Page 8 - 22 February 2013

THE FEW AND THE MANY
We are reminded every day of the time when the horse was honored as a highly prized partner.
Paying it Forward
by Gloria Dow
Each year our industry honors the top few leading horses, breeders, owners and trainers. We have devoted this issue and the last to this select group
of Quarter Horse, Paint and Appaloosa Champions. The few horses who have reached the pinnacle of
horseracing may not have had to compete against each and every one of the thousands upon thousands of horses running their hearts out every day across the country, but they have surpassed them in their efforts and have received the recognition they so greatly deserve.
We remember the names of these few horses, but we shouldn’t forget the many horses who go unrec- ognized and who do not receive any honor or glory. And, just like these many horses, we should also not forget the thousands of years that have gone by since we first integrated the horse into our lives, because the horse has made an indelible impression on the very makeup of our world. We should consider what the horse has done to alter our way of living, and we should also consider what we have done to alter the life of the horse.
Arguments for when the horse was first domesti- cated range from between 4,000 and 6,000 years ago. What can’t be argued with, however, is that the lifestyle of humans changed from this point on. We were no longer ‘earthbound.’ We were now able to use the horse’s freedom and fleetness to move across the world as never before. The entire makeup of the world expanded and changed because of the horse, as did man’s concept of himself. Horses were used for transportation, agricul- tural work, and for war. We also began to use them for recreation, sport and competition.
The Bible mentions the horse many times,
from Genesis to the Four Horsemen in the Book of Revelations. In Native American culture, stealing horses was stealing power, and horses played an esteemed role in their world. We still measure an engine’s capacity as ‘horse power.’ We are reminded every day of the time when the horse was honored as a highly prized partner.
We use horses for racing, barrel racing, dressage, jumping, pleasure riding, therapy, search and rescue
operations, law enforcement, in the Olympics, etc., etc., etc.
We owe a huge debt to the noble horse. There’s no doubt they have made one of the biggest contribu- tions to the enhancement of civilization. We tamed them. We bred them. They are ours to use in any manner we choose.
Today we have many groups speaking out for the rights of the horse, such as Racing Free, which focuses on drug-free racing. The Unwanted Horse Coalition pro- vides a safety net in the industry by giving options and assistance to make sure horses are cared for throughout their lives. Many other groups focus on rescuing horses, and others still provide second-career training. There are places to go where you can register the horse you bred
so that you will be contacted if he’s ever in an at-risk situation. Then you can help financially or even take the horse back. Therapy groups use horses to help individu- als overcome physical, mental and emotional disabilities. Correctional facilities use them for inmate rehabilitation.
Industry associations and individuals involved in the horse industry are standing up against the use of illegal drugs, and more and more states are passing tougher regulations against trainers whose horses test positive for these drugs. Horses are no longer being sent to slaughter facilities in the United States. The government is looking for more humane ways to care for the wild Mustangs running free across the West.
As a society it seems we are working toward preventing neglect and abuse of our horses. We are looking for a balance between using the horse for our own purposes, and finding the grace to let them be the majestic animals that they are.
The horse was an unwilling participant when he became a part of our world. He has given us so much. Pleasure. Status. Wealth. Even their lives. They have given since that first man got on the back of that first horse. As a society, we must continue to try and find ways to quell any abuse of power or lack of respect directed toward our horses. We must find a way to give back. We must find a way to pay it forward.
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SPEEDHORSE, February 22, 2013
POINT OF VIEW