How Can We Protect Horses From Abusers

In last week’s blog, I wrote about the disturbing videos released of Cesar Parra abusing multiple horses under his care.

I also mentioned the approval by the U.S. Reining Association for the use of Sedivet in competition horses.

I posed the question: Can horses be used in competitions and still be treated humanely? Can we utilize training methods that don’t subject horses to abuse or pain?

Many readers messaged me with suggestions as to how we can avoid another scandal in the equestrian community. I like to think that Parra and Helgstrand are the minority and that most of us put the horse first, but then I see photo after photo of horses in multiple disciplines wearing tight nosebands, tie-downs, side reins, and harsh bits.

Is it possible to put the horse first? How do we prevent the likes of Parra and Helgstrand from occurring again? How do we stop those who are still out there and relying on cruel training methods? How do we stop associations from allowing doping and the use of cruel techniques?

The first step begins with ourselves. What are we doing that may be causing our horse distress? Many years ago, I bought my first Thoroughbred, who had a very skinny neck, almost an ewe neck. My trainer at the time suggested that I put Hawkeye in side reins every day for an hour. Not knowing any better, I did as she said. And I promptly removed them after about 5 minutes, never to use them again. I could not stand looking at my horse, standing in his stall, with his head tied down. This trainer and several before her were the same ones who kept suggesting that I try one harsh bit after another for my draft cross, whose nickname was Silver Streak because his grey body was a blur on the jumper course as I struggled to control him. It was after one such bit left Sir Tally with a bloody mouth that I decided to stop showing or to take lessons, and I spent six months doing what I know now was dressage….leg yields, circles, shoulders-in, etc. While I had no formal dressage training, I knew that flat work was the key to retraining my jumper, and it worked….I remember going to our first horseshow in a snaffle bit, and people who knew him thought I had lost my mind! We never needed to use a harsh bit again.

To this day, there are no gadgets in my barn. When my current Thoroughbred began to display apparent discomfort with his bit, I began to ride him bitless, and Gabe is so much happier!

Good training begins with listening to your horse and having a solid foundation in your riding skills. You must also be willing to make the necessary changes for a happy horse. Good training takes time- there are no shortcuts!

Once we identify our shortcomings, what can be done about any apparent signs of abuse we may witness at shows or elsewhere?

As I am sure all members did, I received a letter from USEF in which they discussed actions taken against Parra, including the FEI temporarily suspending Parra. In addition, the USEF states that you should contact the organization if you witness horse-related abuse by texting 2USEF (28733).

I find their response weak, vague, and not harsh enough.

Apparently, many on social media agree that the USEF is not doing enough.

Their response to allegations against sexual predators has always been swift and permanent, whereas, despite the videos of Parra abusing his horses, the USEF and FEI are moving at a snail’s pace to address this. Some accuse the USEF of knowing about the accusations for years, with top officials turning an eye.

Prior to this blog going out, I received a 2nd email from USEF, stating they propose a rule change to GR838, to accompany the standard rule change to GR702, which, if approved, would expand USEF’s scope of jurisdiction for equine abuse beyond competitions, as well as mandate reporting of equine abuse and allow licensed officials and show management the ability to impose disciplinary actions during competitions. Unfortunately, these changes will not be voted upon until the Mid-Year Board Meeting in June. While their letter references the abuse in Wellington by Parra, nowhere do they mention his name.

What can we do when our governing bodies fail to protect the horse?

We must hold organizations, whether national or local, to the highest of standards. Any abuse must be reported to the officials, who must act.

USEF and FEI, as governing bodies, must be held accountable and take immediate action when abuse is reported. Their response must be as immediate as when they react to reports of sexual abuse. In addition, any officials who knew firsthand of the abuse should be banned as well.

Don’t underestimate the power of writing a letter! Organizations like the US Reining Association should be inundated with members stating that sedating horses before competition is wrong.

And don’t underestimate the power of boycotting events. Loss of money speaks volumes.

Several readers suggested the need for instructors and trainers to become certified, as some European countries require. By requiring instructors to become qualified in their teaching, we can weed out those who received their training from TikTok or YouTube (there is an actual ad on FaceBook for a course to become a horse trainer in as little as six months!)

Other suggestions include:

• Having horse welfare officers at horse shows.

• USEF should be required to mandate members take an animal welfare course, much as they do with SafeSport.

• Enforcing the rules already in place, such as prohibiting the use of Rollkur. Prohibit tight nosebands.

• Establish a database of suspected abusers and require well-being checks on horses in their care.

• Forming a new show association will place the horse’s welfare first. If you visit Bob Wood Horses For Life on Facebook, there is a group called The American Horse Society in the works.

If we don’t act now to clean up the bad apples in equestrian sports, animal welfare groups will ensure that all equestrians are seen as abusive to their horses, and we will lose our freedom to ride horses at all. PETA is not only demanding the removal of horse sports from the Olympics, but as ludicrous as it may sound, they are suggesting that all horses be returned to their wild state (of course, they do nothing to address the cruel round-ups that the BLM conducts.) Domesticated horses may contain wild horse DNA, but my pampered Thoroughbred would have a complete meltdown if he didn’t have his stall to escape the rain and bugs! Returning horses to a wild state and prohibiting owning a horse for recreation or sport would most certainly spell the demise of the modern horse.

What will you do to protect horses and horse sports?

I highly suggest the book “A Horse By Nature” by Mary Ann Simonds. The book discusses how to manage emotional and mental stress in horses for improved welfare. The first section covers horses in the wild. Simonds then explains how to apply the knowledge gained from observing wild horses to communicating and training horses, while the final section covers horse welfare. It should be required reading for all equestrians!