>>> Why are we trying to raise money for people who can afford to own an >>> expensive horse?
You know, I've been thinking about this one, and I have a particular beef on this subject. If you give money to a "fund raiser", it's always smart to find out where the money is actually going, and who's profiting. The USIHC is apparently selling VERY expensive horse coolers to raise money for "the youth are our future." Why? Don't these kids already own $10,000+ ponies, and have all their tack? Are they raising money to send them to Europe to the youth championships? Or are they going to send them to learn from some of the trainers whose abusive riding styles we often see in pictures? Oh come on! Fund raisers? Well la de da, that ranks right up there with taking in a starved horse, or trying to arrange a summer camp experience for a poor inner city kid, or helping to buy books for a poor third world school ...NOT! It's not like these kids couldn't find plenty of horsey activities to audit, work-off, or participate in for free or at very reasonable costs in their own neighborhoods or at least within their own states. There are always free horsey educational and fun events - or VERY inexpensive ones - going on all around me all the time. Is it really doing the "youth are our future" a favor to instill in them such a sense of elite entitlement? I don't think so. Personally, I think donating money for kids to learn the abusive riding styles favored in the Icelandic show rings, is pretty sad. And sending well-to-do kids to Europe (or anywhere for that matter) for riding camp is hardly my definition of a "cause." If you put these two together...man, I can't imagine the gall of some people. Is there anything it this to benefit horses? No. Are poor people being helped? No. 'Nuff said. Karen Thomas, NC, whose two inexpensive horse coolers rarely get pulled out of the tack box, so I certainly don't need an overpriced one
