Dark side of horse industry?

[newtoriding]

I’m totally new to riding but was def disturbed by this article which focuses a lot on the Hunter/Jumper discipline, mostly in Canada.

https://www.milestonequestrian.com/blog/2019/1/12/the-dark-side-of-the-horse-industry

I’m near Austin, Texas, and I take lessons at a barn that has a really good reputation from what I can tell, but I’d like to do my due diligence. I would never want to support an operation that abuses horses in pursuit if ribbons. Not looking to call out or smear reputations so please do not name any names in the public comments, but would love a pm from anyone who has a sense of how ethical show barns in the Austin area are.

[Lizrd]

Unfortunately not much in the article was something I hadn’t read or heard about before. This was the torture technique that was new to me, which made me want to puke…

“… Another BNT came out to school a horse at the barn and they electrified a water jump with a car battery.”

OP, you are wise to want to ride at an ethical, responsible, humane barn. All true horsemen want that. I hope you get some positive messages referring you to reputable trainers in Austin.

[Another-Bay]

Admittedly did not read the entire article, but this calls out a bunch of extremes.

There are people who do bad things that are also professionals in this industry (as is the same with the dog showing industry, pet retailers, animal breeders, all sorts).

I would caution you to keep your eyes and ears open, paying attention to how school horses are treated, what is taught in lessons, and the level of horsemanship being demonstrated on a daily basis.

People who put the welfare of the horse first will not always have the flashiest website and the most blue ribbons. As is with most situations, you are the most reliable witness to poor treatment, so continue advocating for your animals.

[Nickelodian]

Feel free to PM me.

[dani0303]

Stories like this are absolutely true and are more common at the higher levels of the sport. That said, you’ll find the majority of professionals in the industry put the health and happiness of the animal ahead of everything else. I’ve met FAR more wonderful horseman than shady ones.

[Scribbler]

The blogger is Canadian and her writing is wordy and dull, so I just skimmed. I didn’t get the impression the bad eggs were necessarily in Canada or all in Canada.

The best way to keep your horses safe is to learn as much as possible about horse care, training, and psychology. Horses are not all sweetness and light and you don’t handle them by whispering. You need to educate yourself so you recognize the level of positive assertiveness needed to handle horses, versus what is violent or cruel.

[newtoriding]

@dani0303 thanks for the perspective! @Nickelodian thanks so much - sent you a message.

[vxf111]

Is there some structure to that shamble? I’m curious. I tried the first few paragraphs but they are a slog and a half and it looks endless

[Livie]

It just reads like really long clickbait. Dredging up unsubstantiated stories for the sake of page views. While some of it may be true, some of it doesn’t even make a lick of sense.

[findeight]

It happens…in every discipline, breed and any industry involving sales of goods and services. That blog is very hard to read and seems a rehash of long known dirty tricks that have been going on for decades to shortcut training and hide unsoundness from every nation everywhere. Must say found the hot wire from the car battery for glorified poling rather crude, things are heavy and most big outfits have power to their arenas and plugs for more acceptable reasons anyway. Idiots…did they think nobody would notice?

Theres really no defense for those who continue to use these trainers once they become aware of what’s going on. But until those clients pack up and take their business elsewhere, it will continue. Sadly, there’s too much money at stake and ROI becomes the goal gained by chasing all the shiny things.

[Scribbler]

I grew up in a backyard cowboy kind of suburb and saw no end of casual cruelty between the thugs that ran the trail ride strings and ignorant teen age girls with no supervision. In all of that I taught myself good horse care.

I don’t know what went on at high end competition 40 or 50 years ago, but there was a lot of rough treatment and neglect of regular riding horses.

Yes, there are all sorts of stories about both the exceptional cruelty and the accepted nasty practices of trainers in various disciplines.

It’s quite common for hunters to be drugged or longed to tiredness before competition which IMHO while not visible is detrimental to long term health. There are shortcuts reiners do that are rough and nasty. Western Pleasure breaks down a lot of horses. And OP if you want some horrorshow go look up big lick Tennesee walkers. Then read Black Beauty for historical comparison.

People can be very nasty to horses.

Yeah, that blog says the writer is studying to be a journalist. I see no evidence of that in her writing.

[findeight]

I dunno…there’s akways the tabloids who favor that " journalistic" style.

[eclipse]

That article was very badly written, seemed to just drag up every story we’ve all heard at some point in the past but most of us have never seen! Do bad things happen…yes, probably…we’ve all seen people suspended for doping, excessive crop use etc. But I’d like to think most horse people are good and I keep my eyes and ears open and stay away from the “shady” ones! Also, some of this “rambling” in the article I simply think is exaggerated for shock value…stewards being sent to quietly clean up needles, nope don’t believe it. The stewards I know and have met are absolute sticklers for the rules and fair play! And, people seeing injectables, and other substances …well, there are meds that are legal.

Sometimes, people like to exaggerate and see things that aren’t bad…sometimes they really are bad! Make sure YOU are open and honest with how you treat your horse, make sure you are involved with your horses care and training. And, if you feel you are seeing something that’s not right at a show, GO to the stewards and talk to them, they really are there to make sure rules are followed. Example, a trainer in TBird last year had a lunging set up that seemed off to others and was reported. Stewards came over to check it out, turns out it was a Pessoa set up that these people just had never seen (they were spectators)…no big deal, it was handled appropriately and ever was happy! And, if you are ever riding with a trainer that does unethical things…you have the power to pack up your horse and leave!

[Scribbler]

@findeight

I dunno…there’s akways the tabloids who favor that " journalistic" style.

Yeah but it’s not. It’s so flat boring and repetitive I had a hard time finding the sensational parts. Way too slow and rambling a start.

[vxf111]

@Scribbler

Yeah, that blog says the writer is studying to be a journalist. I see no evidence of that in her writing.

She may be studying, she just might be a slow learner

[gottagrey]

I am not going to deny that shady things go on in the horse world. Shady things go on in every industry, every business everyday unfortunately. I live in Maryland, famous for it’s crabcakes - little known dirty secret is that crabpicking is one of the larger industries for human labor trafficking! Now back to horses. I think there is some sensationalism in the linked article. The bullet point stating: Paying off stewards and other show organizers to not pull certain horses’ names for drug testing. I can’t speak for other countries but here in the US, it’s the vets at shows who randomly pull horses for drug testing, not stewards or “show organizers”. I would like to think that a vet or vet tech would not risk their reputation by accepting a payola to avoid a drug test - however nothing would surprise me either. As organizations create rules, ban drugs and various training techniques (like poling) unscrupulous people manage to find new and creative things/methods to try. I often wonder, if they are that talented why the need?

I have been fortunate as in my riding career I have never been associated with trainers or barn managers who resort to such tactics. As other posters have mentioned, Keep your eyes and ears open for things you don’t like or not willing to accept as “this is just the business”. No its not and no it doesn’t have to be, but sometimes what one assume might be sinister or shady itsn’t and might be good barn management. I look at some drugs the same way as I look at myself taking Ibuprofen when my bum ankle is giving me a fit. For example my horse coming off an abscess - BM might give him some bute, I can ride him - but I’m also not going ride him long or hard, maybe just a walk around the field.

[findeight]

Actually, the way that is done is the show grapevine sends out the alarm the techs are on the property and it causes many horses to experience colic or minor lamnesses that require them to scratch. The cheaters are many things but they aren’t stupid and understand how it works. Something the writer does not.

[eclipse]

Gottagrey…in Canada the Stewards do NOT pull horses for testing, neither do vets, we have actual 3rd party drug testers that come to the shows and randomly pull people aside (and they are at every big show). We do not pull blood it’s all collected via urine…if blood does have to be pulled for some reason, then it would be a vet! The only way you can tell a drug tester is the little urine cups on a stick and their ID card that they wear. I’ve never actually noticed them until, oh look, there they are waiting at the in gate walking around looking to see who to see who they’d like to test. And, if you have another class right away, guess what, they stay with you and then walk with you to the stall and then wait upto 45 mins or so for the horse to pee before they give up (watching him in his stall the entire time). Mine obliged every time, but he always pees as soon as he gets back anyway. Do I think it could be a better system…definitely…but, stewards are not involved in the selection at all!

[drafting_dots]

OK now I need to read this just to see how bad the writing really is

[DarkBayUnicorn]

@eclipse

Gottagrey…in Canada the Stewards do NOT pull horses for testing, neither do vets, we have actual 3rd party drug testers that come to the shows and randomly pull people aside (and they are at every big show). We do not pull blood it’s all collected via urine…if blood does have to be pulled for some reason, then it would be a vet! The only way you can tell a drug tester is the little urine cups on a stick and their ID card that they wear. I’ve never actually noticed them until, oh look, there they are waiting at the in gate walking around looking to see who to see who they’d like to test. And, if you have another class right away, guess what, they stay with you and then walk with you to the stall and then wait upto 45 mins or so for the horse to pee before they give up (watching him in his stall the entire time). Mine obliged every time, but he always pees as soon as he gets back anyway. Do I think it could be a better system…definitely…but, stewards are not involved in the selection at all!

I believe in Canada the decision on which horse to test is done not by “We will test #345 and #917 today” but rather “We will test the horse that places 5th in the A/A under saddle and the horse that wins the Children’s first o/f class.” That way NO ONE can predict which horses will be tested. And it’s NOT always the winner.

I am not a steward, nor do I play one on TV, so don’t quote me on that.