Keeping Perspective On Horse Care In the US

May 15, 2008

With so much talk of the dangers of thoroughbred racing and eventing and the cruel training practices littered across all equestrian disciplines, it’s easy to lose sight of how many people go above and beyond to take care of their horses.

We see the tragedy of Eight Belles at the Kentucky Derby and want to blame people for racing horses too young, breeding unsound horses, forcing them to run, whipping too much, or being too greedy to care about the horses.

We see all of these recent eventing accidents where horses and people are seriously injured and even killed, and blame it on their inexperience or the course difficulty or a million other factors.

Hindsight is 20/20. Eight Belles owners and the various event riders and trainers can look back and find a million things they could have done differently. Tragic accidents don’t mean people love horses less. They happen. Sometimes people are at fault and should be held accountable, and sometimes they are not.

But for every negative practice or avoidable accident we hear about, there are just as many if not more people taking exceptional care of their horses. Most people who are truly passionate about their equine friends go above and beyond to ensure that they are healthy, happy, and well-cared for.

In general, horses in our country are not being abused. While the negative incidents and issues do need to be addressed, non-horse people need to realize that horses in American still have it pretty darn good. For every farm that is raided and makes the national news for abuse, there are probably 10 more in the area that are properly caring for their charges. For every horse that breaks down on the track, there are hundreds that make out just fine.

And there are people who continue to care for horses they can no longer ride through no fault of their own. Some are rescues, some are unavoidable injuries that happened out in the pasture, some are retired racers; these horses are getting care because they are loved, not because of what they can do.

We need to keep it all in perspective and remember that the negative always gets more attention while the positive flies under the radar. We have better veterinary care than ever before, we have more knowledge (literally) at our fingertips than ever before, we have more animal rescues looking out for the abused, cruel training practices continue to be outlawed one by one, US slaughterhouses are closed. We do have a lot of progress to be thankful for.

Don’t get me wrong. One life lost is too many. We should be outraged by cruel treatment of horses and methods that don’t have the horse’s best interests at heart. We should cry out and try to make a difference. At the same time, we need to be thankful that so many horses do have good homes, proper care, and owners who truly love them.

I love your blog award
I was honored with an “I Love Your Blog” award from On The Bit, Behind The Bit, and Every Rider. Thanks a bunch! I love reading your blogs too, and am grateful to be a part of such a great community of horse bloggers. I decided to pass it on to some other bloggers who take exceptional care of their horses despite great adversity. Some have horses with injuries or confirmation problems or abusive backgrounds and cannot be ridden or used for much. But these women love them and give them the utmost care anyway. If you aren’t reading them already, you should! You will be touched by their stories, their strength, and their love for their horses.

Guns and White Roses - It was Amy’s dream to have a white Quarter Horse to train for reining. After eons of searching, she finally found her from a reputable breeder. Because the filly was on the other side of the country, Amy trusted the reputation of the breeder and the pictures she had seen. When Rose stepped off the trailer, Amy was shocked to see that the yearling was swaybacked, a fact that was hidden, and would likely never be ridden. Despite this major setback, Amy loves Rose and treats her just like any other horse.

Saving Argus - Argus is a 16-year-old gray thoroughbred who was rescued last year from abusive conditions. He spent his entire life in a small pen with no turnout and bread and rotting lettuce for food. He has had much to overcome, and is learning to be a horse while Kate rehabilitates him. Kate’s writing is beautiful, as is Argus’s story.

Woodend Farms - Woodend Farms is dear to my heart because they take in and retrain retired thoroughbred racehorses and then find them good homes. This blog shares the stories of a handful of these special horses as well as the going-ons of the farm. Lots of pictures and good writing.

Posted in Horse Care, Horse News, Jackie's Thoughts