This is in no way typical for dressage, or any other responsible method of training, but unfortunately not infrequent in the horse world, and typical of too many horse owners. Like all beings that rely on others for care too many people have power over animals that should not have animals under their care. Additionally horse training like every other occupation has a good number of people who have no business calling themselves a trainer.
As a dressage/former event rider, and one who uses a dressage foundation with a natural horsemanship emphasis, most of what you describe sounds wrong. This is not about an English or Western Style of training, but about good skills dealing with these spectacular animals. Horses that are well trained can be walked on a looser line, the line doesn't contain them, with proper training, like dogs, they contain themselves. Even good training can appear ugly, but over a period of time you should see, horses that are co.operative, ones that lead well, and ones that get turned out.
Horses that are kept in stalls or paddocks, should be exercised minimally every other day, unless recovering from an injury. A small circle can be a helpful training tool, but repeatedly, in one training session, one needs to "go large" or straight (the full arena, field, or area they are working in) because endless small circles can be hard on their legs, and not be helpful as a tool when a reward, (perhaps stopping the small circle) is missing.
All good trainers want to end on a good note, occasionally there are days when we have to figure out what is good to end a session, but if you watch a full session, the rider/trainer will look for a positive note to bring a session to a successful end.
If the horses are well fed, and look healthy, well cared for feet, healthy coat, there may be little to do. I can see where someone may watch 5 minutes of responsible training, and out of context, think it was detrimental.
All horses should have an opportunity to be a horse, which includes access to turn out in a space where they can run and roll, along with social interactions with other horses.
Having a horse in a stall, is not a problem in and of itself.
If they are kept in a confined space, that is too small, and they are not in a restricted space to recover from an injury animal control may have some interest.
Standard stalls are 12x12, but there are "standing stalls that are much smaller", where horses get regular exercise, that are not a lst choice for most, but can work.
The reality is there are so many abandoned, starved, and severely abused horses, that poor training usually doesn't qualify unless the offense is deemed abusive by most. As someone who runs a "horse rescue" we, like most, are almost always full. The options for horses are more limited than for dogs and cats, because hay is expensive, humane euthanasia is costly, and outlawing of slaughter in most US states, means most horses in the Western US, who are unwanted, end up at auctions, where the majority endure an Auschwitz like transport, and a death that is akin to torture.
We would love for individuals who want to help address these injustices to take a tour of our farm on most Saturdays, and talk about the horses that are here and the issues involved in rescue.
We are an all volunteer organization and are always looking for skilled volunteers (handy men/ handy women), carpenters, sign painters, sheet rockers, fence builders for a small job (one to three hours), and horse skilled, or less skilled volunteers, who want to be a part of an organization that tries to change the world for horses, and the people who love them.
if people are interested they can go to our website www.welltrainedhorses.com (https://www.welltrainedhorses.com) or email me through this post, or directly,
[email protected].
I have a couple of other ideas besides calling animal control for an assessment, as most of the cases they deal with are brutal. If someone would want to pursue this, i could share some suggestions with one who was willing to follow up. Observing a full training session would be helpful start.
Sonoma county is a home to a great number of horses, and informed eyes on the ground are a wonderful thing.
Thanks for your concern Barrie. Though those of us in the business have run across our share of concerned eyes that were not informed. It would be wonderful if your post lead to a better outcome for these, or other horses that need intervention to improve their fate.
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....