Soring. For it, or against it?

[QUOTE=Inga;1791212]

The entire industry is corrupt from the owner's to the trainer's, groom's, judges, inspectors. QUOTE]


You forgot another major part of the problem... the individuals that go and watch the shows.

If the spectators didn't pay to watch the show, the venue wouldn't want the show & the organizers would have less prize $$ to pay out

Against.
There are breeds of horses that seemingly naturally step high like that, if not properly and humanly trained to do so.
Completely unacceptable that anyone does this or that it is even allowed no matter what bull-crap excuse is used!

[quote=tim62988;1796529]

Soooo many people are unfortunately sadistic like that, they want to watch animals and humans in pain, doing dangerous and damaging things.
Sure, some people will stop going once they actually see what these horses go through and the damage and others must be forced to experience a similar pain to stop supporting it. But then there are always some who don't believe animals of any kind have feelings and that people have the right to abuse them. I can't stand those people.

I honestly stand in awe of those horses...How much pain they endure each and every second of their life.

Poor things.

Why does the industry want such a high gait, when they can get such a nice natural gait that like 10x better?

I don't get it. I did a big report about this subject a while ago, the things they do to those horses is just disgusting.

The strange things about gaited horses is they seem to have a very high pain tollerance (NOT saying it's ok to put them into pain obviously) but I think that is why you see them still willing to compete through the pain

When most horses will object or show signs of pain, it seems gaited horses you have to actually find the source and tell the horse "hey that should hurt"

I'm from NZ so we do not have this here. I came across a video on Youtube the other day about these competitions (first time I had heard of it) and it made me tear up. Who seriously does this stuff!!!

Gesh I feel bad enough when I have to correct my horse for being slightly pushy sometimes. Let alone putting it through this kind of torment

You have never been the only one that thinks this. It goes for dogs too. Probably cats and bunnies too.

Yes, I was just thinking this reminds me of some of the more despicable breeding practices with dogs. Sometimes it seems the animals that humans admire the most are the ones that suffer the most, too.

I'd never heard of soring before seeing this thread, and it just breaks my heart that people would hurt their horses so much, yet the horses would still try for them.

What is wrong with people? I can't imagine how they rationalize it.

(I'm not against showing or competition in general as long as the animal's welfare is always top of mind).

It's perfectly sick.
I do have some perplexities about horse shows in general because so much seem to be about artificial rules and ideas instead of about responsible, respectful love for the horses. Sometimes I think working horses are better off, beacause it is in the owner best interest to keep them healthy and in good shape, although of course abuse can occur anywhere :(

I get the eye roll everytime I tell one of my horsey friends that I'm planning on getting a walker. I guess they just assume I'm going to adhere Keg shoes and sore the horses up so they will do the "Big Lick" I guess they honestly do not understan that soring isn't the breed it's the owner, and that a TWH make awesome trail mounts and show horses without the idiotacy of abuse. I don't think shows are the problem, I think just like with everything else "GREED" is. I don't think we need to do away with TWH or other gaited shows, that's like taking away guns just because some people abuse their rights to own them. We just need to make sure that the registries know we will NOT put up with it anymore, and honestly we are on our way of doing that and they are listening finally. However it has taken and will continue to take to much time to see real action.