A very good point!!



I dislike people who are unkind to their dogs.......ALL people, regardless of what they do with them



Probably, .. but then I still have a lot to do with horsey folk, in all disciplines.... yes some people will keep a horse in while in work, only allowing grazing time at the end of the season..personally I never did, and most of my friends dont either.

But the camaraderie that goes on between horsey people is unique... ofcause you will get a few that bicker at others, thats life it happens everywhere.

But your gripe was , that horses get preened to ponce around the ring , like dogs.

Whats wrong with that, the horse is exercised, looked after, fed well, and loved by their owners...

Not really, my main concern is the sad little lives the ponies lead, stuck in stables, strict diets, always rugged up, if turned out-then alone to minimise risk of kicks etc, never hacked out instead walked round horse walkers...it's just not natural, and shows very shallow minded people IMO.

Neither is riding them!!

Galloping them across fields over hedges and fences in a herd is probably the nearest you can get to 'natural'!

No its not, you have said what we do to then (stable , preen, and groom) is unnatural, well if you want "natural" they were never designed to be ridden by humans,,,

I hardly call that natural, or the nearest thing to it.

I agree if horses were going to be treated as 'natural' jumping on their backs is not natural, the bit in their mouths, saddles and girths. Let them run free that is natural.
Horses well cared for and fed and groomed is not bad, it is no different than we do for our dogs, being washed and fed and stabled on cold nights is hardly a mean way for a horse to live, I am not a fan of horse walkers and keeping them stabled 24/7 is not healthy but from time to time is hardly cruel. I had a horse who had to be stabled for up to weeks at a time to be let out for an hour in the morning and an hour at dusk otherwise she would founder. Hardly cruel foundering would have been far worse health wise though.

But hang on a minute, just because you show doesnt mean you are not a pet owner?
I show my dogs, there not show dogs..they are my PETS that are shown

People are saying i dont like showing for a, b and c! and what others are trying to say is a,b and c occure in the world of people that dont show and breed also..so by saying you dont agree with people showing because of certain reasons is abit two faced..do these people disgaree with owning pets because of some owners do a, b and c..and disagree with people competing in other sporting events because of a,b and c??

Yet again like always people class ALL show people the same, all dog owners, all dog breeders, all people in agility ect are not all the same, they dont all treat there dogs the same ect..so you cant really put them all in the same boat...

(Unfortunately, there will always be the odd time when someone with a three legged dog that bears no resemblance to the breed standard will win, but that is because handler is judging breed next week and judge needs to earn a favour )

Oh dear Scorpio, are you saying that poor quality and indifferent dogs can and do win at the shows because people are doing each other favours Thats not very sporting, but it confirms what I have also been told - One lady actually said to me once (and it was at Crufts. "Its no good my showing my dog with that judge because she doesn't like me". This seems to make a mockery of the whole shebang and casts doubts as to the credibility of some judges.

The trouble is, you cant change human nature, and judges are human just like the rest of us,... no matter what walk of life you tread in..if you make enemies , you make enemies that will given the chance, pay you back tenfold.

Showing is no different..but on the whole most people are fair... yes there are judges some exhibitors may not show under.. and they will usually be because that particular judge does not like your type of dog..(when you get into it you will understand who likes and dislikes your type) so for many , its a waste to go and show under that judge!!

But remember that judge will also be an exhibitor, and if they go round disregarding to many good dogs, because they fall out with the owners.. they will get paid back in full when they come under that particular owner who is judging on the day.

People will give you all the excuses under the sun, as to why their dog did not do well under said judge.. "she does not like me" she does not like my type" its Monday and she hates Mondays" as so on.... but most of the time, its simply, because there are better examples of the breed in the ring with you.

I thought that the whole thing about being a judge (and attaining that level in the dog showing world) is that people expect them to be impartial and use their authorioty fairly. Sorry, but I still think this devalues the credibility of the judging and ultimately the show world. Judges can make mistakes, but it is not ethical to deliberately not place a worthy dog just because you do not like its owner, or its type, or you are doing a favour for another exhibitor. I think this sort of behaviour is very small-minded and petty, but as you say thats how a lot of people are (and in my book they should not be judges).