Abusive riders

Trainer X over at I Hate Your Horse recently showcased the following video:



I'm not the type to openly criticize and judge another rider so blatantly, but this is one case that made my stomach drop. Three words: sick sick sick. No wonder "Bert" bucked her off! Her seat is stiff, her hands rough, her seat is so off it is not even humorous, and she's digging her spurs in like there's no tomorrow. The horse is so obviously upset with her from the very beginning - he told her from the first that he was going to buck her off if she kept it up, yet she ignored him, so he lifts his hind end a little. Her preposterous equitation is the only reason she came off at such a minute attempt at a buck. Then she SMILES, like it's FUN, as her friend (who is ALLOWING THIS BTW) passes her a crop with which to actually BEAT her horse. The horse, terrified, takes off. It's not just the fact that she DID this, but she also posts it on youtube (or has her friend post it, whatever it is), as if SHE IS PROUD OF IT!! As if it's a good joke!! At the end of the video the maker states "they love each other"...really??? Are you serious??? I wouldn't DREAM of doing something like this to the horses I love. And that horse certainly does not love that rider. Could he be any clearer?? This is the type of person who should never ever be permitted around ANY animal.

Another video of Bert, under the same rider:



Good for Bert. Next time, Bert, spin around on her after you buck her off and give her a real good kick in the ass.

The poster of the two above videos, a friend involved (and obviously condoning the behaviour), is starting a poor 2006 APHA colt.

Here's another video of Bert being cruelly beaten...ooops, I mean, free-longed, posted by the same individual who has posted all the videos featured so far. The commentary seems to be supposedly sarcastic and humourous, but personally I just find it sick, disgusting, and immature.



Bert's not free longing, he's trying to evade another beating. It's clear he has no idea what his rider is asking of him, he's confused. So she hits him. And he kicks. Of course he kicks!! I would too if I were him!! Hopefully he actually aims better next time. Sounds harsh, but it would be well-deserved. Of course it would probably only earn him another beating. A testament to the Haflinger's beautiful personality - this horse is putting up with so much!! If I had have done that to my Warmblood gelding he'd be hunting me down by now and gladly kicking the shit out of me.

Update: there were two more videos, one of Bert attempting to get his (assumed owner, different from the above rider) abusive rider off his back, and another of a poor 2006 APHA colt clearly terrified of its rider/"trainer" (under the same rider who's Bert's actual rider/owner)... but Bert's actual rider's account has been deleted and thus the videos are no longer accessible.

It seems the first two videos I pointed out were meant in "fun" but even if these videos were isolated incidents (which they're not, the additional videos prove it), it's obvious it wasn't "fun" for the horse(s). Being abused is never fun. Personally, I strongly believe that this rider should be kicked off the show circuit. For life. Where are her parents?? If I ever caught any child of mine demonstrating what the above rider did to 'Bert', they would be yanked off that horse so fast they wouldn't know what's coming. In my opinion, that girl should never see a horse again.