Im going to go a little off topic here, but first, work has agreed to give me some extra sick days for the next couple of months until we figure the new drugs off, and D's brother-in-law is thinking about coming to try Lucas out. Cross your fingers, they are wonderful people who would take very good care of him.
Recently there was a post on another blog about a hunter pony that died at the Devon horse show due to an improperly done IV injection. While this is a tragedy on its own, I really disliked her comment
"
I sometimes wonder of ponies at this level are loved by their little girl
owners/riders or if they're more often treated as a vehicle for success in
competition"
Are you kidding me?!?! Sure I'm sure there are some kids/parents who only see the ribbons but believe it or not people that own top notch horses still love them! I don't think any one doubted that Eric Lamaze didn't love Hickstead, but some others might have only seen him for the big cheques that he could win.
I groomed THE top pony in NA at one point. I loved Skippy. He was my buddy, as as a 'small' we made an interesting looking pair hanging out in the warm up ring (Me at 6'!). He would often stretch his neck up and prop his chin on my shoulder and watch the other ponies rounds. His little rider was scared to jump him but did her best because she knew if she wasn't trying to win her Mom would sell the pony (yeah the Mom was a real B*tch). Sure the Mom saw him as a ticket to the win, but he still got the best of everything, and she did hire people to love him even if she didn't. But those little girls did love him. Just because someone pays a lot of money for a horse doesn't mean that they still don't love them as much as the kid with the $500 pony.
2 comments:
hi - thanks for the comment on my blog. you've really encouraged me and reassured me that i'm not in fact losing my mind. (i coulda sworn i learned it the other way!!)
about horses as vehicles: i'm sad to say i've seen it here. one is a very successful jumper guy who anyone can see is no horse lover. the other is the old guy who does endurance in my area. the horses are purely tools. when one broke its leg, he sent it to slaughter and told everyone "she's in the bratwurst now." horrible! (i asked and no, he does not eat his own horses - only other people's.)
I would like to believe that all young riders start out with a love and passion for horses.
Story, Lytha - I see some of that negative behaviour where I board. It's a reining barn and sometimes owners go overboard with the training. It's all about winning the buckle for some. One guy would work his horse until she was submissive (he won) and then put her away dripping wet..in the winter!! Argh!
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