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Guest
| | Posted on Monday, 26 March, 2007 - 5:01 pm: | |
We need to be careful about pointing the finger at people regarding abuse as Patti says, there is a thin line between encouragement and abuse.
If we are really concerned about abuse in the obstactles either by whip or rein handling, then may I therefore suggest that we have to drop the whip before entering the obstactle (just before the timing gate)! and have to collect it after leaving obstactle.
I too have been to events where at the TD talk, the officials have give a stern talk regarding excessive use of the whip.
As for rein handling, could this be down to obstactles not been marked so that they flow and to be competitive one has to take a tight turn (hence the pull). I know that course builders and tds do their best and give up their time for nothing, for which I am very thankful, but at some events obstactles are very tightly marked.
I have also witnessed abuse of the bit as someone has come out of a dressage arena because of the whips mistake and no-one appeared to say a thing to the competitor.
Also is it abuse to walk a team around an obstactle because it is marked so tightly the only way to get around it is to walk!
We need to be very careful going down the route of accusing people of abuse, when some animals do need a bit of encouragement to go forward in the obstactles.
If we were to go down the route of the jockey club, can clubs / nationals afford to have someone videoing each competitor / obstactle so that the proof is there. As you can wave the whip, crack the whip without touching the animal to assist in driving forward.
Please do not get me wrong I am against abuse of any animal but are concerned for the welfare of the animal and the driver. |
Patti Atkinson
| | Posted on Monday, 26 March, 2007 - 11:04 am: | |
So what do you do with the 'plod'.? My first driving horse loved cross country but just didnt like hazards. "You want me to go fast in here??!!" We were at Thoresby in our 3rd season and she walked every hazard! We still made section E with 30 seconds to spare. There was no way she was tired... she just didnt enjoy the hazards.We had a convoy of judges and vets following us. Very embarrassing but how do you get a horse to trot in that situation if you cant use the whip? Dont get me wrong... over use should be penalised... but last year at Windsor I was asked by a judge after the marathon why I hadnt used my whip... because we had been warned at the briefing that overuse would be penalised! It is very difficult to spot the difference between abuse and encouragement. |
Guest
| | Posted on Saturday, 24 March, 2007 - 11:11 pm: | |
I agree with you totally on this Rita, but its not just over use of the whip. I have seen many examples of bad rein handling, sometimes with very severe bits, which could easily be construed as abuse. Generally this has been at club level and by beginners who have got rather over enthusiastic in the obstacles, but I have also seen it happen in much higher levels of competition by people who should know better. |
IHDTC office
| | Posted on Saturday, 24 March, 2007 - 2:27 pm: | |
At National events stewards do not have the authority to stop any competitor for any reason, BUT they do have a radio on each obstacle and at most section starts and finish.Over the years, I have, in the past reported to the PoJ and TD that X competitor was driving a tired animal in an abusive way and should be stopped and assessed. The TD watched this competitor but still allowed them to finish the course as they were near the end (Obs 6!). In my oppion this is not good enough. Most stewards are well educated in HDT Rules, horse driving trials and horse welfare and, if a steward has observed a competitor driving a tired/exhusted animal in an abusive way then this must be addressed by the PoJ or the TD, not let them finish and say nothing, how else are competitors going to change and improve not only their driving ability but also the fitness of their unfortunate animal.
Stewards are there for a reason, not just to sit with a stopwatch, they give their time freely and should be listened too.
Yes, we are all guilty of using the whip, but it is HOW the whip is used. The whip is an aid, to be used in the same manner as a rider uses the leg aids. Constant touches with the whip means nothing, the animal soon gets used to this whip nagging and ignores it, so the driver then uses it harder and harder. The whip IS NOT an instrument of torture and anyone using it as such MUST be stopped, not just for the image of the sport but for the well-being and welfare of the animal. Many times I have seen pony/horse being pushed around an obstacle, very unhappy and wishing to be elsewhere.... Abuse to the one part of our sport that we can not do without, (the Horse/Pony) MUST STOP and this must happen this season before a competitor finishs in court on a cruelty charge! Especially as the bigger events and some club events are now attracting Joe Public who do not understand the sport very well. This (right or wrong) is my personal (sentimental) thoughts on the subject of overuse of the whip and the rules. Does anyone else agree with me?
Rita Bundock |
Dawn Emmerson
| | Posted on Monday, 19 March, 2007 - 4:00 pm: | |
I can understand why this has come about because I have seen those particularly at Novice level but also a few at Open level over using the whip. This wasn't just one hard reminder but constant flogging to get a tired horse to speed up, push on etc.
My worst exmaple of this was a few years ago at Sandringham. It was the Sunday so must have been the club event but not sure which class it was. Anyway I stood and watched this woman enter Obstacle 3. Her 12.2 pony walked into the obstacle with its head right down, the woman nagged and nagged this poor pony then started using the whip constantly to try and make it go into trot. She used the whip with clear force and not for gentle encouragement.
I heard her groom say to her "Shall we make this the last obstacle" to which she replied to him "No we'll do another"
I was mortified and wished at this point that Stewards were trained and had the power to stop a competitor for overdue stress on a horse / pony.
On the way to obstacle 4 two other competitors over took this woman which tells you how tired this pony was.
Finally after walking obstacle 4 the woman retired.
Her behaviour deeply upset me as I have seen a horse die from pure exhaustion after being cantered none stop. Does her pony have to collapse before she realised the extent of her bad horsemanship.
This is a very difficult situation as what spectators and some stewards may regard as over use of the whip could in fact just be a feather like touch to ask your horse to yield over or gentle encouragement. This could easily jeopordise your position for nothing and waste so much time and disturb your horses momentum.
On the other side too many people are getting away with hurting their horses.
At my last National Event I was scared to use my whip in case of being accused of over use, even though I try hard not to use my whip unneccessary anyway. Being over cautious made Kyle come off the bridle and cost me my place.
It would be interesting to hear just what is classed as over use of the whip, who decides this at an event and what penalty is given.
Would stewards be adequately trained or is it just to be on their opinion?
Be great to hear some views |
Vic Willmington
| | Posted on Monday, 19 March, 2007 - 10:19 am: | |
I quote from elswhere on the site.."Judges were reminded that if an official has concerns about the overuse of the whip on the marathon, they can ask a judge to stop the competitor and give a warning. It was agreed that occasionally it is also necessary to stop and advise a competitor if they might appear to spectators to be over-zealous in their use of the whip when even hardly touching the horse. "Some times difficult to see the wood for the trees in these points, is this a specific incident? However is it the time to educate the public on the use of the whip, before we reach the racing whip situation?I suspect that many "officials" may not understand themselves and while believing they act in the horses best interest may put everyone in danger.I am advised that in these situations of acomplaint , one should emphasise with the member of the public and assurethem that the matter will be looked into,would it not be more positive if the rationale behind the use of the whip were explained so that the official is not interpreted as endorsing the percieved abuse report. |
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