Say two people are having an argument over how to train a horse to back. Person A believe the best way to teach a horse to back on the ground is to stand in front of the horse with a crop and gently tap on the horse's chest while applying hard halter pressure until the horse backs three steps, then quit the exercise and move on to something else. Person B thinks the best way to get a horse to learn to back on the ground is to stand at an angle to the horse's shoulder, facing the horse, and apply gentle lead pressure while raising their hands to the horse's shoulder; once the horse backs, the Person B says that the best thing to do is to release the pressure, praise, and repeat the exercise. These two people argue extensively about this, and they each demonstrate their method with their horses. Person A calls over a random patron (Person C), but Person C says that both of them are right.
What does Person C mean when they say that 'both of them are right'? This means that they are both right, because everyone has their own method of training. Multiple methods work, and there are lots of ways that don't work. It's that simple! I really don't understand why it's so hard for some people to grasp this concept. Are those kinds of people arrogant? Ignorant? What's their problem? Now, I'm not saying that everyone in the horse world has a problem, I just think that some people need to seriously take chill pill and accept that (almost) everyone's right. Gee wiz.
Another major pet peeve of mine is something involving barrel racing. At my last show, there were people who - when their horses didn't want to go through the alley to get to the arena because the horse had never seen it before and were scared of it - hit their horses on the head between the ears with their hands or whips.What happened to not being able to hit the horse above the ears and behind the shoulder with the whip or hand? Seriously, folks, you need to understand that the horse hasn't seen this alley before and it might be scary to the horse. Sometimes I'd like to walk up to the people doing this and bop them right in the middle of their ears, smack on the forehead!
Has anyone seen the TWH industry rage called the "Big Lick"?
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| {Look at where the arrow is pointing. See the big weights strapped to the horse's front feet? That's supposedly to make the horse 'walk like a walker'; this makes the horse pick its feet up extremely high, so that the knees almost wack the horse in the mouth!} |
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| {The arrows in this picture note the exaggerated movement in the horse's legs. The front legs lift unnaturally high, and the back legs reach up under the horse's belly, eventually almost clipping the horse's front feet.} |
FHOTD blogged about it here. There are some more videos* here, here (watch the horse's back legs right before it turns; see how its rump has to move with the movement of it's front feet?{This is the horse featured in the first picture above}), here {This is the horse pictured in the second picture}, and here.
This is animal cruelty at its worst. This isn't beating or starving a horse; it's making the horse suffer simply for appearance. I'll bet some of these people who own these horses don't even know what the trainers are doing to torture their horse. The practice of Big Lick annoys the shit (excuse my language) outta me. The people who "train" these horses do things that include strapping heavy weights to a horse's front feet so that they will lift their feet higher; putting chains of different weights and tightness to create the lofty gait; and putting chemicals on wraps and wrapping the horse's legs so that they are sore and that makes the horses pick up their feet faster to avoid keeping them on the ground for too long. Horses like this can't even stand in their stalls because it hurts so much. It just makes me sick.
I'm not saying I hate Tennessee Walking Horses. I've ridden one - a world-champion named Wham - and while I didn't particularly enjoy it, I didn't hate it. I liked the horse, and there were several babies there that were quite cute, but in training so I couldn't play with them. Most TWH's are beautiful animals, I just don't approve of some types of training involved in the industry.
The last pet peeve that I have to share with you is people who have a strong, unwaivering bias against some breed or another. Yes, I realize that in the past I have said that I don't like Quarter Horses. But look at me now! I own a QH (Lucy), barrel race another (Missy), and take care of two others (Grinder and Chief). If I had a strong bias against QH's, I wouldn't be where I am now. But I know people who won't even step near an Arabian; someone that I met a few years ago had this HUGE aversion to donkeys! Donkeys are horses, too! It's another situation where you want to ask the person, "Why can't you just accept all types of horses, donkeys, and zebras alike?" Goodness, goodness, goodness.
Well, if you're still reading and have stuck with me this long, thanks. I love you guys! My challenge to ya'll is this: post on YOUR blog (or in the comments!) some of your horsey pet peeves. What annoys you the most? I wanna hear about it! Time to spill, guys, and I wanna hear all about it!
*All of these videos are taken from the Freak of The Week website, which features different walking horses; some for sale, some not. The site can be found here.
5 comments:
Interesting post. There is always going to be disagreements about training methods. Ever sat in a room with new mothers talking about their kids? :-) I think you have to trust your trainer to do what is right for the horse, using a method that you are comfortable with.
There is absolutely no reason to beat a horse on the head with a crop (or anything for that matter) and The Big Lick is, quite simply, abuse.
I have seen breed preferences in both places that I took lessons. The first place was all warmbloods (jumping) and the place that I am in now is predominately QH's (reining). I don't think that anyone was against a particular breed; it was more what kind of horse was required for the event.
Thoughtful post with some good points. No two horse people in the entire world have the same ideas when it comes to training methods. Some people have very similar ideas, but they always differ on one issue or another. It's just how it is...It's the people who are snarky about it that are the problem. Everyone just needs to be accepting of the way other people do things (within reason, because I will never be "accepting of someone who beats their horse on the head with a crop. Completely unacceptable in my book. Completely!) and realize that the term "My Barn, My Rules" (or in my case, My Horse, My Rules) applies.
Good points guys. Beating horses has never, ever been okay in my book. It just make me sick.
As for the breed preferences, I realize that each sport requires it's own breed, it's just the people who make a big deal about, say, a Mustang doing barrels, or a Halflinger doing HUS that annoy me.
Thanks for commenting, guys!!
It's not just horse people who think they, and they alone, know what is right. We'd all be a lot better off if more people could understand to be tolerant of others and give them the space to do things "their way."
Amen, Rising Rainbow. I mean, sometimes other people get sick of hearing people argue! There are many, many different ways to do everything. Some people need to get over themselves, I think.
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