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Celebration Not So Celebratory for Tennessee Walking Horses

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Wow we have both ends of the spectrum here. I think Melissa's viewpoint is pretty much shared by any horse owner who actually cares about the animal and doesn't want to see it tortured for the sake competition or money. Regardless of the breed or the type of competition, when there is enough notoriety or money involved, there are always going to be those who use inhumane and painful abusive methods of training to get a horse to do what they want. But, without a doubt, the Tennessee Walking Horse industry does have the worst reputation of any breed out there for abusing their horses. Of course not all trainers abuse them... but many of the big show trainers do and it is far too widely "accepted" and overlooked in the show circuit. Some of it is horrible.
I personally don't understand why people feel the need to put ANY extra weight or devises or chemicals on a horse's foot. The Walkers move with a natural smoothness and action that is quite infamous and beautiful to watch. Somehow over the years, it's gotten out of hand. Anyone with a brain I would think could understand how putting an abnormally huge padded buildup on a hoof would cause SERIOUS issues with leg bone and hoof structure, and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that the addition of chains and chemicals is only meant for one purpose... to annoy and irritate the horse enough to throw his feet around like crazy.
It's all really quite weird.
Anyone who loves and appreciates horses would not want them senselessly hurt or antagonized. And most everyone quite understands that certainly not ALL Walking Horses owners treat their animals this way. I have owned Walkers for pleasure riding. I've never put unnatural shoes or chemicals or devices on them.. and I've known many others who are like me... but being from Tennessee and surrounded by highly competitive Walking Horse stables all my life, I have seen many many many who do.

Anne of TN 10:06AM August 22, 2011

I rescued a 13 yr old walking horse, Ringo he had shown his entire life from the age of two until one month before I got him he was sored and in pads the entire time. His feet were horribly deformed, he had calcium deposits from where the chains beat against his bones. it took my farrier and I to get his feet almost normal alot of supplements and meds for the calcium deposits because they were painful to him he was lame un ridable because of the pain I got him in 2005 and by 2008 had to euthanize him because his pain level was awful and it required daily bute just so he could stand some what with out so much pain I do know his last few years were good ones he was loved and was able to be a horse. Those who do this need to be locked up and I hope karma comes for them. This subject is very near and dear to my heart because I want to stop other horses from living Ringo's horrible life before me.

Melissa Schalk of KY 2:47PM August 21, 2011

Hey there would you mind sharing which blog platform you're using? I'm going to start my own blog soon but I'm having a tough time deciding between BlogEngine/Wordpress/B2evolution and Drupal. The reason I ask is because your layout seems different then most blogs and I'm looking for something completely unique. P.S Sorry for being off-topic but I had to ask!

fish oil benefits of AL 4:52PM August 04, 2011

I hate when someone who misunderstands or dislikes something writes awful propaganda about it. There are actually more people who love and respect their horses and would never burn their horses for any reason than those terrible people who do hurt their horses in the interest of winning. And on a minor note the Humane Society makes me sick because they aren't happy no matter how well someone treats their animals. If you actually ride your horse they don't like you...

Delta of MS 1:45PM July 18, 2010

I think the Tennessee walking horse industry is inadequately scrutinized and criticized. I am writing a 20-40 page thesis on the the Tennessee Walking horse industry, focusing primarily on the padded walking horses. I have personally interviewed many trainers who support the industry and significant people who do not like the industry to find the real truth of the matter and to put is simply: the industry was very much corrupted and needed the government to step in and clean it up, but what most people do not understand is that the industry has made huge leaps in the right direction. It might be the case that all soring has not stopped within the industry, but there will always be people who find a way to go around the rules and cheat and unfortunately torment these amazing creatures, but I did find out that there are passionate, dedicated trainers who do not sore their horses, who in all honesty love the sport and their magnificent athletes. Because the breeding of these horses have gotten so much better, it is not necessary to sore horses the way the industry used to. In fact it is impossible to show a sore horse because of the intense, sometimes inconsistent, palpating inspections that make even unsore horses seem sore. Because the government has stepped in so much, however, those people who love their horses and train them in the right manner are getting penalized because of intense, and most of the times unfair, inconsistent, means of judging if a horse is sore or not. In my opinion the government needs to do their job in consistently regulating the show inspection tents to provide a fair and equal opportunity for the industry to continue showing one of the most magnificent horses ever in a safe, conducive manner.

of TN 8:51PM January 26, 2009

thanks bonnie .....the truth will set these horses free ....getting to even ride on a horses back is a true honor and gift ... why do these fool trainers and big lickers feel like they have to do them soo bad ....its just crazy .. i use to show this breed .. and i am well aware of what they do ....soo all theses whinners talking about whats not going on are liars or they are just stupid to the real facts ....it is my understanding that lots of horse loving people get into this breed and dont know whats going on and by the time they figure it out they are hooked and dont care what it takes to try and get that almighty ribbon .....
what about the fact they have to stand in a stall 24 /7 ....they cant go out on those build ups casue they would break a leg ......you cant honestly love yur horse and not be upset that he has to live like that much less the soreing AND POOR EXCUSE FOR TRAINING these trainers do ..

me in there of 12:37AM September 22, 2008

"It is being unethical when someone does not present the total picture. We have a problem with sore horse trainers/owners but you do not need to misconstrue data and YES, it was when FOSH keeps showing data on their website and some of these posters used that data as the gospel which is so wrong and misleading. "
WHAT IS WRONG OR MISLEADING ABOUT CITING VIOLATORS? IF ONE IS ISSUED A TICKET THERE IS A REASON FOR THAT TICKET. THE SAD PART ABOUT THE VIOLATIONS LISTS ARE THAT, ONCE THE FINES ARE PAID, THE NAMES ARE OFF THE LIST. THERE SHOULD BE A LIST THAT IS PERMANENT SO THE PUBLIC CAN KNOW WHO THE OFFENDERS ARE.
This issue is about accuracy in reporting and not defending sore horses. If you do not have ethics, ability to present all sides accurately, then you are misleading the public. I know your main issues is soundness and that is fine and fair....this posting is about accuracy and honesty in presenting data. Many others should have been on that HPA Violation LIST from way back had the HPC not "allowed the back to trailer" and all they received as a fine, ticket, back to trailer with NO SUSPENSION or being ridiculed on this blog by many vindicative people.
OFTEN THE NAMES SEEN ON THESE LISTS ARE REPEAT OFFENDERS. WHY SHOULD THESE FOLKS BE ALLOWED TO REMAIN IN BUSINESS AND CONTINUE TO REPEATEDLY ABUSE ANIMALS IS BEYOND BELIEF.
HAVING SHOWN AT MANY BREED SHOWS AS WELL AS OTHER SOUND ORGANIZATIONS SHOWS, I HAVE ALWAYS PASSED INSPECTION. THERE ARE SOUND AND DECENT TRAINERS OF THE TWH OUT THERE AND I PREFER TO GIVE BUSINESS TO THOSE THAT ARE TRUSTWORTHY.
I, FOR ONE, AM TIRED OF HAVING TO EXPLAIN THAT NOT ALL TWH TRAINERS ARE ABUSIVE OR BURNERS.

NB of 5:12PM September 19, 2008

Thank you, Bonnie, for once again stating to the world what we owners of humanely trained and shown Walking Horses have known for years. If it walks like a duck and looks like a duck ... it's a duck. Well if it walks like a sore horse and looks like a sore horse .. it IS a sore horse. Please keep up the great work and don't let the good ol' boys get to you.
MJ

M. Jacobson of 8:24PM September 14, 2008

You asked: "Didn't the NHSC reject the idea of a back to the trailer penalty when it came up during the HIO discussion/input phase of the 2007-2009 Operating Plan?"
Yes, they did reject it, but here is why. It only had to do with the scar rule. The USDA said they would only consider such an approach regarding the scar rule, provided that the scar rule became a "no scar" scar rule for horses beginning with a given year. Actually it was Niels Holch who provided the input, reporting that his client (presumably the trainers) rejected the USDA's stipulation in this potential approach.
When Donna Benefield discussed the proposal with trainers on numerous subsequent occasions, virtually all of them said they had never heard about it, indicating that Holch only discussed the matter with a select few. Apparenly those few were the basis if the rejection Holch reported.
When the OP came out, and they did not like the contents of it, they tried to revisit the "back to the trailer for scar rule" proposal, but Dr. Gipson said it was "off the table."
All that said, the NHSC currently has a category called "Unacceptable", in which horses are not allowed to show - are commonly turned down with no ticket issued. It is essentially a "back to the trailer" situation.
Mark

M. Matson of OH 11:59AM September 12, 2008

ATTENTION ALL KEEPS RECIPIENTS, KWHA MEMBERS, BOARD OF DIRECTORS, SHOW MANAGERS, ETC...
I was informed tonight that the KEEPS program IS in jeopardy. The sole reason is if the KWHA doesn't vote Gary Oliver off the Board of Directors, then the KEEPS program for the walking horses will end. All from the horse's mouth. With Oliver's bad publicity, and the KWHA's delay of tossing him, our breed is suffering. Oliver was kicked off the KY HIO Oversight Committee but supposedly does not have enough votes to be voted off by the Board of the KWHA. As of today, the Board has not even had a meeting. The President's, and probably a few others, reason is there are not enough members to vote him off. However, if given the chance to, Board members have said they would vote him off. Rumors of meetings surfaced recently but the "powers that be" haven't called for one. My plead to our members is to call a Board of Director and urge them to take a stand for our association. If they can't see how rotten Gary Oliver is making us, then we need to let them know.
If a person like Oliver is the sole hold up of our KEEPS program, along with other black-eyes to our association, then action needs to be taken. If our KEEPS program vanishes, so will the participation to shows, class entries (especially weanling & yearling divisions), and horse show funding. Show managers need to be made aware of the impact this will have on their shows. They can even BAN OLIVER from the showgrounds if notified of his actions.
This great equine funding has helped the progress of our industry. The number of registered horses is tremendous and it has been growing fast. Entries have increased greatly too. Heck, Oliver should know the impact that the KEEPS program has on our industry because, if I'm not mistaken, he has a few registered horses as well. He needs to man up and resign instead of letting many people suffer from his crime and selfishness.
Trainers are finding out about this situation and the number of angry members is growing. Spread the word, contact a Board member, a KEEPS member, an association member, a Show Manager, or even the guy down the street who trail rides that OLIVER MUST BE PUT OUT. To my knowledge, he's expected to move in to Liberty, KY for the KY Celebration on Sunday - with stalls and everything. It's time to do something because he ain't going away!
KEEPS is only the beginning of the end if we let a being such as Oliver control our fate. There is no way we can go forward with this publicity punch hanging over us. As long as we keep a horse abuser within our "family", then why would anyone want to root for us?

Who are "the powers to be?" Link, Wink? of 11:15AM September 12, 2008