I realized this week while visiting blogs that many people aren't aware of the very lovely online equestrian magazine, Horses For Life.
If you care about partnering with your horses instead of dominating them, if you aspire to harmony and happiness when riding and working with your horses, and if you enjoy reading about these things, you'll love Horses For Life.
Nadja King, the woman behind the magazine, has been working hard throughout the FEI/rollkur controversy to bring the truth about the horrors of that practice to light. Many of the back issues have articles which illustrate in no uncertain terms the damage that is done with that kind of riding.
But Horses For Life does what I consider a wonderful job of balancing the issues so there is always something positive and beautiful to read and aspire to - as well as how we might work to end some of the very upsetting practices we see in today's horsemanship.
Two quotes from the newest issue:
What people do not appreciate is that every time a horse submits to pressure, whether subtle or overt, he is diminished.
-from Gallop to Freedom by Magali Delgado and Frederic Pignon
The first duty of a good hand is to follow the mouth wherever it goes.
-Phillipe Karl
If you haven't seen Horses For Life yet, go CHECK IT OUT.
You probably won't ever read Practical Horseman, Dressage Today, or any of the mainstream horse magazines again. And although it takes a little bit to get used to not having the magazine in your hand, think of all the resources that are not used in printing and distributing physical copies. Not to mention, seeing the gorgeous photographs on your big screen desktop is an incredible way to experience the articles.
billie hinton’s camera-obscura:
life and lessons on November Hill Farm
10 comments:
That is very cool.
I think it is great that more people are tuning into the idea of a relationship with the creatures in their life rather than a domination of them.
We aren't all the way there yet, Matthew, but there is progress!
I was going to link to a recent debacle where apparently Pat Parelli got caught up in his own frenzied drinking of the Kool-Aid and got on a young horse who was already overwhelmed at being pressured repeatedly in front of a large audience.
Parelli was bucked off.
Which made me wonder - what would we do if all the EQUINES began to rebel against the inhumane treatment they endure on a daily basis?
What a mutiny that would be. And I would be cheering from the sidelines.
I checked it out and the magazine does look like a good one. I may subscribe.
Parelli got bucked off after over-pressuring a young horse. Good for the horse!!! I'm thinking it might be a good idea to put this up, I'd like to see it. As you can tell I'm not a big fan of the Parelli's (him or her). Wouldn't it be a turn of events if all the horses who were treated badly did an about face and treated their abusers the same way.
Billie, knowing you I doubt you would stay on the "sidelines".
Arlene, believe me, I would have posted the video here (yes, there is one!) but as you might guess, it has already been taken down.
I suspect it revealed to much truth. Sigh.
Matthew, you are probably right. I would be in there fighting for the equine cause. :)
billie-
I hope you don't mind if I tell it like it is regarding this latest Parelli incident...
I watched that video, and sad to say was not surprised in the least, after the incident with the head shy horse in England last fall, and the video of Linda Parelli beating a half blind horse about it's head - I saw this video as well but it has also been removed.
Looked to me like Pat crossed the line from "passive persistence" once again.
He had successfully mounted the colt and right away put him into an extended spin. The colt finally couldn't take the pressure and went into a (well deserved) bucking fit, ditching Pat immediately, and dragging one of those extra long "special" lead lines behind him.
Pat proceeded to chase the colt around waving his arms in the air for a few minutes while the colt bolted around bucking and trying to avoid all of the crap that was in the round pen with them.
I hope that poor horse doesn't suffer an undeserved fate resulting from the damage he endured.
I say - strike three on the Parellis.
Thanks, C. I saw another video that showed the horse just after it bucked Parelli off - so I did see Pat running around waving his arms in the air but did not see what led up to the bucking/unseating nor did I see him hit the ground, which I regret!
I wrote about both the Catwalk incident and Linda's "work" with the one-eyed horse here so I agree - as if they needed 3 strikes, they now have them in my book, and it makes me sad and angry that they have so many followers who spend money and think they are getting sound training information.
The crazy thing to me is why anyone would want to take a horse, whether it is young or simply untrained, and put it in these insane "race to get them broke" competitions in round pens set up in huge, loud arenas. What does that prove except that all the humans involved are idiots?
It is crazy. CRAZY!
I don't know what to say about Parelli: it is just all so wrong and so sad.
I will check out that magazine. Thanks for the link.
Maire, I agree. You will like the magazine.
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