Walking Horse Chat "Truths" Seems To Be Wishes Instead

A recent article in The Tennessean seems to have the Big Lick crown a bit ruffled.  In response to this story, Walking Horse Chat posted a response....an ill thought out rebuttal, of sorts.  The Big Lick crowd wants to set the record straight with the TRUTH.  Upon closer examination, however, it looks as though those "truths" are anything but, and can be proven false.  Oops.

#1: (THE TRUTH- PADDED SHOES AND ACTION DEVICES ARE ALLOWED, THEY ARE JUST NOT SCHEDULED AT CERTAIN WHOA HIO SHOWS)

Not sure where that truth is coming from, as in the WHOA rule book I just counted 25 instances where it specifically states that hoof bands and/or action devices are not allowed in any classes or anywhere on the show grounds.

#2:  (THE TRUTH- WHOA WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL AND ONLY PROFITED WITH PERFORMANCE SHOWS WITH SOLICITED CORPORATE SPONSORS, AND BASICALLY WENT BROKE WHEN THE SHOW HIO WAS FORMED AND WHOA NO LONGER WERE ALLOWED TO SELL AMATUER CARDS)

Do WHOA’s recordkeeping books reflect this?  It seems as though they are doing quite well, and not broke at all…..not even a little bit.  Just how profitable are the padded shows these days?

#3:  (THE TRUTH-AS YOU CAN SEE IN THIS PICTURE JAMIE LAWRENCE’S TRUCK APPROACHES…WHY IS THERE NO TESTIMONY FROM THIS PROTESTER AND ALSO WHY DIDN’T THIS PHOTOGRAPHER NOT GET A PICTURE OF THE ATTEMPTED ASSAULT ON THERESA BIPPEN IF IT INDEED HAPPENED?)

First of all, the trial hasn’t happened yet.  That is where witnesses and additional evidence will be called upon to come to the stand to give their testimony (I believe, someone correct me if I’m wrong).  All that happened so far is that the GrandJury decided that there was enough evidence to suggest that a crime may have happened, and to bring a case against him and investigate.  Don’t get your panties in a wad trying to speed up his trial, it’s going to be just as speedy as is should be according to the law.

#4:  (THE ONLY SCIENTIFIC STUDY DONE WHICH WAS BY AUBURN UNIVERSITY SAID PADS AND ACTION DEVICES DO NOT SORE HORSES)

No, it doesn’t.  It concluded that chains do sore horses, and that more studies need to be conducted on chains and pads to conclude anything. 

#5:  (THE TRUTH-THAT AUDIT WAS COMPLETED YEARS AGO AND THE SUGGESTIONS WERE ISSUED IN WHAT WAS CALLED THE WHITE PAPER AND MANY IF NOT ALL SUGGESTIONS HAVE BEEN APPLIED)

I’m not sure what argument you’re trying to make here.  It never said that the audit was still ongoing, and it never said anything about what has and has not been implemented.  It just says that the audit is still being reviewed.  None of “truth #5” either accepts or denies, therefore it’s pretty much null.

#6:  (THE TRUTH- DEE DEE MILLER LIED…AND EVEN IS QUOITED IN THIS ARTICLE AS SUPPORTING THE PAST ACT)

Again, no.  DEE DEE MILLER personally supports the PAST Act.  She didn’t say that WHOA supports the PAST Act.  Reading for comprehension.

#7:  (THE TRUTH- WHOA ONLY GOT INTO THE HIO BUSINESS WHEN THEY PARTICIPATED IN THE DISSOLUTION OF THE NATIONAL HORSE SHOW COMMISSION AS A RESULT OF SUGGESTIONS IN THE WHITE PAPER)

How does this in any way lay false to the statement above it?  The calling out of a “truth” suggests that a lie has been told.  This is not so in this statement either.

#8:  (THE TRUTH-ANY REASONABLE PERSON WOULD KNOW THAT ANYTIME YOU CLAIM A HUGE INCREASE IN NUMBERS ALONG WITH “NO ONE CHEATED” THERE IS A LIE IN THERE SOMEWHERE)

You are speculating that there is no way possible that a show could not have violations.  Your standards must be incredibly low.  Just because you don’t believe a statement, without being able to point out a fact, it can’t be disproved.  Just because you have a gut feeling, doesn’t mean it’s accurate.

#9:  (THE TRUTH-NO LEGISLATION INTRODUCED IN  ANY CASE WHERE THERE WOULD BE “EXTRA” PADS AND CHAINS)

As I’m sure you know, the “extra pads and chains” refer to what is currently allowed in the Padded Division.  You’re just trying to twist the meaning of the statement around to mean something else, but the original statement was clear cut enough that your attempt is transparent.  No go.

#10:  (THE TRUTH-THATS CORRECT OUT OF THOUSANDS…ONLY 31 SHOWED UP)

Yet again, this “truth” does nothing to disprove or even somewhat contradict the preceding statement.  In fact, it agrees with it.  So again, no special “truth” to be found here.

#11:  (THE TRUTH-THIS PICTURE PRESENTS SEVERAL UNTRUTHS. IT DEPICS A LARGER THAN NORMAL SHOE SIZE…THE CHAIN IS LARGER THAN A 6 OUNCE CHAIN ALLOWED, AND THE FLAT SHOD SHOE PRESENTED DEPICTS A SMALLER SHOE THAN WHOA PRESENTLY ALLOWS IN SEVERAL CLASSES.)

Actually, this “truth” is absolute B.S.  The package shown is not out of sorts with what is legal in the Performance classes, the angle looks to be correct with what the horses are currently wearing, and so does the chain minus the leather straps.  Also, the horses have toes that are so overgrown that I’m sure a ‘normal’ hoof looks tiny comparatively.  But no, that horse shoe shown in comparison to the package is not tiny with the package huge.  Welcome to your own world.  Also, there is no minimum size limit to shoes at WHOA – even barefoot horses are allowed to compete so again, this “truth” is nothing but B.S. and either misconceptions or outright lies.  WHOA does have MAXIMUM size limits to horse shoes for the different divisions, and none of those maximums allow action devices or hoof bands.  Guess which division that eliminates...?

#12:  (THE TRUTH-THE CAMPAIGN IN MISSISSIPPI FOCUSED ON HARASSING A CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL TO NOT TAKE A DONATION OF $50,000 FROM THE MISS CHARITY HORSE SHOW…A CHARITY BENEFITING CHILDREN WHO CAN NOT PAY FOR THEIR MEDICAL BILLS)

First of all, there is no way to tell how much $ the show would have given to the hospital before the show was even held, unless all of the sponsor $$$ was lined up and a pre-determined donation was set up.  That theory would go to prove that the horse show itself doesn’t raise squat, the show managers begging for money from corporate sponsors does.  Also, no – the hospital was not harassed.  They were presented with facts, and they made a decision based on those facts and how they agreed or disagreed with their moral compass.  You say all the time that the “cat ladies” are completely irrelevant and ineffectual, yet now you somehow think that they strong-armed a powerhouse like the hospital into refusing a little bit of feel-good pocket change?  Puh-leeeeze…

#13:  (THE TRUTH-THE SHERIFFS DEPT DID NOT HAVE TO INTERVENE…THEY WERE DIRECTING TRAFFIC AND A PERSON WAS ACCUSED OF TRYING TO HIT A PROTESTER AND THE CHARGES HAVE NOT DEVELOPED INTO AN INDICTMENT)

Actually, the Sheriff’sdepartment is on video intervening….  They stopped the vehicle because they witnessed the driver swerving towards a pedestrian.  In case you haven’t heard, he HAS been indicted and the case will go on through the legal system.

#14  (THE TRUTH-NOT LIKELY)

Once again, that’s not a “truth”.  That’s a hope.  Totally different things.

#15:  (THE TRUTH-MAGGIE MOORE IS A LONG TIME HORSE PARTICIPANT WHO SHOWS AT BOTH WHOA EVENTS AND OTHER EVENTS THAT ALLOW PADDED SHOES AND ACTION DEVICES…NOT JUST WHOA EVENTS)

ONCE AGAIN, this is not a “truth”, as it does not contradict the statement that it is supposedly telling the truth about.  No where does the article claim that Maggie ONLY shows with WHOA.  Reading for comprehension – fail.

#16:  (THE TRUTH IS-CARL BLEDSOE WAS CAUGHT BY INDUSTRY INSPECTION ORGANISATIONS PRESENTING SORE HORSES…THATS WHY HE IS NO LONGER IN THE HORSE BUSINESS)

False:  Carl Bledsoe is still in the horse business, he's just not in the Big Lick business anymore.  The only fact in this “fact” is that he was caught violating the HPA. 

#17:  (THE TRUTH-HE WAS OUT OF BUSINESS ANYWAY WITHOUT SPEAKING ABOUT ANYTHING AND WAS A VERY UNSUCCESSFUL TRAINER EVEN WHEN HE CLAIMED TO BE CHEATING)

Well, according to show records, he sure has a lot of 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd place finishes in a bunch of classes and shows spanning from 2002-2012 including the Trainer’s Show.  How odd.

So, "truths", or wild hopes in an attempt to give the feeling of new information when in all reality they are just vocalizing out of their posteriors?  I'd say the latter.

Ride safe all,

~The Roadqueen

Barefoot Best - Testing, 1, 2, 3

Having been fascinated with everything to do with horses my entire life, I grew up as a young child reading Equine Encyclopedias, Training Texts, Veterinary Publications, Magazines and every book that my local library held having to do with horses - Fiction and Non-Fiction alike.  Didn't matter what was in between those covers....as long as it pertained to horses.  I remember how devastated I was at around 12-13 years old when I discovered that I had read everything my library had to offer.  NOW what would I read until 3am because I just can't put it down?!  Nothing else was as interesting or worth the effort.

Singular passion - I haz it

Thank GOODNESS the age of the Internet came.  Even though I no longer read books very often at all, I read as much or more than when I was a child spending days at a time with my nose in a book.  Because of the internet, I've been able to continue to expand my knowledge base every day.  It's amazing to me how much modern science has shown us that what we once knew, was wrong.  People who keep, train and breed horses are a special breed.  Despite the age of technology, much of the knowledge in the horse community is based on tradition not founded in fact.  

"Really?!"

Although I've not been an easy sell myself, one of those traditions that I have taken a long, hard look at, are hooves, and nailing metal horseshoes to them.  For centuries, man has nailed metal shoes onto horse hooves to prevent chipping, splitting and cracking.  Domestic horses have to have their hooves trimmed on a routine bases to avoid growing slipper feet - yet, their feral counterparts do not need horseshoes or to have their hooves trimmed.  They live their entire lives without ever needing a farrier.  Why is that?

"I don't know, why?"

Enter the Barefoot Movement and the ways that this movement, through scientific testing, study and observation, have decided is the best possible environment for horses to be kept in domestication.  One only has to do a rudimentary search for the terms "barefoot hoof" and they will be inundated with website after website of dedicated hoof care professionals who are preaching this 'new' way of feeding, trimming and housing our horses to allow them to have the best hooves they can in captivity.  This leads to overall better soundness and health over the course of the horse's life.

A picture of health - and barefeet

Here's the skinny of it:  Horses are designed to travel around 20 miles per day, finding food, water, shelter and so on.  They travel these 20 or so miles on most often very rugged terrain. Mustangs, Brumbys, and many other types of feral horse live in fairly arid, rocky areas.  Their hooves acclimate to these conditions, and therefore are perfectly sound and comfortable galloping across these harsh surfaces.  However, once you capture a mustang with these rock hard hooves and keep him in a pen for domestication, it will then need to be trimmed.  Why?  Lack of movement.  Our horses would not need trimmed either if they were running over 20 miles of that kind of terrain.  

Now knowing this about the feral horse populations and studying the reasons for "why" and coming up with the "how", we can see where we are going wrong for our domestic horses and why they do not have hooves as healthy as their wild relatives.  So, we nail on metal horseshoes, the holes introducing bacteria inside the protective hoof wall, preventing the hoof from flexing, contracting and expanding as we now understand is what it needs to do, reduces blood circulation in the lower extremity and keeps the frog and sole from doing their part in the program - the frog needs to pump blood back up the leg each time the horse takes a step and compresses it, and the sole needs to be able to develop a hard callous to protect the sensitive tendons and bones that are suspended inside the hoof by the laminae.

Horses shod with traditional metal horseshoes commonly have complications from this type of hoof care, but because it's tradition it's hard for shoers to acknowledge this.  Contracted heels, long toes, chronic thrush, white line disease, abscesses, sheared heels, navicular pain (generic term used to describe hoof pain), mechanical founder, bone spurs, atrophied frogs, thin soles to name a few.  All just part of keeping horses shod.  So I asked myself, "Is it really too much trouble to change?"

Low sugar diets, living space containing abrasive surfaces and tracks that encourage movement are paramount.  Performing a balanced barefoot trim using the feral horses as the ultimate goal is mandatory.  Hoof boots that can be put on for riding and taken off when the job is done while the horse is transitioning and developing the best barefoot hoof he can possibly have.  Compared to the long list of complications that I'm simply used to dealing with, is it really too much trouble for a healthier, happier, sounder horse?  No, it's no trouble at all.

Well, maybe it's a little trouble.  Let's just say, there's been a slight learning curve when it comes to handling the trimming tools.  Especially that #($*&%^ rasp.

I've got the trimming down now, for the most part.  My horse's hooves have never looked better.  He is still tender on sharp rocks, but he has hoof boots for riding where rocks will be an issue.  We go on in-hand walks on back roads so that the abrasive yet comfortable surface can help him develop that sole callous that will ultimately keep him comfortable on rocks even without his hoof boots.  The water trough and grazing areas are separate and he has to travel to the barn in order to get a drink - encouraging movement.  I have plans in the planning stages to add a large track of gravel in the most heavily traveled areas that tend to be mud pits.  Might as well eliminate the mud and grow beautiful hooves all in the same process right?

Walking down the road together.  Exercise for both of us and hoof conditioning for Guinness!

Guinness has not worn a steel shoe since the beginning of October, 2014.  They say that it takes about a year for a horse to grow a completely new hoof.  I'm confident that I'm doing right by my horse, and that we will both reap the benefits in the long run.

"Boots Are Better!  Thanks Mom!"