Dex and Robaxin are two that are given off-label to take the edge off. Both of these have a sedative effect. I am not claiming that people are using bute, banamine or other NSAIDs for this.
Yes…but nothing has been accomplished except clicks.
Can you quote where anybody has supported showing lame horses on drugs?
5 Likes
Yikes. I just waded through this thread. I am wondering who put the burr under the OP’s saddle. They are painting with a very broad brush. I’ve been out of H/J land for 30+ years. But the complaints were the same back then. $$ rules in the horse world. It was ever thus. So, OP, you got it off your chest. Now what? You said you are showing in dressage now. Good for you. I made the same change decades ago. But it wasn’t because I perceived lame horses winning over sound ones, or because I was horrified at all the drugged horses. It was for entirely personal reasons that had nothing to do with that discipline. Still, I have to wonder what set you off? You seem to be taking this stuff awfully personally. Of course we are all concerned with horse welfare and the view of our chosen sport from the outside. What’s to be done?
13 Likes
I am waiting for the rant about all the supposedly dead horses in the stabling area at the H/J shows that everyone knows about but it’s all hush, hush and no one speaks up about it.
Oh wait that was another thread.
21 Likes
Sure… But then what? Even with Safe Sport we’ve seen the backlash against people who report abuse. So people watch a video, pass a test, then what? Are random participants encouraged to launch complaints?
When I’m showing I don’t actually watch a lot of rounds and definitely not the flat classes 
…I’m back at the barn looking after my horse ( no groom). I’m not out there policing what others are doing.
It’s up to the stewards and judges to be watching. Obviously if something is blatantly lame you can approach a steward.
1 Like
Guys, hear me out. This OP sounds a lot like the OP from that thread (in off course maybe?? I’m having a brain fart) obsessed with the german sounding named guy who “trained” the “dangerous” wild horses better than anyone else. Among other similarities, this bringing up how many responses the thread gets… It’s either the same person or AI/ bot.
…off to find the thread
EDIT: bam. Hempfling - Different approach to being with horses
8 Likes
And I have a disdain for the dressage world because of RollKur, but I don’t go on BBs ranting about it.
Pretty sure the FEI level of dressage was where RollKur appeared…
26 Likes
It does. I really have never understood why people enjoy trolling COTH, TBH. We’re largely a group of middle-aged ladies with strong opinions but who want to be helpful and nothing here goes really viral. If I felt like doing some shit-stirring, I’d try Twitter or Reddit personally. But I’m starting to think that’s what’s going on.
4 Likes
Dex isn’t a sedative. I think it used to be more popular than it is now, but maybe it was just some of the particular people involved years ago… In any case, the idea was that you’d hype the horse up with some Dex so then it would be tired later. Like barns that leave the lights on and radio blasting at night and other such awful things. Because the amount and timing for Dex was less regulated, so it became something relatively legal to do. Now because of that, it’s a lot more difficult for people who actually need it for a therapeutic reason, and if you give it within the shorter time window, you’d better have documentation that a vet gave the shot. Because the rules got updated to try to curtail this abuse. (As an aside, would have sucked for me under the current rules the one time a bee or something got into my trailer and we had to give my horse dex while on the road to the horse show after we pulled over to figure out why horse was suddenly jumping around back there).
The amount of Robaxin that is legal is laughably small compared to what a vet would prescribe as a therapeutic dose to even use daily (or twice daily) for some weeks at a time. Few horses are sedated by Robaxin, and even fewer will get groggy from a USEF allowed dose. I’d argue that any calming effect is less the CNS depressant nature of Robaxin but probably more likely due to less neuromuscular discomfort (horses being flight animals).
And none of the above will solve the showing lame horses issue.
Think about how you’d actually write a new rule. NSAIDs not allowed any more. Unless the horse is “older, has arthritis, or other condition” with a vet prescription. Clear as mud?
11 Likes
Yeah, the self-anointed sainthood definitely seems familiar.
3 Likes
I’m certainly in support of enhancing the welfare of performance horses. But I doubt the practicality of requiring Horse Show Moms to watch online videos so they can be deputized to spot unsound horses at their kids’ next horse show.
The idea honestly makes me laugh. I can imagine the dust ups in the barn aisle at a multi-day show when Missy’s mom proclaims that Katie’s pony is lame and why can’t anyone else see it?!?
25 Likes
Jesus, you just can’t help yourself, can you?
7 Likes
Does it count if the OP made more than 25% of the replies?
19 Likes
3 Likes
Let’s just start our own tangent with outrageous, blanket statements. I’ll go.
Dressage people are abusive to their horses because they make them wear all of that tacky, matchy-matchy crap that serves zero purpose, is not researched-backed, is done only because it is widely-accepted in the dressage world, and, the worst part is, the horses are not given a choice whether they wear it.
I mean, I have four friends who have “dressage” in their insta bios, and they all tell me that their horses wear pink sparkly boots to match their pink sparkly pads. These pads are not supportive or made of real cotton, and the sparkles are irritants.
I also am facebook friends with a vet tech who told me everyone she is friends with swears that dressage horses are just washed up hunters who are terrible movers (too much knee action!) or knock down every jump so have no other discipline but for that of the middle aged minivan driving suburban mom.
USEF needs to do something. Like, I went past a dressage show once and I heard someone talking about how a horse’s tail looked overly-poofy, almost like they used an illegal FlowBee. This is wrong. Just wrong. Someone, do something.
20 Likes
This is contradictory. Pros and trainers who are around horses full time with years of experience can’t see lameness but a parent taking a weekend course will?
Anyways, have there been any actual facts provided by OP in this discussion? Anything other than their opinion, anecdotal experiences or hearsay?
Tons of opinions given regarding medication yet OP is not a medical professional that I’m aware of.
I’m sorry, but I’m not going to base my show career off of OP’s opinions. I don’t expect anyone else to either. I think a lot of the ideas being proposed are going to drive people away and potentially kill the sport.
And for the love of God, 2.5 ml of dexamethasone is not going to provide adequate sedation. I give my CAT 0.5 mls.
Ps. I have ridden dressage my entire life. Therapeutic meds are absolutely given to dressage horses.
17 Likes
93 of them are your own posts. Very wild.
23 Likes
Nah, different “accent”. That one was too busy brownnosing himself his guru to look for imaginary needle pricks in horse veins.
6 Likes
They could definitely watch a video. But a couple questions:
- If they were to spot a lame horse, why would they turn their own kid in like that? Especially if the goal is to compete and win.
- What about the parents that never attend a horse show? Over half the kids I know travel to and from shows with just a trainer or a chaperone. No parents.
I would bet a LOT of money on your average parent never turning in a lame horse.
2 Likes
How many parents can’t even tell a canter lead (or gaits at all?)! No shame in that, but I can guarantee you could show my father a crosscantering 3/5 lame horse and he’d not be able to distinguish it from a trot. Ask him to watch yet another online training? He’s gonna grumble about it and then let it play in the background while he watches YouTube. You do not want him being in charge of whether you get to show or not.
This is very different from the ground jury at an event.
15 Likes
