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  • From: Karen Nesbitt <spanishequines@yahoo.com>
  • To: MSAR <msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [MSAR] On Tying...
  • Date: Fri, 24 Oct 2008 12:43:19 -0700 (PDT)

Just wanted to share a few thoughts after having read a brief editorial comment that was in the October 2008 issue of the PERFECT HORSE that was written by a Sister Barbara Marion Marguilies of Holbrook New York.
 
She starts her commentary with "DON"T ADVOCATE FOR ABUSE".  To which I have to whole heartedly agree with her there for sure.
 
She goes on to say how she is so very disappointed in that magazine and an article dealing with dominant horses to where a Craig Cameron writes, "a tied horse is a good horse.  Saddle the horse and let him stand tied to teach patience and discipline.  Plus he will be glad to see you when you come back." 
 
Apparently Sister Barbara was outraged in that reply stating that just recently someone in her locale had tied a horse to a tree for three days.  She goes on to say how it made her sick to hear of all the animal and horse abuse that goes on.  (Again, I will have to agree!)  but she goes on further to say that this abuse is not by the inexperienced or the once a week rider who takes lessons, but moreso by professionals and those who are supposed to be our role models.  (I neither agree totally, nor disagree, having witnessed both forms of abuse done by pros and by nieve and or stupid riders/owners as well.  (And to which an unscrupulous pro-trainer can teach a bad habit as well as a good one and charge you an arm and a leg for it while you can be left wanting needless more "lessons" and he is laughing at you all the way to the bank...)
 
In her comments, she begs people not to abuse their animals and requested the magazine to put something in that would say to people to PLEASE NOT ABUSE the animals!
 
The magazine reciprocated by stating:  "Craig Camerons Response:  Common sense must always dictate what we do in any situation.  And of course, common sense tells us that if you leave a horse tied to a tree or to a rail for a couple of hours at a time, this is not abuse.  In fact, this is an age -old way that great horsemen have been teaching patience and discipline to horses for centuries.  ...he goes on to say shade, feed and water should be offered and also to loosen the cinch.  He also goes on to say that tying a horse for three days to a tree is gross abuse and punishible by law and that he had hoped the appropriate steps were taken on perpetrator."
 
Sister Barbara has apparently never been on a week long (or longer)  trail ride, be it for pleasure or otherwise.  On these rides horses are tied picketed most of the day when not ridden and all night for the week or so at a time.  However, they are cared for when it comes to water, feed and such.  Some rides, it is not always possible to offer shade.  And well, regretably, we cannot stop the rain or the snow!  Then there are the livery barns where horses are tied constantly for long hours saddled and never used for the day as well.
 
Recently I had the displeasure to observed a local horseowner install chains to fence posts and tie four horses up with those chains that were to a hotwire fence and feed them in buckets while the hotwire was on. Mind you, the animals were in a pen that the hotwire was used to keep them off the fence, but this person deliberately tied them to it to feed and also leaving the hotwire on. Excuse me, but what kind of person does that to an animal, no less one that is old enough to no better and should have never installed the chains there in the first place.  Certainly one that is not clear in there thinking.  The authorities were called in and the matter investigated and the perpatrator was guilty of the act.  While the authorities assured me the horses seemed to be ok after, as after all they were getting fed and watered, they failed in their investigation to inspect all of the horses on the property and failed to take into account that a cruel act as such can harm a horse for life in its physcological aspect even if it (the cruelty) is only applied ONCE. 
 
I have dealt with horses abused in such a manner. A bad "mistake" like that can cause unreversible harm.  A fine example is my 28 year old Paso Fino mare who was an object to such cruelty when she was previously owned and as a 2 year old.  Her abuser used a hotwire in a dark and dreary unlight stall to which the mare was placed in it and learned to become nasty, headshy, untrusting and a chronic ear pinner and a pawer because of it.  While we have worked out most of this mares hate, to this day at age 28, she still pins her ears of habit and while it took many years for the mare to overcome her prior abuse, she did learn to trust me as her main partner, but with many others she was scarred with it for life. The prior owner also was reknown to use a chain on the horses gum line to yank it to in her eyes teach the animal respect and  would whip the animals relentlessly for no reasons...pardon me, but respect???..Laying a whip?  ...Folks, .horses especially hot blooded horses for one thing, do not cotton well to such ill treatment as it will turn them mean,  and while some cold bloods can take such a beating and go simply unaffected, it is abuse pure and simple.  Well anyway, the prior owner abused numerous horses in this fashion and to which I had heard numerous complaints of that barns past treatment.  Thankfully, THAT barn is NOW LONG closed.
 
While MSAR horses can be subjects to long rides on very hot or cold days and long ties, please let the public be aware that your horses are well taken care of.  Offer them water, feed and a well deserved grooming at the end of the trail and whenever appropriate.  Praise the animals well for a job well done and avoid using horse equipment to which you have no knowledge of its proper humane use.  This bit of good will toward your animals will go a long way to promote the decency of your MSAR groups and garner in turn goodwill attention and well, your horse will also be far better off.
 
Also and in when making a report on an abuser, gather as much evidence with photos if possible as you can and be truthful in your statements.  Sometimes even a bad photo is better than none.  But the better the pic, the better the case.  It is bad enough to have to consider making any report, and worse still  to make reports when it is people you know, but it is far worse to let the abuse go unreported.  And mind you, most people who are chronic abusers are not only cruel to their animals, they may be cruel to their spouses, children, or other people and perhaps too,  they may also have some other underlying problems such as drinking, or drug abuse that fuels them to do the bad things they do
 
Most are bullies just wanting attention, they seem to thrive on being the specticle,  the down side of this is bullies also have a tendency to continue in their harassments.  What they need most too is a cure.  Many are simply control freaks.  They plain and simple just get a rise out of being what they think is macho powerful forcing that "I will show you" attitude on those they think are less knowledgeable or weak or to those they think they want to try to lord over.  Forwarned is a value.
 
Just my humble opinions for what they are worth and as ever, may you all ride a good horse and be careful out there!
 
K. Nesbitt
VMSAR
Iroquois County - Illinois
 
PS - while some people advocate the every horse should have a winter blanket and a
 stall...It is equally cruel not to have the horse out of the stall to get any exersize and likewise cruel  to wear those wet winter blankets or to be blanketed in them in July.  And while it may seem cruel to others to have horses outside 365/24/7 in all sorts of weather, nature did build them tough, and nature did not intend the horse to be cooped up, or to only eat 1 or 2 meals a day and not get its ample exersize.  But nature did not intend them to be abused by any man.
 
 
 



  • [MSAR] On Tying..., Karen Nesbitt, 10/24/2008

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