I just finished flipping through a local horse industry magazine and found that with every turn of the page my blood pressure rose a notch or two. I love horses but am so honest-to-god sick of the whole dang industry and the people behind it- the bogus products, my-way-is-the-only-way horse trainers, backyard breeders, nasty-ass stallions, bleeding hearts and hard cases. Is there animal cruelty in rodeo? Abso-freakin-lutely!! Is the use of whips, bits, and spurs abuse? Sometimes... mostly yes. Horse slaughter, FUGLY horses, back yard breeding, abuse in reining, horse racing, chuck wagon racing, eventing.... illegal bits, abusive training practises, rollkur, weighted shoeing, twitched tails. The ugliness of it all is universal.
Feed Alfalfa, dont feed alfalfa. Leave your halter on in the field, leave it off. Breed your nag, dont breed it. Barefoot or shod. Bits or brideless. Treeless or treed. Natural horsemanship or the Cowboy Way. Rescue or slaughter. I dont care. Or rather I do but I'm tired of the discussion going round with no end. WE ALL SUCK... or that the vast majority of us do. The riding, exploitation and abuse of horses will continue to exist because you can not regulate people out of their greed, ignorance or self-justification.
we do all suck.
ReplyDeleteAgreed :)
Everyone has their own opinion about everything and anything, which is awesome and also awful at the same time. It is SO easy to get down about stuff like this...so just keep in mind that at least the horses YOU deal with/know/ride etc are treated with respect and you do the best that you can do.
That's how I keep MY sanity.
WE don't all suck!I don't suck and neither do you.
ReplyDeleteI am active in my teaching of the new generation of horse owners, and hopefully they will be much more informed than the last, or the generations before us.
I do my part by trying to educated the un-educated, media freaks that blow things out of proportion- the PETA crazies that do not understand the mentality of animals. I do not back down when confronted by people that have a differing opinion because I know that my horses, and dogs and other critters, have the best care I can provide.
Like children, it is hard to tell someone else 'how to' do it, but leading by good example is effective on most levels.
Of course the cruel and mis- informed will always have loud voices and will grab the lime light, but then that is true in anything. We don't give up because of them, do we?
No, it is the younger generations like you and Lil Mama and the rest, that will steer our industry in the correct direction.
Don't get down, get to working!
Why Chelsi, tell us how you REALLY feel about this topic...lol!!! ; )
ReplyDeleteNow, if only I could borrow some of your gumption.....
Yes, the horse industry has become rather like politics, eh? Everyone likes to blame everyone else when something goes awry? We just have to be true to ourselves and do what works for us. : )
PS-My word verification is "makeduls." We just have to makeduls with what we know...teeheehee!
Ummmm are you having a bad day girl?
ReplyDeleteAll of that stuff is always out there and has always been. There has always been judgment and disagreement. AND its not just in the horse industry, its everywhere with dogs, art, child rising, you name it.
tis human nature to group together, have likes and dislikes to agree and not agree, to judge, to exploit, to manipulate, to rescue, to defend, to love, to ya know BE good AND bad.
Usually when I feel that way its cause I am really short on sleep. Get a good nights sleep or two have a nice bottle of wine and see if that helps.
Hope everything is ok - or will be ok?!
I will be worrying about ya till i hear back from you.....K?
OH don't get me started!!!!.....LOL My father in law was jet telling me about some "natural horse trainer" that can ride his horse around with just a string...a STRING... around his horse's neck...I told him that pleasure horses and reiners have been doing that for YEARS!! It's nothing new....ugh.....A broke horse is just that...broke. I am with ya on this...everyone has their opinions, so please, why can't horse people keep them to themselves...who cares if I don't like Parelli, I won't go to hell for it!
ReplyDeleteDefinitely a lot of horrible issues floating around out there. I agree with Stephanie, though, that it is certainly not limited to the horse industry
ReplyDeleteThis would be why I...
1. almost never attend horse shows - they've gotten too far off track;
2. go to the auction for supplies only (and spend lots of my time there wincing and/or closing my eyes);
3. think a "take the best and leave the rest" approach is the way to go with training methods (most trainers have at least some useful information - though there are a few that are full of more poop than our pasture :o) I pick, choose and use what I like and ignore the rest of it;
- and -
4. I have exactly one* (1) horse friend in my reality (a.k.a. off line).
*I think I may have found one more, but time will tell ('cause the jury's still out; but I'm hopeful!)
Sometimes I feel like such a hypocrite...I love the track, I hate the track. I want to go to a rodeo, rodeos disgust me. Want to watch dressage, want to throw up on a DQ (dressage queen)....Horses pull me in, and then people make me sick. I go thru the same sentiment you just spewed...in the end, I just try to be the best horse person I can, try to make a little difference where I can.
ReplyDeleteAll I gotta say to all this stuff is...AMEN!!! *sigh*
ReplyDelete