>The problem is that to the rest of the world, that type of riding >paints us all with the same brush...the whole breed becomes tainted.
I know, and that is SUCH a shame. It's noticeable over here that when we do displays at non-horsey events (like village fetes, Viking re-enactments etc) we seem to get more interest than when we do stuff at horse shows. I think that's for two reasons - first, they are little hairy ponies ridden by adults, so many horse people don't take them seriously, and second, they are often not ridden that well, in drop nosebands/shanked bits etc, so genuine horsemen dismiss them as either wild and uncontrolable, or dismiss the riders as useless (!). Not saying that's always the case, and not at all displays, but it IS a danger. > >I have absolutely no doubt that it will come to a screeching halt >someday, much like what just happened in the TW world. I hope it's soon. > >I'm told that FEIF is working hard at solving the rough riding issue. Hmmm. Well, FEIF is making all the right noises, but does not actually seem to either recognise OR penalize rough riding and bad horsemanship. Maybe too many >conflict of interest issues between judges and riders or horses??? I >don't know, I'm just guessing. I don't *think* it's that, more a lack of education of judges generally, judges coming to expect the "usual" (for today) standard of riding, and those judges who DO recognise it and mark it down not being asked back to judge as no-one likes getting low marks (plus, of course, at shows with 5 judges the highest and lowest marks are dropped so low marks given for poor riding may not make a difference to the final mark anyway). > >Which is why judges should never have any personal gain in the outcome >of any competition. I'm not saying that's happening, I'm just trying >to determine reasons for this issue taking so long to solve. > They rarely do, I believe. Mic Mic (Michelle) Rushen ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Solva Icelandic Horses and DeMeulenkamp Sweet Itch Rugs: www.solva-icelandics.co.uk ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Si hoc legere scis nimium eruditionis habes"
