With reference to the recent disqualification of a barefoot horse at the Blair Horse Trials one of our HM readers Johanna posted this...... I sent this letter today to Sports Horse GB - I have also copied it all over fb - I urge YOU!!!! to write and speak out and up for the horse. Please feel free to cut paste or chop about my letter or use as a template for your own comments... we must show our rage at rules that need re-writing - dont do it later - send your letter now to as many people as you can! I copied mine to welfare charities, federations and individuals... on ward and upward folks thanks for bringing this to our attention Hoofing Marvellous! x Sports Horse GB Kent. Sunday 24th August Dear Sirs I understand that a horse was eliminated from Blair Horse Trials on the grounds that it was a ‘barefoot horse’ (that is too say a horse that is unshod and relies on the hooves of nature)this weekend. The eliminated competitor had competed at Blair ‘barefoot’ on at least five previous occasions, successfully on healthy barefoot horses. Please can you tell me what scientific evidence you have for this rule change and list the studies to which the evidence relates? If you do not have evidence, then who in your organisation sanctioned this ‘updated’ version of the rule and more importantly - why? I should also like to know if you believe this ‘rule’ to be legal? - given that barefoot horses have competed at Blair in the past and continue to do so all around the world? In Racing, Endurance, Dressage and so on. I urge you to re-consider your rule 48h – I think it more appropriate to state that shoes should be in good condition (not falling off!) and that shod and barefoot horses must also be sound at the start of competition. I wonder in a legal challenge how you might stand when it is proven that horses natural hooves serve them pretty well and have done for hundreds of centuries, galloping and jumping, travelling across continents in all terrains, Mountains, Deserts, Prairies, Mongolian Steppes, Icelandic ice and the green, green grass of Scotland? This is utter madness – there is no justification for this ‘jobs worth’ rule, it must be changed or I fear you will as an organisation be ridiculed in the press and questioned by the sponsors and all riders that DEMAND the right to choice. Many people are already contacting Mr Craig Jamieson, Director of Barclays Wealth, Glasgow about Barclays involvement in Blair when restrictive practice and oppressive rules are put in the place of competitors. I shall be copying this letter to my local BHS riding Club, welfare organisations and other social media links that I have. This matter must be given priority and action must be taken by Sports Horse GB. Please see sense – barefoot horses are safe to compete. They have and they do – it is the choice of the rider to ride barefoot or bitless for optimum performance, they alone, are the best judge of their horse’s ability not Sports Horse GB or any other equine federation. Yours Sincerely
Posted on: Sun, 25 Aug 2013 08:38:38 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015