I’m not opposed to horse shows.  They were created, as were other domestic animal shows, for the “improvement of the breed.” Unfortunately, our greatest human failings-greed and ego-have corrupted all kinds of animal events.  Horse shows are just an example, because I can assure you that equally unethical and inhumane practices exist in competitions involving other species.

The goal of winning or making money makes greed the primary problem in the industry.  Ego is also involved, because to win strokes self-esteem, and heightens competitive spirit. The result of this is that we see, in all disciplines of horsemanship, terrible abuses which physically and/or mentally damage the horse. Here are just a few examples:

In dressage, the practice of rollkur (extreme over-flexion of the head and neck, and severe contact with the bit) is banned by the International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI).

“Examples of rollkur.” photos by Horses for LIFE magazine

The FEI just established distinction between rollkur and posture not achieved by force and aggressive hand-set, and has banned rollkur.  It has also been condemned in the book, Tug of War, and DVD, “If Horses Could Speak,” by German veterinarian and horseman, Gerd Heuschmann.  Western pleasure classes have, for many years, been corrupted by the “peanut rollers.” Horses are shown with freakish and artificial gaits, and the head is carried ridiculously low. Excessive weight is borne by the forelegs, which contributes to eventual unsoundness.  But- these practices profit the trainers.  Western reining and cutting are wonderful events, but the futurities, which once existed only in racing, now cripple thousands of horses.  The futurities, designed for three-year-olds, necessitate hard training of two-year-old colts whose bodies are rarely up to the task.  Millions of dollars go for joint treatments and medications to suppress inflammation and pain.

The most dramatic example of cruelty is the “big lick” in Tennessee Walking Horse classes, wherein grotesque and unnatural gaits are obtained by cruel and harmful methods. These include outlandish horseshoeing methods and the infliction of pain to the feet, although the practice of soring has been long-banned.

The responsibility for these industry abuses is shared by:

• The associations that allow them.
• By the trainers who use them.
• By the judges who approve of them.
• By the owners who are either indifferent, or willing to ignore them.

Unfortunately, what is acceptable at horse shows becomes a goal for casual riders, even if they don’t compete. “Lightness” does not come naturally to us. We are a predatory, tool-using species, so it is natural for us to use items such as whips, spurs, and bits, and to use them coercively and forcefully, like weapons.  Thus, the use of excessive force is innate in us as a species, and what is often seen in horse shows is regarded as a model to emulate.

It is for these reasons a “Revolution in Horsemanship” began in the last quarter of the 20th century, and is gradually sweeping the world.  It inspired me, and my co-author Rick Lamb to produce a 2005 book with that title, which explains the history of this revolution.  In 2007, I wrote a sequel, Natural Horsemanship Explained, which explains how lightness works, and why it is more humane.  That’s why the subtitle of this book is “From Heart to Hands.” LHH is also a more effective form of horsemanship.

LHH is an ancient practice, but it’s not prevalent.  Most riders throughout the world, in all disciplines, still use strong-arm force on the reins, inflicting agony upon the horse’s mouth.  That is, and should not, be the purpose of a bit.  If horses can be taught to turn, stop, and back up in a hackamore or halter, the only legitimate reason for a bit is to signal to the horse via its very sensitive mouth.

The reason so few of the prominent Natural Horsemanship clinicians participate in horse show events is because they deplore the “heavy hands horsemanship” much of this industry encourages.  With our LHH clinics, we hope to facilitate a gentler, kinder, more effective means of communicating with our horses.

This article was taken from Robert M. Miller Communications - April 2010 Newsletter

Click here to read more of Dr. Miller's newsletters,