To think that equestrian events are ridiculous

[BFrazzled]

In the Olympics.

Poor horses. This ridiculous dancing in dressage, who the hell thought of that?

There was one winner of the dressage contest who supposedly also won in the nineties. No mention of the horse, guess it was with a different one then

So all in all, there's more likelihood of any horse, from any discipline, being sold/rehomed than PTS because they don't make the grade in whatever sphere.

Yes that's the reality. The one that many with limited knowledge would refute. Horses are generally pts only if they have life limiting illness or injury. This can happen through any sort of ridden work and even more commonly being free in the field. The people you know who struggled with the ex racers would probably have struggled even more with a well schooled dressage or show jumper as they need far more accurate riding or will just end up totally confused as to what the rider is asking of them. Such people should stick with riding schools or buy only with instructors on hand to help them progress.

Thought some people might find this an interesting article, discussing practices within horse racing and the response from many in the industry to the Panorama programme: www.racingpost.com/news/insight/im-surprised-anyone-would-allow-their-horse-to-be-slaughtered-in-an-abattoir/504330

[quote CaveMum]Thought some people might find this an interesting article, discussing practices within horse racing and the response from many in the industry to the Panorama programme: www.racingpost.com/news/insight/im-surprised-anyone-would-allow-their-horse-to-be-slaughtered-in-an-abattoir/504330[/quote]
Horse racing and dressage/eventing are not the same sport

I’m aware of that @Bryonyshcmyony, but others have dragged racing into the discussion by saying how terrible they think it is and how failed racehorses are all shot, citing the recent Panorama programme. I’m just putting forward part of racing’s response to those accusations.

Some grinning pillock upthread put some terrible anthropomorphic bollocks along the lines of 'Have you ever tried to make a horse do something it didn't want to do?' as if the balance of power in a horse/rider relationship is somehow equal. Well, here's the answer. Some people obviously do make horses do things they don't want to. Violently.
The key word here is 'tried'. As we all know, the athlete in question more than anyone, she did not and could not make the horse do the thing it didn't want to do.
It is not 'anthropomorphic bollocks' to say so.

Your argument that the point is 'that the abuse shouldn't be happening in the first place' is separate and different from to your first argument about whether or not the horse was successfully made to do the thing it didn't want to do.

[quote CaveMum]Thought some people might find this an interesting article, discussing practices within horse racing and the response from many in the industry to the Panorama programme: www.racingpost.com/news/insight/im-surprised-anyone-would-allow-their-horse-to-be-slaughtered-in-an-abattoir/504330[/quote]
Irrelevant. They are totally different sports.

At least make sure that you are talking about the same subject.

@Topseyt if you read the thread fully, specifically my post on Tuesday at 18:19, you will know that I’m fully aware that they are different sports. I was responding to the comments of other posters who dragged racing into the discussion, citing the recent Panorama programme.

Athlete? You commented that just as much goes into this sport, as does any other sport, nothing sporty about it.

and you're calling the person that sits on the horse an athlete?? That is the most unathletic thing I've ever seen done in a sport Period

I can't stand football or golf and don't see the point of BMX but accept the huge skill that it takes. The British riders were incredible, it takes years of training, supreme fitness and exceptional skill to do what they did this week. So many medals and the best in the world. If you don't like it , don't watch it.

I get your point completely but nothing to do with the olympics. There is a lot of work going on to retrain racehorses and to make racehorse owners responsible for these animals in their life after racing. There will always be people who buy horses without any real idea how to ride, exercise and look after them-this crowd end up having accidents, slate everyone on social media and justifying their lack of skill with inventing excuses for the horses or blaming previous owners.

@Salanda these animals travel in absolute luxury, with vets and grooms. Far better than you could ever imagine