>>>> Hmmm, I wonder. John, who sometimes appears on this list, and myself,
have tried to get a motion put forward to the delegates assembly calling for
the use of drop or flash nosebands with curb bits to be banned in FIPO
competition. So far, we are the only ones on the Board of Trustees for the
UK who see it as a problem. It's unbelievable, John even sent them that
awful photo from the WC of the rider using a flash noseband (tight) with a
Paso bit. ....
Yes, and kudos to John for taking those pictures and submitting them. His
photos were so good, so clear, they speak volumes...
>>>>t's not even as though the Board members are all serious competition
riders or something.... If we can't even convince a small group of British
("we're a nation of animal lovers") people, I'm not so sure how it's going
to go with people like the German and Swedish (not to mention Icelandic)
sports riders.
That sounds like it is in the US too...a small group who's so indoctrinated
to the "traditional" stuff that they can't see the forest for the trees.
Within that group, all this stuff is "normal". Looking in from outside
their insulated world, it's shocking. The way I see to change it is to
involve more people who don't see it as "normal" - and I agree, you British
have a long history of taking the humane treatment of animals to a high
level. We need to involve more people who know more breeds than simply
Icelandic's.
I think it's time for us to stand up and say we don't need an international
organization. FEIF is going down a road that is all too embarrassingly
familiar. There is no excuse for any gaited breed to be escalating the
harsh tack that is allowed...there is no need for a horse to use weighted
bell boots...or packing material to give more "lift" to his step...and there
is no excuse for the toes on the Icelandic's to be so long.
We don't NEED the Swedes or the Germans or the Icelanders who are into this.
We don't need to be sending money to the FEIF, when this is their focus. If
we cut their funding, that's a start.
In the USA, the usual percentage I see cited for show riders is something
like 5% of the total riders. That seems about right, across all breeds. I
suspect it's about right for Icelandic horses too, probably across the
world...but how much money is allocated for these events? What else does
FIFO spend money on?
Karen Thomas, NC
