Well, I'm a strong personallity. I can be very over opinoinated and I have a big mouth - where I will speak before I think.
I was at a horse show once, where a girl was being called into the ring for her ride. While she was kicking the horse with her legs and whiping the horse she was hauling him in the face with this god aweful bit that was in his mouth.
So while giving this poor horse 2 mixed signals - leaving this horse overly confused and in pain - no one was doing anything about it.
His mouth was gaped open to escape the bit being slammed continuously in his mouth - and turning circles to get away from the whip being smashed into his side.
No one, was doing anything about it! Just stood there stareing.
So - I grabbed my crop that was stuck in my boot, walked up behind her and started to hit her with my crop.
I then said "There, how do you like that?" and walked away.
I thought for sure I was in a whole lot of trouble when I realized what I just did - but people started to clap....it was really weird.
***
And at another show - there was a girl and her pretty white horse in the halter/showmanship class. While the judge wasn't looking, she would punch her horse in the neck and would be kicking him. Then while the judge was looking, she stood there nicely.
I can remember this horse flinging his head up high and backing away quickly to get away from her. I looked around and again - NO ONE was saying or doing anything.
Her mother was shouting "That's right Kaley!"
So I pulled out my video camera, recorded it - and when the class was over, I marched over to the judge and showed him the footage. She was excused from any other class.
***
And another show.
I was standing at the side of the arena where the hunter/jumper show was going on, bewteen my classes - I can remember a girl who was to the far right of me allowing her chestnut mare graze.
They were in full tack and apparel, I would assume bewteen classes or waiting - whichever...........but I remember for a while this chestnut mare would be ansy. The mare would paw or walk around in circles around her handler.
The young girl's mother was standing with her, holding her camera and other stuff that Groom Parents hold - when this lady out of the blue walked up and starting to discipline this chestnut mare.
People who were standing by the arena, saw this too and made comments about how this lady always does this. I asked "is that her horse or her student?" and I was given the answer of NO and that she thinks she has the right to interfear with other people's discipline ideas and how they handle their horses.
So I looked at the young girl and her mother and they looked very preturbed to the intrusion - but wern't saying anything.
So I grabbed my crop, again - in my boot - and walked up to the session that was going on.
I waited for the horse to paw, and when the horse pawed - the lady whipped this strange horse with the young girls crop and jerked the horse in the mouth by pulling on the reins - so I struck her with my crop.
She was flabbergasted and appauled that I hit her - I told her I felt the same about her interfearing with someone else's horse where she had no business nor no right to do so.
She handed the reins to the mother, and stormed off. The mother thanked me and was laughing at he fact of what I did.
I looked around and saw others who watched the episode were laughing too. I dont know what exactly they were laughing at - but I did feel emberassed at what I did. Maybe they were laughing at me? I don't know.
I went on with the rest of the show aftarwards.
**
Yeah - I can be a beeootch, I admit it. But I have a short fuse with people who mishandle animals of any sort. I was raised to speak up. I was taught that if you see a wrong occuring, and you do nothing about it - then you are just as guilty as the person who was committing the sin.
We have to speak up for these animals who have no voices. These animals who have power over their lives.
If I saw a poorly treated horse at a show - I'd speak up, because that's who I am.
If I saw a poorly malnurished animal at a show, or anywhere - I would report it asap. I would take pictures of anything I can - the animals, the house, the owner, the vehicle, the liscense plate and report it.
I don't care about people's feeligs - but I do care about the animals.
I don't admit that my ways are right - but all I can think of are the animals when the situations arise. I act before I speak - I speak before I think. Am I proud of it? No - not at all - again, I have a sort fuse for any form of animal abuse.