Author: Erica Franz

I've been riding since I was 9, and in love with horses from the day I was born. Living in Washington with my horse and 5 dogs.
Nuno Oliveira, a Classical Dressage Master, riding Piaffe.
| |

The Difference Between Classical and Competitive Dressage

14 Comments

Once upon a time ago, the difference between Classical and Competitive Dressage seemed synonymous with the distance between the walls of the Grand Canyon (which happens to be up to 18 miles wide!). Whether it is merely my perception, or the reality, which has changed I have yet to determine. Nonetheless there is still a measure of awe inspired in people when they hear that “so and so” does Classical Dressage. It has a note of magic attached to it, even if it is a tradition based on a bunch of dead guys; or maybe it is because of those dead guys.

Cavalia's "Liberty Show" trainer Sylvia Zerbin spends time with just-arrived Arabian horses at the Burbank location of the upcoming show on Thursday, January 13, 2011. Cavalia: A Magical Encounter Between Horse and Man premieres January 19. (Raul Roa/Staff Photographer)

Be One With Your Horse – Without Crawling Inside Its Dead Body

3 Comments

It’s done all the time by Para-Equestrians. To be one with your horse does not require that you climb inside it’s recently gutted abdominal cavity, or that you tread the line of morality. Still, it happens that this is forgotten. An Oregon woman, claiming she wanted to be one with her horse, first shot it in the head with a high powered rifle then proceeded to gut it, undress and have photos taken of her laying inside its carcass. You can view the uncensored photos here.

A reining horse is pulled to a sliding stop and hyperflexed by a cowgirl.
|

Reining Competitions Promote Hyperflexion and Running the Horse into Walls

13 Comments

They do not seem to care that they are yanking on the horse’s most sensitive mouth with a leverage bit. They do not seem to care that they are spurring the horse carelessly and excessively. They do not seem to care that the horse is willing to accept these abuses without striking out violently.

A cowgirl pulls hard on her horse's mouth while the horse is wide-eyed and open mouthed in distress.

Do Barrel Racers Cross the Line into Abuse?

127 Comments

Barrel racing is a high speed event, and when speed is added to any activity the difficulty level increases as do the potential errors. Let’s also add to the mix the fact that it is a competition sport and involves money, and as demonstrated in Dressage, Jumping and Reining, to name a few competitive sports; money affects motivate. So, does that mean that Barrel Racing, fueled by speed and competitive cash, is subject to horse abuse the same as other sports?

Close up of rowelled spurs on a pair of cowboy boots.

Cowboy Breaking

2 Comments

This still happens? I imagine the result of this training to be a horse who is unattached to humans, works based off repetitive cues rather than the conversation with the rider, and that avoids being caught to go for a ride. And I’m not certain the purpose of having her jump over a barrel when first being started under a rider, is it the prevention of bucking?

A pair of white and brown Rodney Powell Show Jumping gloves.

Using Riding Gloves to Build Confidence

2 Comments

Handling the lunge rope and the reins without gloves felt, well, awful. It simply did not run freely through my hands at will as they had when I wore gloves. My fingers seemed to almost stick incomprehensibly to the reins or the lunge line at the most inappropriate times, truly compromising the signals I was attempting to make. They fumbled and fought against one another in an effort to the correct the sticky fingers problem to no avail.

A Spanish horse rears in a crowd of people on parade as his rider pulls happily against his mouth.

Open Mouth When Riding?

9 Comments

Many of the images below are cases in which great detail was gone into over the fit of the bit. Look at the tautness of the reins, for some the fear in the horse’s eyes… The horse cannot fight against the bit unless the rider fights with him, the horse has no need to open his mouth as an escape if the rider does not pull back on them.