One scandal after another keeps surfacing in this years olympic dressage discipline. It is about time the FEI steps up to their job and stick to their own rules.(!)
At all stages during the preparation and training of Competition Horses, welfare must take precedence over all other demands.
a) Good Horses management
Stabling, feeding and training must be compatible with good Horses management and must not compromise welfare. Any practices which could cause physical or mental suffering, in or out of Competition, will not be tolerated.
b) Training methods
Horses must only undergo training that matches their physical capabilities and level of maturity for their respective disciplines. They must not be subjected to any training methods which are abusive or cause fear or for which they have not
been properly prepared.
Watching the video above, I was in shock. I do not understand how the FEI can stand behind this. Sealing off the area to make sure none can see how the horses are trained is truly disgusting! If you cannot stand behind the training methods- then dont use them - just some common sense.
How Adelinde Cornelissen can be awarded second place when she trains her horse like this is beyond me. I could hardly watch her ride her program as she constantly pulls her horse in the mouth which is constantly whipping its tail showing obvious signs of being uncomfortable with the way it was being ridden.
That the FEI will contineously allow these kind of training methods and even help cover up the practice in some futile attempt to state that it is non occurant is not only hippocracy but also pathetic.
Pull your straw to the stack by signing this petition aimed towards the FEI and demand action towards the rollkur practice here: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/ban-rollkur/
and look at this facebookgroup: https://www.facebook.com/DislikeFEIrules
For studies regarding the effects of rollkur on horses, I suggest reading this article: http://www.cavallo.de/medizin/neue-studie-zur-rollkur-liefert-alarmierende-ergebnisse.386954.233219.htm?skip=0 Unfortunately, it is in german, but with some help from google translate, you should be OK.
Adelinde Cornelissen and Parzival
A happy horse and athlete?
eek!
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