:00PM PT
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And this falls in line with horses as "athletes" - I suppose in the Roman amphitheaters some gladiators had to be prodded to fight with lions and bears too because they didn't want to "perform"...
There's a very good argument against horse racing at Pat Battuello's blog: The Sport of Kings
http://blog.timesunion.com/animalrights/the-sport-of-kings/467/
And a breaking story about abuse at a racehorse breeding operation...
http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=832481
The list goes on - it's just frivolous "entertainment" for money - and really needs to go the way of the dodo.
Posted by Bea Elliott on 08/19/2009 @ 07:44PM PT
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Actually, what used to bother me the most when I spent time among the stables at the track was the nose chain. Just walking around, they'd slip this through the halter & if the horse did anything even remotely "impolite" they'd snap the chain against their nose. What was frightening about that was when I leading a horse with this on her she expected me to snap her face but I never did. Once she realized I wasn't going to hurt her, she didn't "take advantage" of me like the trainer said she would, she was relaxed and confident.
Posted by Lisa Smolen on 08/21/2009 @ 07:33AM PT
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Nice comment, this goes straight to my comment regarding to what I worry about in the industry; "that which you don't see".
I've never had to put a chain over a horses nose... I've worked with and seen studs (the most likely candidate for this) handled either with or without (without it ever being used unkindly).
A chain is a tool - it is never to be used; "just because"... that's the same as smacking your kid for going into the kitched because they might take a cookie.
Good on you for having this approach with this mare!
Posted by Ingrid K. on 08/23/2009 @ 10:27AM PT
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You're right, Bea, Pat's blog is excellent. The comments under it ranged from "right on" to ridiculous. It's sad how people unwittingly cling to tradition, like a baby blanket, for security.
Lisa, I didn't know about the nose chains. That is still more reason for this "sport" to go the way of the ... iceman. The horse you led was probably as grateful for your kindness and respectfulness, which she clearly "felt" as much as she felt the callousness of the ogres. I love that you used the word "confident" to describe that gentle mare. Imagine all the wonderful gifts inside every horse, gifts they would enjoy using, were they only allowed to feel confident in expressing them!
I don't know how to "post" petitions, but there is one today from The Cloud Foundation asking for signatures to save Cloud's herd from the slated Sept. 1st round-up. If anyone could make it visible on this blog, that would be great. It has more than 3,000 signers but is aiming for 5,000. THANKS!
Posted by Olivia White on 08/21/2009 @ 09:24AM PT
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Great that you like Pat - He definately presents the arguments in an informed way...
And Cloud's herd... Will be sure to pass around - thanks...
Posted by Bea Elliott on 08/22/2009 @ 07:11PM PT
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I guess this is the petition site:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/4/stop-the-massive-removal-of-cloud39s-wild-horse-herd
Posted by Bea Elliott on 08/22/2009 @ 07:15PM PT
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Yes, that's it, Bea. THANK YOU! I coulda/shoulda figured out how to post that myself. Next time! (I was thinking it had to be a petition shown in that part of the Change.org website, where people are invited to sign.)
Posted by Olivia White on 08/22/2009 @ 07:24PM PT
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Every year the horse races are held here in Del Mar California, and I never go, I think it is cruel and inhumane; the horses are over ran and exhausted. Just 2 weeks ago a few horses died due to the unusual heat. Is it worth the money people are trying to receive off of these miss understood beauties? I would like to see a reverse roll and see how there fans feel. It's all GREED. Anything to make a buck off animal welfare. Appalling if I might say..
Posted by Nan Bongiovanni on 08/23/2009 @ 06:47AM PT
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This is going to get me scorched but I have a tough hide.
First of all; I do not agree that horses should experience unnecessary or abusive conditions under any circumstances.
Secondly; I do not agree that whips should be banned.
Thirdly; If you leave a mark on a horse for no reason then you should suffer the consequences.
Fourthly; Is it possible to remove or make whips illegal...
Why; Because humans own, show and race horses. And as long as that practise continues people will require the additional tool and aid of whip.
Horses outweigh humans at an average ratio of 10 to 1, therefore even the best behaved and most agreeable individuals are potentially a threat both to themselves and to a handler; REGARDLESS of how kind the handler is.
Unlike dogs we haven't bred the "natural instincts out of horses", we haven't had to as with dogs, along with the looks we've bred particular traits into dog breeds and kept them at the maturity level of puppies to be able to own them (if we had not each and every dog owner would come to face the day when their puppy grew up and wants adult dog, rights and privileges that cannot be given safely).
Horses come ready made for relationships with humans and domesticated horses have quite possibly evolved an additional skill set like cats (another animal we have not "altered for purpose through breeding"). But they also come with their natural "flight/fight" instinct, that as long as we involve ourselves with horses has to be dealt with. Their preferred response to any perceived threat (and that can be a needle from the vet) is to flee. Very often they will run from A which they think is scary straight into B (like a road with cars) which is far greater a threat. I've handled horses all my life and the range on the response depends on the horse it can be highly manageable but it can also be a challenge to control for what in the end is the safety of the animal). More often than not a sharp word or a slap is all that is needed, but when you need more, you need more - that would be a whip.
Fight responses in horses are just that and I would rather meet a momma bear with cubs in the bush than handle a horse that has decided to fight because the decision has been made by the horse to take situation as far as is required and they are dealing with a mind set that their lives are a stake and death is imminent.
I could tell you about devices that vets use to administer care in rough situations but personally I don't think that the factions that haven't spent years dealing with those animals would or could comprehend the difference between flight/fight in the horse.
As for racing... there is a simple rule of thumb to the use of a whip. If your leaving marks you've gone too far and there should be hell to pay. But in reality and in the majority of situations the whip is used to ask the horse for more, if the horse has it and wants to give it; it's given. If the horse isn't able; any jockey worth their salt calls it a day.
Because there is another bottom line here; the horse and they in the majority want to work collaboratively with their "human herd companions". The simple truth of the matter is that if horses weren't wired to collaborate we'd never been able to domesticate them your average 400lb pony could hospitalize or kill a human without much effort if it chose to.
In the majority you can't beat anything out a of horse. Other horse sports are developing and using rules in the show ring that allow judges to penalize and disqualify owners who are using undesirable techniques or exhibiting abusive behaviour. Again if your caught doing anything that crosses the line; and the industry is making progress in ensuring that there are checks and balances and hell to pay for those who cannot behave in decent and considerate ways to their charges.
And lastly; if we are to make the horse industry a the kind of utopia some detractors and rights advocates want; it would require putting billions of dollars up to actually eliminate the industry altogether. And billions more to prop up the vast associated industries that derive a living from the industry (inclusive of the automotive industry). A decision would have to be made and eventually we would have to cull domesticated horses from the face of the earth either by killing them or keeping them without producing more, until the end of their days. Because the last truth about domesticated horses is that we have affected their natural instincts enough and taught them to be dependant on us to take care of them. Turning them into the wild would be a death sentence of the cruelest kind and as a horse person would prove to me, once and for all, that my suspicions about the "intelligence of humans or distinct lack thereof" is valid.
Be concerned... be practical in your responses and don't get riled up about something you can see because the truth of the matter is that; I worry more about what happens that I cannot see in the horse industry. So should you.
Posted by Ingrid K. on 08/23/2009 @ 10:20AM PT
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I respect that you have handled horses a long time, Ingrid.
This blog is all about eliminating any and every form of violence toward animals in our lives. The whip is one such tool of violence. Here's why: when any sentient being is HIT, whether lightly or forcefully, as a way of "asking" them for more, the only reason they would respond is out of fear of NOT responding. One need only look at the spanking of a human child to know this is true. Whether marks are left or not is irrelevant. The notion that physical force (the exercise of relentless human will) is required suggests that the relationship is one of domination of the "superior" over the "inferior." That is so "old school."
If anyone, human or non, really WANTS to run faster and is able to, they WILL, from their heart, and no whip or bit or other other external force can produce that natural desire, but it can have the effect of dampening or hindering that desire. This only makes sense.
Yes, Ingrid, there is a lot to worry about in the horse industry, both visible and invisible. I'm glad some of the previously under-the-rug dirt is being exposed now. May it not slide back under.
Trouble is, when the main reason people race horses or jump horses or show horses is money, fame, glory, it's hard to cleanse a sport of its dirt, even when new rules are put in place or are better enforced. It's human hearts that must change. When enough of them do, over time (decades? centuries?), the end result is that the sport will die a natural death. Because the selfishness and greed that originated it and perpetuated it will be GONE. Yes, that's truly eons from now! But we're making slow progress in that direction, in some respects. As for people being out of work, well, jobs have always disappeared, and new jobs in new industries have replaced them. That is the way moral revolutions happen. That's how we evolve -- spiritually.
Re the flight or fight instinct, I have noticed that horses love to hang out with humans with whom they share trust, respect, consideration, and kindness. These bonds can only develop when humans see horses (or any other creatures) not as objects for our use but as valued subjects of their own lives. At the racetrack, the former mentality seems to rule.
There are lots of books, some by natural horsemanship clinicians, that delve into how to create loving human-horse relationships. One of the best, I think, is "Finding the Magic: A History Book, How-To Book, Philosophy Book, and most of all A Love Story," by Dan Sumerel of Virginia. As an industry "outsider" who learned about horses late in life, Dan hasn't been warped by traditions and theories. In a clinic I helped arrange and attended, he showed us how building a solid relationship with a horse on the ground is essential before ever getting into the saddle. He also showed us how easy it is to use a bitless bridle once that bond is established. In no time, he had skittish and stubborn horses following him around eagerly, like a Pied Piper. If one man is able to prove what patience, consistency and persistence can accomplish with a horse, then I believe anyone can do the same.
Posted by Olivia White on 08/23/2009 @ 03:41PM PT
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Attitudes are changing, not every horse that fails on the track ends up on a truck destined for slaughter... that is a big misconception. It's the "broad brush" at work and rarely does a broad brush actually address all sides of any issue with any effectiveness.
In response the broad brush that is the topic of the horse industry I would suggest that horses would be better served if we keep on watching and correcting the industry. And that we put some energy into supporting horse rescues, groups that buy back race horses that were once famous and are now "failed".
Natural horsemanship (the practice of handling horses with respect, kindness and understanding) has been around a lot longer than the recent crop of people that are well known and all the rage. People in general are becoming more open minded and are willing to listen to what they have to say, but it's been said for a good long while. Xenophon wrote a treatises twenty-three centuries ago which says; "you must refrain from pulling at his mouth with the bit as well as from spurring or whipping him." along with a raft of other advice that has nothing to do with getting what you want through cruelty, neglect or mishandling.
If in the end all the current set of Natural Horsemen manage to accomplish is to get the idea that animals, in this case horses are deserving of something better from us I'll call it a complete win.
I am hopeful that in today's society and with all the communications options, opportunities and methods to spread simple truths that have been put down in writing since Xenophon but read by few and understood by even fewer; that the word spreads further. It is only to our benefit.
Posted by Ingrid K. on 08/23/2009 @ 08:17PM PT
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Are you well versed in the methods of Parelli? My guess is not - you couldn't have weighed the success and benefits of his methods against the ones you are obviously speaking to in your post. It reminds me of what the congressman from my state of Texas - Sam Johnson wrote to me- 'it's a slippery slope when you start telling people what they can do with their property' - this - in regards to my request that he start voting favorably on bills that improve the welfare of all animals. If you recall your American history - black people were once considered 'property' and no one in their right mind would argue about how ignorant that was. Tradition for tradition sake is for the uneducated.
Posted by Michelle Spinell on 08/24/2009 @ 07:09PM PT
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Rep. Sam Johnson sounds like the spittin' image of my Texas legislator in Congress, sad to say.
Posted by Olivia White on 08/24/2009 @ 07:14PM PT
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Horse racing is exploitation and involves, directly or peripherally, many criminal elements. Many of us would be glad to see it outlawed.
Posted by Jamaka Petzak on 08/23/2009 @ 11:18AM PT
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Ingrid, may I ask what happens to retired race horses? From what I know about it, they go to slaughter. Have you ever seen a horse slaughtered in an industrialized horse slaughter outfit? I did. It was one of the most horrid images I have ever witnessed and I will never forget it. Horses, along with other animals, are not ours to "tame", "own", "show", "race", domesticate, wear, eat, or exploit for money or entertainment. Horses do not "come" ready made for relationships with humans anymore then any other animal. You are very simply making an incorrect and arrogant assumption based on your human arrogance.
Posted by Kim Johnson on 08/23/2009 @ 12:00PM PT
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Absolutely outstanding response Kim. Yes! This is the entire point. What gives us the right to enslave another species? I'd love to place a bit in someones mouth and throw a saddle over them, see how they enjoy being whipped to the finish line.
What is also sad and poinent in these economic times are the horrible circumstances horses in this country and abroad are finding themselves in when their "owners" becoming economically disabled.
Horses have been reported abandoned in the countryside, left to die, and ultimately, all sent to slaughter due to the rescues being full to capacity with horses and other "pets". People are quick to call these animals part of their families until their irresponsible lifestyles catch up with them and then suddenly, they abandon their "children".
Horses hate being fenced, instructed what to do, leashed, whipped, tamed and all the other things that I would hate done to me. Horses display their displeasure by being feisty and fighting back. This isn't rocket science, it should be common sense. Us human animals are a scourge on this planet and ought to be hated by every other living species. No doubt we are!!
Posted by dee f. on 08/23/2009 @ 12:25PM PT
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I agree with most of what you're saying, Kim, but there's one point I'd like to modify. You stated that "Horses do not 'come' ready made for relationships with humans anymore then any other animal." That's true to some degree, however I prefer to say that horses don't come ready made for a master-servant relationship any more than any other animal. Horses are extremely intelligent animals and I believe they can have relationships with humans in the same way that humans have relationships with other humans. I have relationships with several horses in the barn where I ride. I always notice that they act different around me than the other riders or even the staff. In that sense, I think horses do "come" ready made for relationships with humans, in the same way humans "come" ready-made for relationships with other humans.
Posted by Iliana Rotker-Lynn on 08/23/2009 @ 02:18PM PT
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Just to clarify when I say "ready made for a relationship" I am referring to a horse being a social animal and being "hard wired" to survive and thrive in and as a group. Under this definition I can also say that humans are "ready-made".
Horses, like humans want to be part of the group, accepted and treated fairly. It is the best way to survive. What makes them particularly interesting is that the desire to be "in a group" crosses over to other animals, humans mostly but I've seen horses with pet chickens who couldn't care less about being with another horse as long as they had "their chicken".
Wild horses will actually banish group members to the outskirts of the herd as a way of punishing bad behaviour. Sound familiar?... something similar to a timeout in our human world?.
I could draw parallels for pages... but instead I might suggest that they have more to teach us than the other way around and it would be our loss if we were to remove them from our lives.
Posted by Ingrid K. on 08/23/2009 @ 08:55PM PT
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I knew a race horse who had a goat friend. They lived in the same stall, traveled in the trailer together, and were absolutely joyful at every reunion. Horses thrive on personal relationships - be them human, horse or "other" animal. It's amazing to witness.
Posted by Lisa Smolen on 08/23/2009 @ 09:20PM PT
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Didn't Seabiscuit have a goat friend hang out with him, or is that just my imagination -- was it really another horse? I have the book and can look it up.
Posted by Olivia White on 08/23/2009 @ 09:30PM PT
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Yes! He had a horse friend named Pumpkin or something like that. Or maybe it was a goat. I think the horse/goat relationship is pretty common.
Posted by Lisa Smolen on 08/23/2009 @ 09:38PM PT
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Over the years I've seen horse/cat, horse/chicken bonds.
I've heard of dogs taking on the role of seeing eye dog for blind horses, seeing horse/blind horse bonds, goats, and donkey's. Exterminator, a highly sucessful race horse from early last century was said to have his own pony. Not sure about Seabiscuit.
My horse follows me around like a dog and is referred to as "the dog" by my 84 year old mother. He will come, stay, wait, walk up and down stairs, understands hand signals, tries to hide behind me when something spooks him and deliberately disobeys me to get my dander up and looks smug as heck when he knows he's "got me good". I've learned to suffer his antics with a smile because he is miserable when I don't.
Bottom line is that in their ability to forge relationships outside of their species; horses are unique and an example to us, not the other way around. We just have to find a way to convince those that work with them who aren't on this page to get on it... ;-)
Posted by Ingrid K. on 08/23/2009 @ 09:50PM PT
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Just Googled and Pumpkin was Seabiscuit's equine friend. Sometimes people can't afford to care for two horses; that's when goats make especially good companions! Howard clearly didn't have a money problem!
One of the horse rescues I support has a pygmy goat named June Bug; he hangs out with any horse who lets him.
Posted by Olivia White on 08/23/2009 @ 09:57PM PT
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Ha ha! Finally my "weird equine trivia knowledge" has come in handy! LOL!
Posted by Lisa Smolen on 08/23/2009 @ 10:02PM PT
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In direct response to Kim... where on earth did you get the idea that I ignorant of what goes on in the slaughter industry?
What goes on in the slaughter industry is abhorrent.
But having said that;
What will happen when slaughter is banned for many horses will be neglected or suffer death by inches through neglect, trips to the "back 40" for a questionable end or transport to countries where there are yet more questionable slaughter houses or even more abusive practises such as horse tripping in rodeos.
I go ballistic when I see horses packed in transport trucks at border crossings. Most are going to the kill floor after long, gruelling and abusive transports labelled as various things to get around the fact that they are heading to a slaughter house...
What angers me about the situation is that past "banning slaughter" many people who rally to the cause put no thought into issues the solution creates. Short sighted solutions in the end, answer no problem.
I acquired my horse to spare him the auction floor 10 years ago... I can't save them all. I would ask that anyone interested in the topic and bettering the situation of horses start looking at the borders to close them to horses being shipped for auction and start supporting agencies that take on rescues and surplus from horse industries.
Another thing I find sorely lacking here is recognition for people in the racing industry that are doing what they can to improve the lives of working or retired race horses. There are a lot of people doing good, they deserve our support and accolades.
Posted by Ingrid K. on 08/23/2009 @ 10:24PM PT
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I'm glad you abhor horse slaughter as much as I do, Ingrid.
A few comments:
(1) when this practice is banned at the federal level (and I purposely say "when" instead of "if"), U.S.-bred horses will not be allowed to be shipped to ANY country. Of course, there will still be the inevitable scofflaws. But they can be caught and punished.
(2) I won't compare commercial slaughter of horses to shooting a horse on the back 40, horrible as both sound to me. The former is for the purpose of making money off of them, and the profit incentive for murdering them is what is especially beyond the pale.
(3) Other forms of horse abuse, including starvation, will continue whether the abuse that is slaughter is legal or not. Eliminating institutionalized abuse is always a step in the right direction.
(4) The pro-slaughter forces claim that every horse needs to have a home lined up before slaughter is shut down. That is unrealistic, and the pro-slaughter forces know it. It's simply an excuse to avoid banning slaughter.
(5) Market forces work remarkably well. When the slaughter option ceases to exist, many breeders will have no choice but to stop breeding recklessly. They won't be able to afford it any more.
(6) Yes, many in the racing industry are to be commended for doing a bang-up job of organizing and funding rescues like Canter and Rerun and retirement homes like Old Friends. The breed organizations whose officials refuse to back a slaughter ban have done zilch in this regard, as you know. They also have the most to gain from foal registration fees, so they appear to welcome slaughter as a convenient disposal method, as you also know.
In sum, if every horse owner acted responsibly and caringly (if that's a word) for every horse they produce or purchase, there would be no overbreeding and no "surplus" horses. New laws can't wait for everyone to become responsible and caring before they are implemented. And they certainly can't wait for all other abuses of these beautiful animals to cease. We make illegal the most egregious abuses, and society takes a step forward, benefitting many more horses. Not backward.
I'm sure there's much else to be said on this subject, but I'd better stop wandering off the topic Stephanie started.
Posted by Olivia White on 08/23/2009 @ 11:04PM PT
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I'm a regular rider. Last week I was assigned to ride a horse in my lesson who I was told needs a riding crop. A few minutes into the lesson I loaned the crop to a less experienced rider whose leg wasn't as good as mine. Needless to say, I didn't need it at all. I'll add that this was a huge, hard-mouthed horse. He could have done just about anything he wanted and I would have had no power to stop him, but he chose to listen to gentle squeezes and clucks.
We have another horse who is extremely "lazy" and doesn't respond to a gentle tap with the crop or even a rounded spur. I've seen many riders encouraged to treat her even more harshly and to wear sharp spurs, and I have to wonder how much abuse she's taken to make her so indifferent to it, and why the solution in the stable's eyes seems to be to abuse her even more.
Posted by Iliana Rotker-Lynn on 08/23/2009 @ 12:34PM PT
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Learning to ride and learning to work with horses is a lifelong pursuit. You can take shortcuts but the shortcuts rarely have anything to do with the good of the horse.
That's where horses like the ones your describing come into the picture. They are the office worker whom no one appreciates, get the dirty jobs, over-perform and suck it up when they get bypassed when the promotions and raises are handed out but still turn up the next day to put in a good days work. And yes, that's what they are doing, as you said; "He could have done just about anything he wanted and I would have had no power to stop him, but he chose to listen to gentle squeezes and clucks".
That your getting a different response from those horses is an excellent advertisement of your character and ability. Obviously you ride well enough and have the right attitude to have these horses want to work for you.
Unfortunately and this is where the majority problem is in the horse industry. Not all horses are cut out to be on our schedule and they are subjected to shortcuts or delegated the role of the unappreciated office worker.
There is a lot that needs changing, if we are successful at it then the horse will still be with us, if not we'll have admitted we haven't learned a thing.
Posted by Ingrid K. on 08/23/2009 @ 09:36PM PT
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I used to ride/own horses too - I visited them daily for their required exercise - stall cleaning and so forth... Every need and necessity attended by me... After that, back they went... like putting a coat in a closet.
How I wish I could go back with what I know now, I would never have kept such a creature under those conditions.
But man does this constantly - horses in stables, elephants in train cars, dolphins in tanks, birds in cages... Shame on us!
All of it is done in order to control what should rightfully be free. Other lives are not ours to "own". Especially not to profit from. Seems though, that's the key factor that motivates it all - Greed.
Ingrid, as far as dismantling the entire system you're right - it will actually cost to undo. Industries that care for the breeding, keeping, and care of animals (horses) will all be cut out of the money that they are living upon now...
As for me I'm sorry I've ever kept slaves, and live for the day to free them all.
Posted by Bea Elliott on 08/23/2009 @ 01:46PM PT
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Kim, I LOVE your responce. You took the words right out of my mouth!
Posted by Katie Valiquette on 08/23/2009 @ 02:05PM PT
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WHIPS SHOULD BE BANNED..FULL STOP! I WATCHED PART OF A RACE FEW DAYS AGO,AND I WAS HORRIFIED AT THE EXCESSIVE USE OF WHIPS. THE HORSES WERE DOING THEIR VERY BEST,BUT THAT WAS NOT ENOUGH THEY WERE BEING WHIPPED SO HARD, THE CRUELTY IS UNACCEPTABLE,AND THE GOVERNMENT LETS IT HAPPEN...TIME THEY STARTED SERIOUSLY DEALING WITH ANIMAL CRUELTY. THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR ANIMAL ABUSE..NONE!
Posted by Irene Miller on 08/24/2009 @ 02:01AM PT
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I've read with interest so many comments regarding horses, how intelligent they are and how they can "teach" us and give us companionship. Sorry, it's wrong. Us human animals continue to play God and force other species into our lives and homes. They are all intelligent! Snakes, alligators, sharks, worms are all intelligent. We practice specieism, like it or not. What we should have done was leave all animals to their own lives rather than constantly intervening and interfering. What we are dealing with now is human cruelty and abuse to those we have enslaved. End it.
Posted by dee f. on 08/24/2009 @ 07:05AM PT
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I know exactly how you feel, Dee.
It often seems to me that animals would be better off if man had a respectful but completely hands-off relationship with all of them.
But then I think of how we are all one family made by the same Creator. Family members are meant to interact, but on an equal footing, without one believing they are superior and dominating the others.
I also think of how we can't wind back the clock to reach the ideal we strive for. Despite the huge hurdles we have yet to overcome, I think we as a human race ARE advancing, if glacially, in our understanding of proper interspecies interrelationship.
As Ingrid mentioned, Xenophon understood natural horsemanship, but he may have been a rarity in his day. Now his progressive thought is becoming more widespread and one day it will be the norm. (This despite SO much evidence to the contrary.)
Too, I think about how it is possible and desirable to be caretakers of different animals in different ways, depending on their needs. Tamed horses, for one, wouldn't be able to go back to the wild, so they need our gentle, understanding stewardship and friendship. They appear to enjoy relating to humans who have the highest respect for their feelings as much as those humans enjoy relating to them. People who are involved in horse rescue often experience those special, reciprocal bonds.
I believe there is a mutual learning process going on. I also believe that the best human-horse relationships teach both parties more about devotion, loyalty, affection, selflessness, which the world so needs more of. It would be a pity if man were totally isolated from horses. And vice versa.
Let's take away species' labels and barriers between species for a moment and pretend they don't exist. What we would have is a wide diversity of life coexisting peacefully -- in many cases by leaving one another alone and one another's habitats alone, and in other cases by developing personal bonds and living in close proximity to one another. And in all cases feeling respect and love for one another, even if we never meet face-to-face.
The Message Bible interprets Isaiah 11:9 this way: "Neither animal nor human will hurt or kill on my holy mountain." That's the culmination of verses 6-8, which talk about predator and prey species lying down together with a little child leading them. I know not everyone here looks to the Bible or any religious text for guidance or confirmation, and I respect our different viewpoints. I'm just pointing out that, for me, the ideal is a spiritual one, where we all "get along" not by being divorced from each other but by living in respectful love and complete harmony with one another.
As each of us learns what it means to truly love one another, we will love our each and every one of our unique fellow beings properly, wholly, selflessly. This process takes place WITHIN each one of us, and is displayed in the physical realm. It seems to take time, but it's really timeless. That's my take, anyway!
Oops, sorry to get "off track" again. :-)
Posted by Olivia White on 08/24/2009 @ 09:10AM PT
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According to this NY Times video, 36,000 horses are purposely brought into the world each year (it's called "breeding") in the pursuit to find that one special racehorse. This alone is a travesty because it feeds the end result, in which every horse cannot possibly be cared for post career. Check out the video here:
http://video.nytimes.com/video/2009/08/23/sports/1247464007774/where-do-racehorses-go.html?th&emc=th
Posted by Kim Johnson on 08/24/2009 @ 08:26AM PT
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Most everyone has heard of the wonderful 3 year old filly, Rachel Alexandra, who won the Preakness this year and has since won the Haskell Invitational against the males too. In the Haskell, Rachel was in the lead by many, many lengths, clearly on her way to another victory. What is her jockey doing? Is he simply savoring the ride? No. He was whipping her, and several times at that, on both her sides. He said later that he was "trying to keep her mind on business." Right. This horse knew what she was about. She knows she is defeating the other horses, but even though she was giving it her utter best, she felt the whip. Horse racing just keeps digging itself a deeper and deeper grave. Why do people feel that they have to totally dominate an animal? They devise all kinds of control methods and tools and then wield them as they see fit. Well, what most need to remember is that when you are dealing with an animal, it will act like an animal. Horses are prey animals and when they feel threatened, they tend to shy and spook and try to get away. This is a natural instinct. I had horses several years ago. When one would get spooky, if I had it on a lead shank or it was bridled, I would hold on and speak calmly and try to reassure it. I did not have nose chains, tie downs, whips, etc. This worked fine for me. You have to have patience, and lots of it when dealing with animals. People tend to look for human characteristics in animals and if they don't see them, they try to insert them anyway. These animals are capable of being great, loving companions and friends, but God didn't make them like us. He gave them their own instincts. So many people have problems realizing this. You don't have to bully an animal into cooperating with you. If you do or think you do, you're doing something wrong. If you see an animal who is difficult or mean around humans, chances are that somewhere along the line this animal was abused by someone. People insist on trying to make animals obey at all times and this just isn't reasonable. Just as slapping a child to get obedience is completely wrong and liable to bring about bad results, so is whipping a horse. A horse that is loved and treated gently is so much more willing to learn and trust and cooperate than one who is whipped, chained and forced. I wish horse racing, steeplechasing and rodeo were a thing of the past too. Far too many animals and people too have died in these pursuits. Drugs run rampant and trainers who are caught doping still are given animals to train by owners. Why aren't these cheaters banned for life? Breeders breed endlessly, trying to get the next superstar horse. What happens to the horses who are just average? These breeders almost never take responsibility for the animals they bred that are done racing or never make it to the track. We have a throw away society and this included living beings. When we finally start treating every living being with love and respect, then the horrors of abuse, neglect, and mistreatment will go away.
Posted by Suzanne Marienau on 08/24/2009 @ 09:52AM PT
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Suzanne - you made a really good point: humans trying project human characteristics onto animals. This is why I get so put out when people tell me I'm anthropromorhpising my cat or a horse or any animal. Because they are used to projecting expectations like reactions to certain situations or competitions onto animals and not getting those results, they don't see the things that are actually universal among all animals (human and non-) which are the abilities to love, bond & empathise.
I don't question whether my cat feels certain emotions, I don't question why when I'm having a bad day he spends more time in my lap than usual, or why, when I was pregnant, the mare I rode would choose her steps more carefully. If you understand each animal as an individual within a species, you can appreciate that one being for who they are at their level. Not dumbing down my human qualities, just basking in the qualities that we all share.
It's highly rewarding. :)
Posted by Lisa Smolen on 08/24/2009 @ 10:08AM PT
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Yes, yes, yes, Suzanne. And yes, yes, yes to Lisa's added thoughts.
The physical differences in all species are merely outwardly manifestations of the mental diversity among us. When we honor and appreciate that variety, we're enjoying the spice of life!
It's neat to contemplate how each species (and individual member of that species) expresses strength in her own way, affection in her own way, trustfulness and trustworthiness in her own way.
The infinite ways those qualities can be combined into one being is what makes each of us distinct, right?
And, fascinatingly, despite all our differences in terms of needs, habitats, behaviors, etc., we are ONE in spirit and soul. We're diverse, but united.
Every living, breathing being has the same inner worth, the same desire to love and be loved, to nurture and be nurtured. And is that a surprise, considering we originate from the same intelligent, loving, nurturing Source? :-)
Posted by Olivia White on 08/24/2009 @ 10:35AM PT
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I agree wholeheartedly--Rachel Alexandra is an incredible filly , but intense whipping does not make a champion. While I do not wish to see horseracing outlawed, I want to see improvements using the safer track surface and more stringent requirements for owners and trainers to meet in preparing their thoroughbreds to race.
Posted by Lorraine Brown on 08/30/2009 @ 12:29PM PT
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I just wrote to a friend of mine who is an expert on horse slaughter and all its reasons and ramifications.
I asked him about the staggering number of American Quarter Horse Association registrations, which make Thoroughbred breeders' "production" pale by comparison.
Here's a quote he sent me from last year's AQHA's convention speech by Bill Brewer, who was until March 2009 the executive vice president of that organization:
"Now our challenge becomes looking at ways to introduce an equine economic stimulus package that will boost registration numbers so we don’t have a horse shortage in a few years one that will supply good quality, usable horses,..... around 345,000-350,000. This somewhat changes AQHA’s role in the industry because we have always assumed that we don’t control the supplier and in our case that would be breeders. But perhaps there are things the Association can do to encourage people to breed enough good horses to meet today’s demands."
By today's demands, it can be inferred Brewer meant, among other things, the ultimate destination for a sizable percentage of AQHA horses: the European and Japanese meat market! This is my friend's interpretation, anyway. And mine.
My friend then wrote that the AQHA reported a registered U.S. foal crop of 115,979 last year. This was down 1,851 from the year before, but close to the total number of U.S. horses slaughtered in 2008: 134,059.
The AQHA's 2008 annual report, filled with cold, hard statistics, sure makes man's relationship with horses look like a business: http://www.aqha.com/association/pdf/annualreport08.pdf.
Yes, to we who see animals in a new light, the world DOES have a long way to go.
Posted by Olivia White on 08/24/2009 @ 10:59AM PT
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This whole situation is bad. It’s called “CONTROL” and “GREED”. It’s about who wins and who loose and how much money is involved. Who are people to think that they own? You own furniture or a car, material items, but if you have a child or a little critter you owe the responsibility of love and respect, not Torture, Slavery and ultimately Death.
You can not own a life, how can you breath another’s air for them!!!!!
Posted by Nan Bongiovanni on 08/24/2009 @ 08:24PM PT
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First of all, aside from the argument at hand, no one should be breeding horses for the racing industry, period. Second, no one should be breeding horses at all, just as no one has the right to breed dogs, cats, birds, cows, pigs, chickens, etc., etc. It's time we humans adopted a little humility and realized that we have no right to dominate, control, abuse, and interfere in the lives of members of other species. The only time our interference is acceptable is in extreme cases where we MUST intervene, such as when animals are being abused or neglected, and other such emergencies.
Posted by Maryanne Appel on 08/25/2009 @ 06:50AM PT
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