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It just makes me viscerally ill to here the continued abuse, and death of horses in endurance in good old region 7 of the Middle East.
I'm going to just give the short course here: It reflects on endurance riding in general across the world what is happening there. Anyone who would sell a horse to that group of people is equally as culpable in that horse's death.
FEI also has that blood all over their hands. It is so sad, so very sad.
Sadder is that our organization can't take a hard line in that regard. It is not the same sport. Let me repeat IT IS NOT THE SAME SPORT.
So why are we enmeshed with the International scene where it is about big money, prestige, WINNING at all costs. It should never be about winning. It should be about a glorious partnership with your horse, longevity, scenic trails, friends, and campfires. But yet even at the amateur level, we honor those who win. We honor those with top tens. The point system is driven by those things. This isn't a condemnation of our sport, but it is rather...thought provoking. At the end of the day look deep into those big old brown (and once in awhile blue) peepers, and feel what your horse is feeling, and know that your motivations are right.
It makes my physically queasy just to think about it. When I find out people I know have sold horses to Region VII, I lose all respect for those people :(
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