Not anywhere

[marafia]

I have been saddened over the past few days regards words written in Arab horse web sites and now extending to non Arab sites regards the treatment of our beloved Arabians at major shows. I feel we all should take a zero tolerance stand on this.

Being proactive starts now.

A simple first step would be to create a credit size card of paper which folds out. This will give contact numbers of World horse welfare and other contacts who to speak to if abuse is seen. This information card should have a step by step guide of what to do and what legal action or steps which we can take.

This will keep you right and bring account anyone who causes abuse.

We should be proud of our standards here in Scotland, but standards must be maintained and policed. We all play a part in this.

Abuse of horses must stop now.The judge should see our horses for what they are.

The line is drawn ,It is not about the past, who did what when, but it is about what we all must do from today on.

Whats your views on this topic??

[vanbro]

Well. I have done my zero tolerance bit for these horses and for the safety of people too.
It's a health and safety nightmare and if the HSE saw what goes on the show would'nt get insurance.
I and a lot of friends in the ahs...mostly Scottish ...who I was with...have started an e-mail bombardment of Elaine Mann who is sec. of Malvern (poor soul is probably paranoid by now) and the AHS.
The AHS asked me to do this when I rang them to complain.
The ONLY way to stop all this madness is to act . If it is allowed to carry on many of us will do what the older members have done and will stop showing !!!

This is why we only see certain horses out .
Please don't forget that a horse is only Champion at that show and on that day.....If many of them had to compete against all comers , the story could be very different.

I was disgusted and shocked and sickened by some of the things I heard and swa at what was my first visit to Malvern.
I would probably have a nervous breakdown at Towerlands....
WHO IS REALLY SUFFERING ?

COME ON GANG WALK THE WALK !!

[shanniesgirl]

I must have to agree that a lot of these horses I saw were in extreme 'flight'. I take it we are talking about the way and the method in which they are shown? I hate the heckling and the rattling of cans. It surprised me that I didn't witness any people or horses being injured. I did however see the crabbet classes - the horses were shown in a natural way and I believe that was a condition made if you were to enter these classes. .....was told that by a number of people.

[pintoarabian]

Well done you, Stuart for setting the ball rolling. I was concerned three years ago on our visit to Malvern and last year saw a deterioration yet again. This year was even worse! The colts were whirling around like dervishes in the collecting ring. One was even run under a tree and then the handler reached up and shook the branches. It's insane! I understand that being around the junior stallions was even more dangerous. Does it have to take a serious injury or a fatality before Arabian horses can be exhibited without all this lunacy? The banging, screeching and stamping in the stands has to stop too. It's nothing short of embarrassing. All that is achieved is that the horse breaks from a trot or, is that the real plan to conceal its faults??? We came home feeling dejected and feeling that we no longer wanted to be a part of showing if this is where it is going. Our boy is qualified for Towerlands but there is NO WAY he'll be going to be subjected to that. I would rather have a sane and happy horse and keep him at home than to be associated with the likes of that. We may have stood at the end of the line in the three year old colt class at Malvern, but Picasso stood there like a star with all the mayhem going on around him. I wonder where the others will be in three or four years ?

[dante]

I am glad i wasnt there, and after reading about it from this year, i shall NOT be going until Gus is under saddle.
The Arabian is a beautiful & spectacular horse in its own right, there is no need for outside assistance to get them to show off - all this achieves is frightening them out of their minds, making them distrustful, and ruining them for any future purpose.
I wasnt at Malvern so cant comment on any specific incident, but you can bet i would complain if i EVER did witness it!

[lindsay]

Alan you're right. I was so pleased with how Picasso stood in the line up and was perhaps the only calm horse in the ring in his class. Would love to take Sylvie but would not subject her to any of the comotion that goes on.

Yes Shannies Girl you are right it was myself who asked every exhibitor in the Crabbet classes whilst they were in the collecting ring that the horses be shown in a calm and natural manner with no stretched pose no circling or the like. I had to explian it to a couple of people but everyone followed our request. Even our commentator asked that the crowd keep it quiet whilst our classes were going on.

[mamadarcy]

I agree with all of the above; havent been south yet, but to be honest having read posts on other forums, i have been put off. Our horses give us their all without all of the waving and screeching; in fact in doing this the owners and handlers are subjecting their horses to animal cruelty; I for one am against this, It is just not on. As a group we have to stand together to abolish this.

[shanniesgirl]

re Lindsay

That was great and I must say that a lot of people did appreciate it judging by the comments from people around me. The horses looked just as beautiful and very serene. Well done!