Hi Mic, >>>I know I'm not Robyn, but I think it's becoming more and more polarized between those of us who are "thinking riders" and those who want to win competitions at any price.
This is so true. If you look at Klaus Balkenhol and the Xenophen club it is anti Rollkur etc and the distance between the two groups seems to just grow greater. >>>I'm not sure how much effect - if any - we have had, or will ever have - on the dedicated competition people where it seems things just keep getting harder and harder for the horses. : ( In the 70's Linda did not like what she saw in the hunter/jumper; Arab halter etc show world - shock spurs, cattle prods for halter horses; tacks in nosebands; poling and tripping horses over fences; injecting halter horses with various drugs etc etc etc - it can go on and on. We actually considered writing an expose but realized that all that would do is polarize the horse world and probably not have a very big impact on horses. For Linda developing the TTEAM work and showing people a)pain, fear and fear of pain are the primary cause of "misbehaviour" ; b) seeing horses from the horses point of view c) how to improve performance by reducing pain and changing patterns of movement. Taking a less polarizing route, even though it took a long time for people to start to see horses from this perspective, is coming in some areas and not in others. We just did the best we could to 'model' treatment of horses, of all breeds and disciplines, rather than just criticize. And generally people who want to show do so because they like the competition and would like to 'win'. I see many competitive people that just stop showing when they see what happens to so many horses 'to win a ribbon' and work towards making horses more comfortable and having a better relationship with their people. Once of the challenges is that the horse business is a tough one and it is the show world that brings in the high prices for horses (of all breeds and disciplines). It is not easy to make a living in the horse world (unless you a marketing dynamo and then there can be a lose of integrity IMO in an effort to keep meeting the income target - just like any business). So here is one dilemma - the prices of Icelandics from breeders (who can't afford to work at a huge lose) is higher (having people working for you fulltime training and showing people horses, advertising etc). People don't want to pay higher prices so how long can people stay in business. The show world people are willing to pay high prices to have a horse that will win, and at what price is that to the horse. >>While many of us on the list like to take credit for some of the positive changes (such as they are) I personally don't think any of the movers and shakers in Icelandics in Europe are the slightest bit bothered one way or the other by what you lot over there, and us on our little island, say on the internet about Icelandics. I would agree with you Mic, although I am sure others will disagree. I think comes down to a person's perspective on what is abuse, and what is training and what your goals are with your own animals. Robyn Icelandic Horse Farm Robyn Hood & Phil Pretty Vernon BC Canada www.icefarm.com
