In light of recent events, I thought a general discussion of horse welfare vs abuse might be warranted. Plenty of folks have called the use of the whip in the manner of the video of CD abuse. But what about other things? Stalled horses? Busy competition schedules? Poor care? No turnout? Riding or competing in general? Bits or nose bands? Draw reins? Whips and spurs? Chains over the nose or lip? Drugging? It seems there are plenty of people willing to call abuse when something makes the news but have we looked at our own barn or practices? Full disclosureâI ride and compete. I have trained and educated young horses. I am a member of USEF. This is for discussion. I think there is a happy medium and common sense but some people see things and react. For exampleâwhen I saw the following video I saw a well-trained animal and a very skilled rider doing a job together. Other people saw abuse. What do you all think? Obviously some practices that are more commonplace than we realize might be considered abusiveâwithholding water or administering drugs to make horses quiet, tying horses for hours on end, working horses to the point of physical exhaustion to prep them, whipping endlessly in anger, etc. But we donât get in an uproar most of the time about this stuff. Or no turnout. Or poor care. So what is good horsemanship/husbandry? How do we balance that with competition and goals and reality?
I think abuse is when there is not justice or fairness behind the actions, the action is out of proportion with the cause, and there is no justifiable reason for the action. A boxer throwing a punch at another boxer in a regulation match is not abuse. A boxer throwing a punch at his kid because the kid peed his pants is abuse.
Withholding water for 12 hours before a medical procedure is not abuse, it is necessary. Withholding water to dehydrate the horse for whatever performance gain you might have in the showring is abuse.
A quick zing with a whip because Dobbins has ignored your leg twice in a row is not abuse. A zing with the whip because you are angry he looked at the scary corner is abuse.
I am having a Zoolander âI feel like Iâm taking crazy pillsâ moment the past few days. I am seeing so many people who are determined to debate the exact definition of abuse, but we already have plenty of specific definitions to refer to. The FEI has a horse welfare code of conduct and a rulebook, USEF has a rulebook, both have extensive wording on what is abusive.
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Withholding water: the USEF definition of âcruelty and abuse to the horseâ includes âwithholding of feed and water for prolonged periods,â the FEI definition of abuse includes âto leave a Horse without adequate food, drink or exercise.â This is also a misdemeanor animal cruelty offense in my state.
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Administering drugs to make horses quiet: USEF prohibits âany stimulant, depressant, tranquilizer, local anesthetic, psychotropic (mood and/or behavior altering) substance, or drug which might affect the performance of a horse and/or pony,â and medications âmust be therapeutic and necessary for the diagnosis or treatment of an existing illness or injury.â FEI says, âany action or intent of doping and illicit use of medication constitutes a serious welfare issue.â
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Tying horses for hours on end: No specific wording but Iâd argue itâs covered by USEFâs ban on âinhumane treatmentâ and by the FEIâs âto leave a horse without⊠exercise.â
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Working horses to physical exhaustion: FEI has âto compete using an exhausted, lame or injured Horseâ in the definition of abuse, and the new USEF rule change that goes into effect Dec 1 prohibits âcontinued riding, driving, or lunging an obviously exhausted, lame, or injuredâ horse.
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Whipping endlessly in anger: USEF includes âexcessive use of a whip on any horseâ in their definition of abuse, FEI includes âto whip or beat a Horse excessively.â
I honestly find it disturbing that these practices are so normalized and the rules against them are so rarely enforced that a huge group of horse people do not recognize that they are abuse.
I also wonder if some people are being willfully obtuse because they want to justify their own behavior and are fearful the internet mob will turn their way. No one is getting canceled for popping a nippy horse on the nose. We all know the difference between that and hitting a horse 20+ times in a few minutes to get it to canter more prettily.
I almost agree with you, except that you should see the internet mob against such commonplace tools as:
Using martingales
Using a pelham bit
Riding in the Saddleseat discipline
Riding a gaited horse
Riding a horse that has knee action of any sort
Stabling horses
Using bits at all
Shoeing horses
Etc
Horsepeople do not all agree on what constitutes abuse, although I think we all agree that the CDJ video did demonstrate it. I took it that the poster was talking about more than that though, and the video she linked to was not CDJ.
I think itâs a valid topic of discussion, no?
I think itâs a valid topic. And I donât see anything abusive in the linked video. Out of hundreds of comments, one mentions âcruel to the horseâ without additional details, so this cipy doesnât seem very polarizing. To me, it looks like any other skilled pair in any horse sport. If thatâs abuse, then all riding is abuse, which I realize some people believe.
I do ask myself if riding is ethical, and if something can be unethical without being abusive. Riding and keeping horses restricts the horsesâ freedom, and we really only do it for our own enjoyment. I donât have any argument for riding being morally right, but I also donât think that means riding is by definition cruel or inflicting pain or creating fear.
With the example of bitting - I donât think putting a simple snaffle in a horseâs mouth harms them or is cruel. I am sure horses are more comfortable without a bit. Iâm also more comfortable without a bra on, that doesnât mean my bra is harming me. Bits have a lot of potential to create harm and pain, but the potential for abuse isnât abuse.
I think it is, but not an easy one. Referring to FEI rules is not, I believe, the OPâs intent with this thread.
I ride fairly seriously for an amateur but am often conflicted about it and think often about the ethics of it. Perhaps thatâs because I generally consider myself vegan - but would not be considered so by definition or by most true ethical vegans, because a basic tenet of veganism is avoidance of all forms of human exploitation of animals, and that most definitely includes riding horses for pleasure.
I continue to ride horses, but Iâve thought a lot about this. I think it is not at all clear that, viewed in isolation, riding horses is consistent with prioritizing their welfare, and much less so training and riding them in preparation for and in competition. Though many in the horse world are inured to it, I think itâs a very hard case to make that keeping horses stalled for most of their lives is not a form of abuse. Itâs difficult, when detaching myself from what I view as normal for me as a dressage rider, to understand how the general and regular use of spurs and whips - which are punishment even if used sparingly and judiciously - isnât a form of abuse. In what possible way could flash nosebands, or double bridles, affect a horseâs welfare other than negatively?
I continue to use many of these tools, but as I said I sometimes feel very conflicted about it, and I try to at least be mindful of what I am and am not willing to do at the horseâs expense in furtherance of my hobby. I also think itâs a mistake to dismiss the opinions of laypeople in this regard as if theyâre just raving and ignorant - itâs we who have become so used to our routines and practices that we may fail to see whatâs right in front of us and clear to those on the outside. At the very least I think we need to always be thinking about the reasons for what weâre doing, and whether there are alternative approaches that would be more consistent with horse welfare and respectful of their status as feeling, sentient beings.
Regarding the ethics of riding, which might as well be a discussion about manâs relationship with any domesticated animal for sport, utility, or companionship.
A former boss of mine likes to ask people to take their position on an issue the whole way to the end.
If, for example, riding horses is exploiting them or unethical, what does a world look like in which we no longer ride or use horses for sport and recreation? Then what?
The animals weâre currently subjecting to martingales, stalls, bits, and shoes, are a long, long way and many generations removed from their wild ancestors. The horse was first domesticated more than 5,000 years ago. Thatâs a long-a** relationship with man. We have created the modern, domesticated horse.
Does anyone really think thereâs enough big backyards and disposable incomes to care for these animals - that canât care for themselves - without them generally having a job or a purpose in the modern world?
Including the ones that canât go barefoot. Need special diets. Need a chiro or masseuse or bodyworker. That canât tolerate the flies and the heat and the cold without a wardrobe that puts Ginger from Gilliganâs Island to shame?
The horses that need tinkering and maintenance just to be pasture sound. Like the ones we struggle to find retirement situations for.
So, again, if riding and use of horses is unethical, what does an âethicalâ world look like? For these animals that are a product of manâs needs but are no longer - strictly speaking - needed by man?
Is there a quiet part weâre not saying out loud?
Weâve had this discussion here before, and I remember someone posting about how horses are living longer, healthier lives than at any point in history. And weâre now learning new ways to make them happier now, too.
But itâs not limitless. There will always be constraints and less than ideal situations â see all the threads here where people are weighing boarding situations, with lousy turnout or this or that.
These constraints are based on the realities of the modern world. A world short on space, money, and people with the knowledge and ability to handle and care for these very large, very expensive animals.
I believe we give domesticated equids a reason to exist. I believe that domesticated horses and horse sports are links to a past and agricultural heritage that weâre becoming farther removed from by the day. And frankly Iâm frustrated that it seems like the farthest removed are the ones driving social license, and our world is left reacting and trying to adapt.
In addition to always trying to do better by our animals, we should all also be taking the initiative to be ambassadors for horses and horsemanship.
I believe we have a duty to continually try to do the best we can for our animals â and to do that with a sense of nuance, perspective, pragmatism â and grace for other humans doing the best that they can.
If anyone out there is truly conflicted or feels that having a working, or even companionship, relationship with animals is exploitative, thatâs their right. But I canât help but feel that the navel-gazing is largely subsidized by never finding out the full realities of âthen what.â And I think about that every time a social media saddle fitter goes all Savonarola or a muzzle hair is clipped and a mob loses its collective sh*t on Instagram.
I havenât been drinking. I swear.
This is a Slippery Slope.
If the above are withheld to enhance performance, then I agree it qualifies as Abuse.
But itâs a common way of Horsekeeping for some.
Itâs not done purposefully for performance & doesnât impact the horsesâ well being.
A neighbor with a Show Hitch of Belgians:
-Keeps them stalled
Stalls are not oversized, horses do have room to lie down (like a tie stall).
While they do have a small acreage, fencing is insufficient for 2000# horses*.
*Originally setup for Hackney Ponies, Drafts are new starting about 3yrs ago.
Turnouts are minimal, more like runouts.
Horses can walk in them, no room for any other gait.
-No water buckets in stalls
Horses are led out to drink from a trough 2 or 3 times a day.
But horses appear in good health.
Rather than Abuse, I think of this as Benign Neglect.
Though these practices make me twitchy 
My 3 are out 24/7/365 & have free access to shelter (stalls) & water < buckets in stalls, 50gal trough.
So thinking back to Littauerâs definitions of cruelty and abuse:
Abuse - the unintentional mistreatment of an animal such as a beginner rider using the reins to keep their balance, an uneducated leg hitting the side of the horse as the rider learns to keep their balance, etc.
Cruelty - the intentional mistreatment of an animal by one who is educated enough to know better. Misuse of crop, spurs, buts, martingales, etc.
So the line is with the knowledge and experience.
Horse welfare - providing for the well being of the horse without causing cruelty or abuse.
This is hard right?
Like, I have my standards of horsekeeping. I follow the 3Fs, Freedom, Friends and Forage. My horses are out as much as they will tolerate (we have nasty biting flies and heat and if they request their stalls or not to go out they are permitted to make that choice). They have 21âx11â stalls where they can touch each other, enrichment in the barn, and slow feed hay nets both inside and out. I have a track system outside which encourages them to move. They have trees and brush to browse on as well as grass.
They get to choose whether they wear clothing or not (they do make it clear). Obviously they have clean water at all times. They have a run-in shed outside, places for loafing, and the fencing is well-maintained. I want to add a pond at some point but I havenât seen one that holds up well to shod feet. They get their feet done every 5 weeks on the dot, their shots and other veterinary work, chiropractic and I do different types of body work.
Does that mean that I think that all horses should be kept like this? No - I think that is best for my horses and my situation but I acknowledge that horses have lived with humans for a long time and they have adapted to our myriad of methods of horsekeeping.
The ethics of horseback riding? Life on the range is short and harsh. Wild horses donât have it very good. Iâm 98% Vegan (eat mostly vegan, not remotely militant, do eat meat sometimes) but Iâm not sure the militant vegan contingent have it quite correct. My horses love to work with me, and will stand in line waiting to be messed with. I donât think they mind carting my sorry behind around a few times a week for a half hour max. But I do try to keep things interesting for them, I donât work them beyond what their bodies are able to do, I condition them slowly, keep things positive and work with their individual temperaments and interests.
I donât know about showing anymore, but I acknowledge that showing, along with racing are an important part of our industry and without them we might not have such awesome advances in veterinary medicine and care.
Abuse/Cruelty, I agree with Littauer. I would add though, some buttons need to absolutely be there for the good of the horse. Not running humans over, or biting/kicking them. They must have a forward button. For those things, because the lack of those things can result in danger, as much force as is necessary to get a reaction but no more is my motto. This varies horse by horse. I would rather someone get âloudâ once than nag a horse a thousand times. Horses really like clarity, they get anxious when we are unclear or muddy. Thatâs why a trainer and a rider can both lead a horse and the horse reacts in two totally different ways. But - once that is installed, Iâd prefer not to have to do that again.
I guess as times roll forward at competitions there will be a scale to weigh a rider and their tack like at a race track as all jockeys weigh out before a race to make sure they and their kit (including the saddle) are the right weight.
Depending upon who is asked a horse should not carry more than 20% of its body weight others say a max of 250 pounds not matter.
If tying horses for hours is abusive, then are all local one-day shows where horses stand tied to the trailer between classes abusive? Thatâs quite a dramatic position to take. Tying a horse uncomfortably high/short for hours? Sure. Tying a horse for hours without easy access to hay and water? Yes. But tying, in and of itself, is not abusive.
I canât stress enough that a lack of good horsemanship/husbandry is not equivalent to abuse. A horse can have all its needs met despite a lack of good horsemanship or husbandry and not be âabusedâ in any way.
We horse people have to be very careful with what we define as abuse or else we are going to lose our sport to animal rights extremists. The general public doesnât care, but they are easily swayed when the animal rights extremists control the narrative.
One recent example of this: the Berkeley City Council proposed an ordinance last summer that would make it illegal to keep a horse stabled for more than 10 hours a day. It also required each horse to have access to a minimum of 1/2 acre turnout for those other 14 hours. In theory, that is absolutely good husbandry. However, there are thousands of horses who do not receive that yet are in no way abused. By striving for such an ideal, all that would be accomplished is elimination of many perfectly good options for horse-keeping.
A lot of horse people are quick to call abuse in disciplines in which they know nothing about. âAll racehorses are abused because I saw Ruffian break down,â âAll dressage horses are abused because I saw the CD video,â âI hate whatâs happened in the ____ show ring, my sport isnât like thatâ etc. But we need to band together so all our disciplines arenât taken down by ignorance and good intentions.
I watched that video clip. I couldnât understand what she was trying to accomplish but I didnât see her doing anything more than irritating the horse in question?
She was applying the whip and the horse was kicking out in response but when lunging my horse will kick out at times when I smack the ground behind him to encourage more forward.
She wasnât lashing the horse or beating the horse in anger and while I question her methods I donât call that abuse.
All of this.
600%.
I absolutely agree with what you are saying. The push to end the use of carriage horses in NYC is an example. I think after the CD video there may be a push to end Olympic equestrian sports. That is why the need to police ourselves is there and importantâand why we must be careful of all jumping up screaming abuse in situations that may not be fully understood by the public. I think the video has brought up good discussion and thoughts around more responsibility in regards to training methods and rule enforcement but we all can do our part to try to do better while not putting what we loveâriding, owning and caring for horsesâin jeopardy. There is a balanceâhorse sports just need to find the balance. Will we ever get rid of the crazy rare terrible bad apples? Probably not. But I donât think CD was one of these. So she used an inappropriate method, maybe more than once. Let us all try to learn from that, look at our own toolboxes, and consider what we have done before we judge too harshly. Happy, healthy horses are the best ambassadors for horse sport, so let your animals do the talking, and do everything in your power to keep them that way. This thread has had a lot of excellent responses, and I appreciate the thought and insight that has been offered.
Yes. That one really strikes a nerve with me because I was in NYC with a group of non-horsey New Yorkers when it was all over the news. We got in a great discussion about it. All of them were of the mindset (and Iâm paraphrasing), âI never gave the carriage horses a second thought before the proposed ban but a ban definitely seems like a good move for the horses.â
Just like it seems like a good move to not keep horses in stalls. Or use whips. Or subject horses to riding. The general public is going to rely on their emotion to make these decisions unless we horse owners engage them and demonstrate that we really are concerned about the welfare of our animals.
I struggle with this. I am acutely aware that my lifestyle is very much not in favor with the vocal set. The horse culture I am in now (logging/farming with horses) has a certain mindset: I work, the horse works. Logging, of course, is particularly hazardous. Logging with horses is flat out dangerous. But it has its benefits and its reasons (mostly ecological). However, cutting trees isnât popular, working horses hard is even less popular.
However, the inherent danger means that you need to trust and expect the horse to be a partner, to think for itself about where its feet are, what is a scary noise or not, and how hard or not to pull. Yet, you are in charge. If I say Whoah! That horse must stop. And I am going to stop that horse. Someoneâs life or legs might be literally on the line some day.
That last bit means that at some point, chances are, that there will be a few incidents that could be caught on camera that are ugly, because at some point the question of who is in charge, you or the horse, has to be definitively answered. No more ugly than a boss mare dealing with a young full of themselves gelding, but ugly nonetheless. And the best way to install that understanding is not in the woods or arena, but in the day to day handling.
For example, I feed the two drafts together, loose. I expect them to go to their tubs when I come out with their feed buckets, to not crowd me, and to not crowd me when I lead the old pony past to her space. They behave. That took some time, and a driving whip, and a few times with me using that whip. I have well behaved, polite, good citizensâŠbut if someone had taken a videoâŠ
The young boy went through a time period when he thought it would be better to rear and strike at the farrier. It started with a farrier that I fired. The new farrier dealt with it for about five minutes and then said, okay. Do you trust me? The next thirty minutes was brutal. No one ended up with damage, but it was January and everyone was dripping sweat. The problem was solved. Young boy is exactly what you want in a logging horse, super smart, super independent, super dominant if you arenât in charge. But again, the video would be damning.
What is abuse? I donât know exactly. I do know that you never work with a horse when you are angry and your emotions must not drive the relationship. Step back, ask what the problem is. The best trainer I ever met had a tendency to stand there and smoke a cigarette and consider the meaning of life when things were going wrong. Generally, by the end of the cigarette everyone was ready to go back to the lesson. I donât smoke, but I try to channel that mindset.
On the other hand, a raging topic in the draft world is docked tails. I think they are abuse. I totally understand the historic background. But, working with horses today is a choice. Part of that choice is that I can take the time to either make a mud knot or keep the horses in such a way that a trimmed tail in the summer isnât a problem. A docked tail is for my convenience, unnecessary, and likely hurts the horse. So abuse in my opinion.
I grew up with draft horses and driving teams and thatâs just the way they do things but gosh it makes me twitchy too!
Just like keeping saddlebreds stalled makes me twitchy but hey, maybe they like it living in their comfort stall.
I realized that just because I donât agree with it doesnât mean itâs wrong.
I draw the line at neglectâŠI think withholding food and water on auction horses is pretty abusive. But hey, thatâs how itâs done!
And I draw the line on physical abusive. If itâs meaner then the boss mare, its wrong.
I have a hard time believing this is a serious comment. If whipping a horse - that is being held so tightly from the front by its rider that it canât actually go forward and has no idea what is being asked of it - while holding the whip two handed like a baseball bat, swinging both from behind the horse and from the front, and making regular contact with the lash, doesnât constitute abuse, what does? How about the fact that CD herself essentially admitted to abusing the horse, not to mention British Dressage?
Iâve read thousands of comments about this on COTH, Facebook, articles in newspapers, etc. Iâve seen many, many comments excusing or justifying her actions, or sympathetic to her, but almost none attempting to outright deny what is fairly clearly abuse of that horse. Failure to recognize this is exactly what will jeopardize the future of dressage in particular, and horse sports in general.
