A few words on harmful practices in the equine industry:
There are many.
But did you know if you are part of the Quarter Horse, Thoroughbred, Tennessee Walking Horse, Saddlebred, Warmblood or Arabian industries and do not take part in unethical, abusive practices but decide to point a finger elsewhere each time you hear about well documented abuse within the breed you love’s circle, you’re not helping your breed?
There is little more disheartening for us than for the circle of people who have the best chance of changing things for the better for “their breed” than to hear and see them simply decide to talk about the issues in another discipline when they hear critics about their own. How can this help? You aren’t working in that “other” industry. Your words will not matter much there, and what is served by ignoring the thorn in your own eye while pointing out a barb in another’s eye?
You can change things for the breed you love because chances are higher you’re already immersed in that world. You can draw attention to what you know best, where you ride and in the community you circulate in.
Do that, please. The horses suffering from abuse related to breed specific disciplines need you, the person who knows that specific industry, to be their voice.
They do not need you to take real abuse and make it so personal, you ignore it in your neighborhood in favor of looking across the town at something else going on.
Changes will happen with the supporters of each industry demand change, not when they ignore what is personal in order to complain about something that hits less home.
(not leaving anyone out, other breeds have human created issues, too. Cutting it short for space)
