The Truth Behind Most Horse Competitions Part 2

 

Part 2 of  The Truth Behind Most Horse Competitions. 

Horse Polo. 

Horse Polo is not near as bad as a lot of other competitions, but it still isn't very nice sometimes. Some of the horses are "encouraged" (by the way, that is NOT how you encourage a horse) with the use of a whip, usually pretty harshly. But a lot of the time, polo horses or ponies are treated, 'okay.' 

 

The reason why I even bothered adding this to this list of horse competitions that are sometimes or only just cruel to the horse is because these horses wouldn't be very happy during these games- and a lot of the times, in pain, scared or hurt.

Polo horses usually have a big bit shoved in their mouth and it's being yanked at all the time. Even though this doesn't sound as cruel as some of the other competitions I've discussed, it's still kind of cruel if you think about it- having a big bit in the horse's mouth and the horse is in pain because your constantly pulling on the bit quite hard to reach over or down for the ball. (In polo)

Very rarely, there have been some cases where a few horses competing in polo were given illegal drugs. 

Harness Racing.

This style of riding, or should I say "driving" is very common in the horse competition world. 

This sport is actually most of the time, very cruel. In Australia, in 2017 they banned the use of a whip not only on the track, but in training because so many horses were being abused- but in other countries where they harness race- whips are still used a lot. 

Harness racing is, racing. Even though it's not flat racing or jump racing, it's still racing. And with racing comes the use of whips (especially whips!) and illegal drugs and abuse even.

Horses might seem so powerful and indestructible while racing, but they can easily be bruised and injured by either of these tools; whip or spurs. 

Harness racing involves the use of whips more than any other tool. 

Big Lick.

This is 100% without hesitation the cruelest, most abusive event. Big Lick is literally- a horrible event where horses are injured and abused just to win prizes! 

The Tennessee Walking horse is the breed of horse that is used for "big lick." Now what exactly is "Big Lick?" Well, a method known as "soring" is done to each horse in order to achieve an exaggerated high-stepping gait known as the "big lick." So that's what the "big lick" is. 

Big lick can only be produced by inducing pain.

Now if you know nothing about this, your probably wondering now, what's soring? 

Soring is done by the horse trainers to all the Tennessee walking horses so that they will perform the "big lick." 

Soring is where chemicals such as diesel fuel, kerosene, or mustard oil is applied to the pasterns of the horse. (The pastern is just above the hoof.) These chemicals applied to the horses' pasterns then burn away at the flesh causing immense pain. Then on top of this, they then place large stacked up shoes as tall as 6 to 8 inches high to the soles of the two front hooves, then add ankle chains around the pasterns where the skin was burnt, to increase the pain even more. 

And all of this abuse to the horses- just to win prizes. 

I don't know about you but that is literally the cruelest, most abusive thing that is done to horses in the competition world. In fact, so many people have realized how cruel it is that "soring" and this whole competition of "big lick" has been banned in many parts of the world- but it's still legal in some parts of the world.

Like- how could anyone do such an ABUSIVE cruel thing to these magnificent creatures- even if it is to win a prize or whatever else.

That's literally just what "big lick" is- it only can be performed out of great pain.  

Conclusion. 

In the horse competition world, around 80% of all those horses competing in different disciplines are either treated cruely, literally abused, or just not treated very well and don't live nice lives. I personally, don't like any horse competition- but I guess that's something you'll decide yourself, whether you feel some of these specific competitions, or most, or all, are cruel or not. 

What I think- if it's a competition it means there are prizes and winning, which usually causes many horses to be pushed to their limits and past their limits even- by usually inflicting pain and/or fear, either on accident or on purpose- to win a prize for the owner/rider. 

Horseback riding was originally done just for the fun and exhilarating experience of it- but over the years things have changed and now so many horses are treated with cruelty and now these gracious, gentle creatures are used as "working machines" and their true value is not seen a lot these days- especially in the competitions.  

Just with all this information I now know, about the competitive side of the horse world, it's 100% enough to change the way I view these horse competitions, and it did already change that view a while ago- and now I just want to share this truth with the world. 

If your horse is suspected with a health issue, consult your vet straight away.