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Deboniks
Platinum Member
 England
3776 Posts |
 Posted - 09 Aug 2007 : 11:10:55 PM
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I've just returned from watching The Spirit of the Horse Show.
It should be renamed Broken Spirit of the Horse. It was one of the saddest things I have ever witnessed. Those poor horses! Their dignity was all taken. They had their mouths straped shut and heads strapped into position most of the time, the spurs were over used..... the list of negative things is endless.
You can makea horse do most things through fear and force. Just tie it up and chuck in the right bit for extra measure. These horses didn't do one thing willingly.Their tails swished in discontent and some of their lips were jabbering as they worked
I have seen all the tricks done else where using natural Horsemanship methods and with the horse at liberty with it spirit intact, an awesome sight.
The whole show was a shambles from the poor horsemanship to the poorly directed dance routines. I had to smile though when one horse made a dash for it and escaped the ring before time.... it was a chestnut Arabian The show could be a thousand times better using different methods and a bit more imagination.
The horses were beautiful.
The most perfect thing in the show were the faulse grins of the riders.
I'm off to bed now,feeling very sad
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Arabian Girl
Platinum Member
England
2893 Posts |
Posted - 09 Aug 2007 : 11:16:36 PM
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| I have never seen it , and i dont want to either for those reasons above..poor horses |
   
Posting from Billinge Wigan |
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polly
Platinum Member
2183 Posts |
Posted - 09 Aug 2007 : 11:36:32 PM
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If you read my reply to the "Elephant Circus " thread you will see that I agree with your views. It is no better than a circus, the horses are so stressed. I felt the same way about the Spanish Riding School in Jerez. How long will it be before people realise this is not something to be applauded.
Polly |
   
Photos1and2EricGJones
pollywells@.live.co.uk |
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Tahir
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
4572 Posts |
Posted - 09 Aug 2007 : 11:59:03 PM
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Sadly, it is the general public who will keep these "shows" going, the poor people that can't read an animal's body language and are impressed with a bit of glitter and razzmatazz, the sort of people who think its "cute" for a dog to beg for it's dinner!!!!
Carla, xx. |
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akitamom
Gold Member
England
903 Posts |
Posted - 10 Aug 2007 : 07:03:26 AM
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Yes i went and i felt the same,people need educating about how a horses body language gives away so many things,the normal non horsey person would not know what to look out for. |
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Zan
Platinum Member
Scotland
3213 Posts |
Posted - 10 Aug 2007 : 08:37:07 AM
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Deboniks--I'm surprised you went and paid them money because there has been quite a lot about this awful circus on here already, presumably you missed it.
The best way to stop these things is to hit them in the pocket by not going, and spreading the word to others to boycott also. |
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Gail
Gold Member
993 Posts |
Posted - 10 Aug 2007 : 09:45:29 AM
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I went to the circus as a "treat" when I was five and even then I was really upset. Never again.
I know I could not go to something like that and keep my trap shut!! |
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bexr
Gold Member
England
818 Posts |
Posted - 10 Aug 2007 : 10:20:05 AM
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| I have been to both Spirit of the Horse and the circus. I have to admit I did feel that the circus horses were in better health, happier to be doing their stuff. At both places they seem so bored, rather like ponies at a bad riding school. I have to say the none animal acts at the circus was fantastic and well worth seeing. |
Bex |
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LadyB
Gold Member
England
964 Posts |
Posted - 10 Aug 2007 : 10:33:52 AM
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| I think it is such a shame that the public are not educated enough to understand these horses are not enjoying what they are doing. I am sure if they could read the horses body language and know they are not doing these 'acts' on their own free will they would not attend such performances. A way to make people aware would be to have someone take pictures of the horses 'training' and put them up next to all the posters promoting the event, might just make people aware of what goes on behind the scenes as I am sure it is not pretty... |
Louise
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Deboniks
Platinum Member
England
3776 Posts |
Posted - 10 Aug 2007 : 10:36:56 AM
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| Zan I remembered reading something but couldn't remember if it was good or bad feed back. I got 6 free tickets so decided to go and see for myself.At least I now have an opinion based on my own experience. |
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arabic
Platinum Member
England
4562 Posts |
Posted - 10 Aug 2007 : 2:36:21 PM
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I went under the same circumstances last year Debs - OH got free tickets. I too wished I had never gone and cant believe the public paying their extortionate prices in the first place. The fact that they charge to go and see the animals afterwards too...........
Sandie |
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Dot
Gold Member
England
669 Posts |
Posted - 10 Aug 2007 : 3:02:32 PM
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Having just recently read a great article on endurance.net abuot horses vision I am more amazed then ever that any horse trust a rider enugh to go n the bit. Given that this means they are moving unsighted as to what is in front of them.
Dot. |
Dot
www.threelowsfarm.com
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suneanarab
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
1818 Posts |
Posted - 10 Aug 2007 : 3:13:30 PM
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it was me that posted about them earlier in the year as they were in doncaster for my birthday. my mum-in-law was going to pay for us to go but after all the bad feed back from here we didn't go. i'm so glad i didn't as i would have been mortified!
poor horses! |
suzanne walsh
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goldenballs
New Member
England
21 Posts |
Posted - 11 Aug 2007 : 10:09:25 AM
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This thread is is about both personal opinion and experience of those that have seen it...
Mine is different....
Apart from seeing a horse in a field name me a discipline that a horse does "of his own free will" ??
In hand showing? Endurance? Dressage? Show jumping?
From the moment we put on a headcollar and call a horse "mine" have we or have we not for want of a better word "broken" it ??
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DawnBrookes
Gold Member
United Kingdom
647 Posts |
Posted - 11 Aug 2007 : 1:51:19 PM
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I went to see this quite a few years ago on the first 'tour'..
I spent the whole show waiting to pick fault / be saddened, but I wasn't.. it was lovely...the horses were all in good condition and appeared happy and relaxed..it was so good we went twice as the first time was the first ever performance, and our second visit was even better
a couple of years later we went again - BIG mistake
what a difference in the whole set up...
it would seem greed and commercial gain had completely taken over...
nothing that could actually be reported as abuse/mistreatment etc, but unhappy horses nonetheless, and this time I left feeling guilty that I had paid money to witness their sadness
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Edited by - DawnBrookes on 11 Aug 2007 1:55:12 PM |
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DawnBrookes
Gold Member
United Kingdom
647 Posts |
Posted - 11 Aug 2007 : 2:00:00 PM
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on another note in reply to the above from goldenballs....
I have an arab mare who is competing in advanced endurance...
granted, left to her own devices she probably wouldn't go to the trouble, but at the beginning of this season I debated giving up (purely down to work/time/finance)
but I took her to her first training ride and the way she lit up and was so plainly enjoying herself so much made me cry...needless to say we are now nearing our 1600k award and have been away to two multi-day rides ...she has taken to camping like a duck to water and loves it!
the day my horse is unhappy, is the day we give up |
Edited by - DawnBrookes on 11 Aug 2007 2:05:17 PM |
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goldenballs
New Member
England
21 Posts |
Posted - 11 Aug 2007 : 3:39:16 PM
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| No no, dont get me wrong,,,I dont doubt that your mare does not enjoy her Job... but lets remember that it is a job that you(Owner of horse) has chosen for It! |
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Tahir
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
4572 Posts |
Posted - 11 Aug 2007 : 4:51:50 PM
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I hate to disagree with you goldenballs, but if we chose a "job" for a horse, progress is then dictated by the response we get from the horse. It's pretty obvious when they are not enjoying what they do and it is not difficult to read their body language. If you get a few negative responses from the horse when doing said "job" then that is when to do a change of direction or find the sort of home that the horse would enjoy. JMHO
Carla, xx. |
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Di Ellis
Silver Member
United Kingdom
415 Posts |
Posted - 11 Aug 2007 : 5:54:57 PM
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Dawnbrookes - I agree with what you say. They probably did enjoy the original training and for some time, the performances, but once it went on night after night after night - whether they wanted to do it or not - that is when things change for them. The chestnut arab that left the ring probably got a terrible beating after everyone had gone home and it probably won't do that again.
Deboniks - My reaction was similar to yours when I saw them a couple of years ago.
Di |
D.S. Ellis
Somerset
marbonarabians@yahoo.co.uk |
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suneagle
Gold Member
England
727 Posts |
Posted - 11 Aug 2007 : 8:33:52 PM
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yeah i remember seeing them when they first came over it was lovely, they looked "fresh" like they loved doing what they were doing, only one had a muzzle on that was because they said it was a young stallion who bit the others, but he still looked happy...
but went last year and i was discusted, wished i didnt waste my time or money hehe!.
goldenballs- is very much disagree with you, yes i know SOME people do push animals into doing stuff they dont like... but dont you think that the top compertistion horses would only be half as good if they didnt enjoy it themselfs?.
its all about passion, and ive tryed meny disaplines with mine he loves to show used to do ridden till HE GOT BORED!, then switched him to inhand which he loves and it shows in his stands and movement he is like a male model loves to pose and be center of attention.
but why do you think that ones that come 1st do... because they have that extra little somthing (the WOW factor) in their performance which is PASSION from the horse!.
just because they are a horse doesnt mean they all enjoy just the simple life of being in the feild all day and night and going for weekend hacks... |
clare xxxx |
Edited by - suneagle on 11 Aug 2007 8:36:52 PM |
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suzanna
Bronze Member
Wales
223 Posts |
Posted - 12 Aug 2007 : 09:51:11 AM
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The Spirit of the Horse came to Wales last year, and I refused to go even though my father in-law got us free tickets. I just don`t like to see things like this! I did get to hear lots of comments from people that had been to see it, and the comments were just like yours. Some people were saddended and horrified by the so called `show`. It made me sad just to hear what they were telling me. On the other hand non horsey people (people that just took their kids to see the lovely horses) thought it was great!!!! It`s these people we need to target and tell them these beautiful horses are not happy but very depressed and sad |
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goldenballs
New Member
England
21 Posts |
Posted - 12 Aug 2007 : 10:29:19 AM
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Think Am going to leave this here now! But it has given me some ideas for future discussion!
Just one more thing... Why on earth would you think it would have a "terrible beating"??
I find that sort of comment extremely un fair as well as ridiculous! |
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Tonim
Silver Member
United Kingdom
430 Posts |
Posted - 12 Aug 2007 : 3:09:56 PM
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A friend recently said about getting us tickets to see Spirit of the Horse, but after reading Deboniks message about it I won't be going!!
A few weeks ago I went to the Spanish Riding School in Jerez, was very disappointed to see two horses sides bleeding through the use of the spurs, not nice to see. |
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Pauline
Platinum Member
England
3185 Posts |
Posted - 12 Aug 2007 : 4:40:10 PM
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I have never seen "The Spirit of the Horse" but have seen the "Spanish Riding School" all so unnatural for the horse, the same reason I do not like "Dressage".
Horses like to be free to move with ease wheather they have a rider on or not. Simple schooling to get them to move balanced and accommodate a rider is fine but doing to show off is not right.
I have just been riding in Windsor Great Park and the poor riding School horses look so bored following each other.
I do endurance with all mine but also they will do inhand showing and a bit of jumping.
It is "Horses For Courses" but to force a horse to do something it does not enjoy is not right
Pauline  |
Pauline Higgs
Equine & Human Holistic Therapist
www.thegentlestouch.co.cc
www.endurancegbmidsouth.co.uk
Berkshire / Hampshire Border |
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suneanarab
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
1818 Posts |
Posted - 14 Aug 2007 : 12:00:13 PM
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well i disagree with goldenballs. i don't really do show jumping but do teach all my lot to jump as a matter of course. however, when showing odin he would always pull us to the jumping rings and we always had to enter him in one class or he would sulk and not perform up to usual standard in the ridden and in hand classes. he also loves endurance and would go all day if you let him. i have never pushed him in any area and let him dictate to me as to what he was happy with.
one of his daughters was sold and went to have exactly the same atitude to jumping and so that was what she did.
as for dressage and such. it's all relative. the horse is only as happy as the rider is as good at riding. and by that i don't just mean ring results. ring results mean nothing as they are not a true picture of how happy and relaxed a horse is. odin has done dressage and always been happy and relaxed.
i think that it's always going to be the case that display horses are going to get sour and fed up with their lot. it's also always going to be the casee that the money means far more the the owners than the welfare of the horse. |
suzanne walsh
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bridie
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
2395 Posts |
Posted - 14 Aug 2007 : 12:26:48 PM
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My OH took me as a treat for my birthday a couple of years ago....it was truly AWFUL....they had a little minature pony dancing on its hind legs and skipping, how degrading. The arabs were dull eyed and dull coated......I could go on and on.....
Mandy |
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