People tend to think cruelty to animals especially working animals like horses tends to be committed by the poor and ignorant .
Not so cruelty covers every aspect of society .
One horrific such case is the ‘big lick ‘ horses in America.
These are Tennesse walking horses once used by rich plantation owners for their showy gait.
They are now used in show classes
They suffer horrible cruelty to exaggerate their action ,which include stacked heavy shoes, applications of caustic substances to their legs and chains to further hurt them. Their tails are broken and reset to make a lift and they are ridden by heavy people on their loins the weakest point of a horses back .
It’s a disgusting spectacle .
That is revolting, I’ve never heard of it before. Vile. I despair, I really do
I can sort of understand people working animals to death in countries where the people are living hand to mouth in extreme poverty. I hate it and it’s terrible but I can see if you’re struggling to keep yourself and your children alive, animal welfare might not be a high priority
But in a wealthy, affluent country, just for fun? That’s obscene
This cruelty goes on every minute of every day and with all living things. In my opinion it’s best not to go there…
I am comfortable in the fact that I would never be cruel to any animal and would prevent it where and if I can…
I heard something about this a long time ago, Muddy. It is so abhorrent I don’t want to watch the video because I don’t want to upset myself for the rest of the day.
Aren’t they cruel to dressage horses too, to make them ‘dance’ and hold themselves as they do?
I haven’t the words to describe how I feel about the people who are so cruel to innocent animals.
And it’s not just the people who do these horrible things to them, its the wicked b’s who ride them who are just as bad, PLUS the audience who go to enjoy seeing them, so encouraging it.
There are various forms of dressage training but it’s shouldn’t be cruel . Yet sometimes it is , the fashion for Rolkur from Germany where horses are made to overbend affects their breathing and causes them great distress .Dressage movements are only supposed to be those that a horse would do in nature say playing in a field . ( young foals prance about naturally ) For this reason stallions are often used as dressage as they have natural spirit and presence .
So do small children ‘prance about naturally’ Muddy, but most of them grow out of it.
Same with foals growing into adult horses, don’t you think? They don’t behave like foals anymore.
When I get time, I will see if I can find the information I read somewhere, about the cruelty some dressage trainers use to make the horse move and lift his hooves in such a way.
I suppose if we look for it, animal cruelty goes on every day somewhere, Foxy.
Horse racing, show jumping, Polo, dog racing, hunting, hare coursing, those poor donkeys, even some dog trainers are cruel along with some breeders.
And do you remember all those poor circus lions, ponies, and even seals that were made to perform to amuse humans?
I mustn’t get meself upset about things I have no power to change.
That’s alright Mups
I have never heard of electric collars for horses and I wonder what they can actually do .
I have heard of them for dogs . Whistle for your dog and if he doesn’t return he gets zapped but horses what can they possibly do ?
Yes I have no doubt that some trainers are cruel .
I have always campaigned about tight nose bands but they are used everywhere .
There are however kind trainers such as Carl Hester who is known for his kindness to animals .
Apparently in his stable yard there are 40 dogs he never turns a stray away and people dump unwanted dogs at his place !
weve had some disruption to horse racing here in England by pro testers protesting about the cruelty of the ‘sport’… as a very old ex-miner 90% of my training was about handling horses, but after a short spell down the yorks pits i left and followed another course, then returned after a number of years and was surprised to find no horses… folks had been protesting for a long time about their use down the pit… now i state here i never saw any cruelty to any horse down the pit… there were a great number of pit ponies all of which thanks to do gooders were no longer down there, now i know you will all have various thoughts of animals down the pit, so where do you all think the horses are now that they are not required down the mine, gamboling in belly high medows?.. hell no they were all transported to Belgium where they might be grazing happily yet… or not.
A pit pony had a terrible life never seeing the sun or eating fresh grass for all his working life of 10 -15 years .
Drinking stale water , getting coal dust in its eyes and lungs for years no wonder many went blind
Subject to accidents and ill treatment .
I don’t know why you say they go to Belgium .
Exporting live horses to Europe for slaughter has been under a de facto ban for years . Horses must have a minimum value life export in order to prevent poor worn out horses been sold to terrible European abattoirs.
Of course no doubt some will come to sad ends even great sport horses grow old .
Also there is massive wastage in the blood stock industry many young horses never race and end up as dog food
I truly believe that no animal should be exported live from the U.K. for slaughter .
i never saw any horse mistreated down the pit, and a lot of pits. took the horses out for the two week holiday, and the de facto ban came in many years after the last horse came out of the pit
. my point being that as they no longer needed horses for down the pit nor pulling a milk cart or green-grocers nor bakers cart, then they stopped breeding horses, where as us ancients were lucky enought to be brought up seeing horses every day, people today only see them on the TV and i think thats sad…
That’s true Crabby. If we have no need for an animal, how long before they become extinct?
If we stop eating meat, no more cows, pasture overgrown, and dairy farmers out of a job. The farmers are the caretakers of our countryside.
Well OGF if we all become veggies [and if visiting the slaughter-houses was compulsary it would be easy] the farmers would be gods…you know the folks who faught to get the horses out of the pits were right, but if they were allowed to vote do they think the horses might have voted for it?.. like people shout about riding an elephant pointing out just how cruel the training is, i agree but if they are not to be domesticated how long do they think these animals might suvive?.. you wouldnt believe the damage they do to farmers crop… yes, yes i hear you, the farmers shouldnt be there… sadly they are there to feed us…and if we stop eating meat we will need even more crops… unless they start shooting us of course… when your 18 sixty-five sounds really old and if the population is getting too much then perhaps we could give OAPs a pill… i mean what use are they?
Crabby more horses are bred than ever .
It’s a huge industry in fact too many horses are bred especially in the thoroughbred bloodstock industry that’s why they end up as dog food .
People can see horses at country shows all around the country and many breeds are represented .Welsh cobs ponies once used extensively in the pits are used as children’s ponies and shown for their beauty , Welsh cobs once used as tradesmen’s horses also . Gipsy vanners are very popular and bred for riding and driving , Friesians are used for riding dressage and funerals .
Horses are still a great part of British life .
