I have some relatively new neighbors who have 4 horses they seem to be training for dressage. I know little about horses and less about dressage, but these animals seem to me to be mistreated.
The ONLY time they get to move is when they are being ridden in tight little circles or when they are being led on a short lead. The rest of the time they are in a shed or tied up to a tree for fence. Some days I don't see them at all, so they must be inside the sheds. They NEVER get to graze or walk about under their own control. One horse in particular seems unhappy with the situation and does a great deal of neighing. I see it tied up from both sides of its mouth so that it can't move its head more than a few inches in any direction. It sometimes explodes with a loud, angry sounding neigh.
Is this typical for dressage? Is this normal? An acquaintance who does dressage in France says that it isn't and that these people shouldn't own horses. Is there anything I can do?
Barrie