Hmmm...do you think the FEI will really do things differently?

Barbara F · Grand Prix

Hmmm...do you think the FEI will really do things differently?

Jackie Cochran · Advanced

Not really.

Jackie Cochran · Advanced

I just read on horsetalk.co.nz that the FEI is refusing to do anything more about the abuse in Epona TV's video of the schooling ring abuse. The FEI claims it can't do anything without all the video made on that occassion. The article said that the FEI used the same excuse for not going against the abuse shown in the "blue tongue" video.
I notice a lack of desire on the part of the FEI to address horse abuse on show grounds. I no longer expect the FEI to do ANYTHING against abuse, at least if the rider or trainer are well known and have won a lot.
As I see it that as long as the FEI, professional trainers, and the show riders are not actively working against abuse the only person who can prevent abuse is the OWNER of the horse. The owners pay the bills, they do have power.

Barbara F · Grand Prix

I have no idea why the Epona people refuse to give the FEI the unedited footage.

The problem is that the edited video is not an objective record of what happened in the warm-up ring. As soon as you start to edit a piece of footage, your choices, your opinions and your intended message all come into play.

If they are really unbiased and they are really concerned about the welfare of the horse, what's the problem?

Nikki Salo · Grand Prix

I have to echo what Barb is saying, I don't understand why Epona won't let the FEI view the original footage.

barnfrog · Advanced

Why should they? Is the FEI going to do the same thing as with blue tongue??? It's ok to rape the horse for 10 minutes, but only 30 seconds is ok? It happens every day at western and arab shows. It is why the qh world separated from the USEF (ahsa) years ago, then they can do what they want. And it was the advent of all this #$(&$&.

Barbara F · Grand Prix

barnfrog wrote:
Why should they? Is the FEI going to do the same thing as with blue tongue??? It's ok to rape the horse for 10 minutes, but only 30 seconds is ok? It happens every day at western and arab shows. It is why the qh world separated from the USEF (ahsa) years ago, then they can do what they want. And it was the advent of all this #$(&$&.

Hi Barnfrog,

I'm not in the U.S. so I don't follow the QH world there or any of the USEF politics. Who governs the QH world? The AQHA? I'm trying to sort this all out. Are you saying that since they are not under the USEF, there is no national body setting standards or implementing rules for the humane treatment of the horses? Just trying to clarify.

Also, there are several reasons to hand over the full tapes to the FEI, but here are three that quickly come to mind.

1. Why give the FEI ANY excuse to back away from their responsibilities in dealing with what want on?

2. If you put an edited video out there to make a point, that is NOT objective journalism, but video editorial, like an op-ed piece. Why expect the FEI or any other international body to make any judgment calls based on someone's video editorializing?

3. If the people who made the video really did so for the sake of the horses, and not with a huge element of self-promotion in mind, they would do anything to further the horses' cause and to eliminate any excuses for inaction on the part of the FEI. Now they have left the FEI with an excuse. People passionately for the welfare of the horses would not do that and their reasons for not doing so ring hollow to me.

-- Edited by Barbara F on Friday 5th of August 2011 09:03:37 AM

spirithorse · Advanced

in the United States, the United States Equestrian Federation is the NGB for equine sports under the United States Olympic Committee.

The independent organizations such as AQHA have their own set of rules, which are usually predicated upon USEF rules. If an independent group holds national level competitions these competitions fall into the jurisidiction of USEF.

USEF and FEI do not realize the criminal and civil legal quandry their are currently causing here in the United States. The abuse rules are clear...a rider cannot do anything to cause pain and discomfort to the horse! Well a 2004 ruling from Washington State Supreme Court defined horse abuse as arising from:

Webster's Third New International Dictionary 1621 (1969) definition of "pain" as "a state of physical or mental lack of well-being or physical or mental uneasiness that ranges from mild discomfort or dull distress to acute often unbearable agony."

So if any rider or judge or steward or technical delagate causes or allows to be caused, pain and/or discomfort to the horse, said individuals are criminally and civilly liable for horse abuse. This also has a direct and proximate affect upon the Executive Boards and Committee Members of both USEF and FEI