>>That makes me think that it is probably living in a stall most of the time with the tail tied up to keep him/her from stepping on it<<
So many horses with "regular" length mane and tails spend their lives in stalls, too..... my sister lives in Long Island and tells me there are a fair number of stables there where the horses have no turnout whatsoever, they live in their stalls 24/7 and only get out when their owners come to go riding. But to look at them one would never assume they didn't get turnout based on the length of their hair. My nieces, like so many young girls, are horse crazy, and will spend hours and hours grooming their horses. The horses love it and they love it. And a lot of people braid the manes and tails of show horses to protect them from the elements, as well as cover them.... I don't see that this is sort of care is deleterious in any way.... artificial, sure, but I suppose one could make the case that any sort of grooming is artifical and not the horse in its most natural state. I just don't think one should jump to the conclusion that a long mane and tail and high grooming automatically equates to a sad or mistreated horse. Yes, certainly some show horses are maintained in a downright abusive way, but that surely isn't all of them. It's hard to read much into photos as they capture just one moment, but this fellow didn't have an aura of misery about him, at least to my eyes. Denise Peicasa Art: http://stores.ebay.com/Peicasa-Fine-Animal-and-Nature-Art We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give. Sir Winston Churchill
