4-H TWH Show?!?!?! *very long rant*

i cannont beleive those pictures...That is cruel, i havent even heard of weighted shoes so this is a first for me...ahh i am speachless

I am speechless... i wonder if all those horses are being trained by the same trainer?

and the 2 year old! OMG! I cringed when I saw that.

Yes, Val. Ge the word out. If they are doing all that, odds are they are soring them, too. Let us know what national 4H says. They better do something!

Originally Posted by karie

I am speechless... i wonder if all those horses are being trained by the same trainer?

Man, that is a very good question! And as for the soring, you know, they just might be, because maybe they think this is just 4-H, who would be there to stop them from doing it? There's no USDA inspectors for 4-H. Hmmmm. Wonder if we all contact the same office and come down on them like the heavens if that would get their attention?

I dont even know how to explain what I felt when I looked at those pictures...so many thoughts... the poor horses for one, I choked every time I saw those breastcollars up into the horse's throats! no breaking points on movements like you said. and the lady you talked about her horse's hoof breaking etc. was just disgusting and the whole thing is a disgrace to the horse community. I agree about letting 4H know about it, since they are your photos and you were there as an eye witness. You know some of them were sored, it's like you can see it in their eyes. That two year old with the big guy standing in the stirrups and 15" bit broke my heart, the horse looked so terrified. the sad thing is that the media in TN basically promotes the padded horse shows so you might be "pissin in the wind"

Unfortunately, as bad as all of this may look, as far as the TN Walking horse goes, what you see here is mild compared to what actually goes on many times. It is bad enough for professional traners to practice their black arts on horses shown in professional shows, this has been done for years and until recently had gotten worse and worse as every trainer tried to beat the others. But this was an amatuer show and not only that but one which involved kids and, to not only exposed kids to this but to teach them that it is ok and to encourage them on it is very very wrong. The way that these kids were being cheered on was disgusting and I must believe that anyone that could distance themselves from this for just an instant would see just how wrong ALL of the behavior and practices were. And for any of you who have just become aware of some of these training practices, I would strongly encourage you to read the book, From the Horses Mouth.

Vern, how true. Those saturday late nite shows are absolutely horrid to watch. Sometimes I dont know which ones are worse, the "professional" ones or the unsanctioned backyard shows. The sad thing is the kids have already been taught to rear back in their seat and back on the reins, and have been shown how to "control the horse" with chains, bits, etc. and probably to "dope'm up" as they call it. It's sad and disgusting, the things humans do.

Originally Posted by GoneGaited

Vern, how true. Those saturday late nite shows are absolutely horrid to watch. Sometimes I dont know which ones are worse, the "professional" ones or the unsanctioned backyard shows. The sad thing is the kids have already been taught to rear back in their seat and back on the reins, and have been shown how to "control the horse" with chains, bits, etc. and probably to "dope'm up" as they call it. It's sad and disgusting, the things humans do.

all for praise and recognition...

I will be honest, I was not even able to look at more than three or four of those pictures, it was one of the most heartbreaking things I have seen. One of my close friends has a Walker who has been state champ several years in a row and has NEVER had any of these barbaric contraptions on her. She is a beautiful horse and a great ride in the ring or on the trail. My friend said that the padded shoes and chains are not allowed in the MN Walking horse association.

It both sickens and saddens me to see this happening to any horse but especially to one being ridden by an impressionable child. If we can write a group letter or petition or something to send with the pictures I will happily write it or sign it and help organize the mailing if anyone is interested. This has really affected me, all I can picture is Treasure (my friend's Walker) in another life with her beautiful legs bent backward like that, or Sparky. How can someone do that to an animal?!

I am totally confused.....not about the pictures...there really are special places in Hell for the people who condone this and lead young children down that same path...karma will get them, I have NO doubt....that is just monsterous!!!!

I am confused by the show???? It was a 4 H show???? This confuses me because here there would never be any adult classes in a 4 H show, it's strictly youth. In fact here the kids can't even have an adult warm up the horse the day of show, trainer, parent, older sibling, doesn't matter....only the youth showing the horse can ride it - it is their project. The other thing is that the kids MUST have a helmet on at all times when handling a horse, whether on the ground or in the saddle...that is a non-negotiable rule....doesn't matter if they ride english or western or saddleseat or gaming....they must have a helmet. It makes me wonder just how much this group is really affiliated with 4H, because it sure seems like there is a huge difference between what you are seeing there labeled as 4H and what we see here labeled as 4H.

I'm guessing maybe its a 4h sponsored / fundraiser show? Out here right now 4h isn't active again until August, but there are lots of schooling 4h affiliated shows open to anyone for fundraising purposes for the local chapters to fund their activities for the coming year.