Post by jennyb on Jan 4, 2010 21:20:00 GMT 1
You might wish to rethink. Here is a link to an article published in the Observer this last week about the rollkur furore:
www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/jan/03/olympics-row-over-horse-cruelty
I don't normally fire off emails, but couldn't resist this time, I am appalled!!! I sent this to their info@ email address today:
Good afternoon,
I would like this email to be forwarded to your Chief Executive please.
I am emailing to express my disappointment over the comments made by one of your representatives in connection with the current argument over the technique practised by competition riders known as "rollkur". I was extremely dismayed to read the following text in the Observer newspaper:
"Supporters of rollkur say it is a tool to improve the suppleness of a horse. "In the right hands it is a valuable training method, and it cannot make a horse's tongue go blue, no matter what people seem to think," said Roly Owers, of the World Horse Welfare charity."
With this comment, WHW makes it's stance as supporters of rollkur quite clear. How can that be, from a welfare charity who exists on public donations to promote welfare of the horse?
Are you, and your staff, truly unaware of the strength of feeling against this abhorrent practice amongst the general equestrian public? I believe that statement, and your stance seemingly side by side with the FEI in defending this practice, will serve to negatively impact on your support from the public, both financial and otherwise. And I speak not only as a horse lover and classical dressage enthusiast, but also as a qualified accountant who used to act as Financial Controller for one of the national equine charities.
I wonder what qualifications and education and research Mr Owers has behind him to make that kind of statement? Does he ride to national or international level? Does he train horses to Grand Prix? Has he carried out research with good terms of reference, backed by veterinarians, into the physical effects of this training? I suspect not, to my knowledge this research has yet to be carried out.
Can Mr Owers explain why the classical schools are able to train horses to Grand Prix and beyond and be successful in both their own performances and in international level competition, without resorting to cruelty and force? If it is such a useful and harmless tool, why don't they use it?
I really think you, as head of your charity, have some explaining to do to the general equestrian public about your stance on this issue. Why aren't you sticking to your charitable objectives and promoting kind treatment of the horse, and why are you and your staff getting involved in competition and training issues, which with all due respect, I don't think you sufficiently understand? Have the FEI donated a sum of money to the charity or something? What a pity that you can't take the same stance as the BHS and thousands of members of the equestrian community in condemning this practice and demanding investigation into it.
I hope to see a change in your views in the future.
Yours sincerely,
Jenny Burgess
I think this might prove to be a serious error of judgement on the part of WHW....
www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/jan/03/olympics-row-over-horse-cruelty
I don't normally fire off emails, but couldn't resist this time, I am appalled!!! I sent this to their info@ email address today:
Good afternoon,
I would like this email to be forwarded to your Chief Executive please.
I am emailing to express my disappointment over the comments made by one of your representatives in connection with the current argument over the technique practised by competition riders known as "rollkur". I was extremely dismayed to read the following text in the Observer newspaper:
"Supporters of rollkur say it is a tool to improve the suppleness of a horse. "In the right hands it is a valuable training method, and it cannot make a horse's tongue go blue, no matter what people seem to think," said Roly Owers, of the World Horse Welfare charity."
With this comment, WHW makes it's stance as supporters of rollkur quite clear. How can that be, from a welfare charity who exists on public donations to promote welfare of the horse?
Are you, and your staff, truly unaware of the strength of feeling against this abhorrent practice amongst the general equestrian public? I believe that statement, and your stance seemingly side by side with the FEI in defending this practice, will serve to negatively impact on your support from the public, both financial and otherwise. And I speak not only as a horse lover and classical dressage enthusiast, but also as a qualified accountant who used to act as Financial Controller for one of the national equine charities.
I wonder what qualifications and education and research Mr Owers has behind him to make that kind of statement? Does he ride to national or international level? Does he train horses to Grand Prix? Has he carried out research with good terms of reference, backed by veterinarians, into the physical effects of this training? I suspect not, to my knowledge this research has yet to be carried out.
Can Mr Owers explain why the classical schools are able to train horses to Grand Prix and beyond and be successful in both their own performances and in international level competition, without resorting to cruelty and force? If it is such a useful and harmless tool, why don't they use it?
I really think you, as head of your charity, have some explaining to do to the general equestrian public about your stance on this issue. Why aren't you sticking to your charitable objectives and promoting kind treatment of the horse, and why are you and your staff getting involved in competition and training issues, which with all due respect, I don't think you sufficiently understand? Have the FEI donated a sum of money to the charity or something? What a pity that you can't take the same stance as the BHS and thousands of members of the equestrian community in condemning this practice and demanding investigation into it.
I hope to see a change in your views in the future.
Yours sincerely,
Jenny Burgess
I think this might prove to be a serious error of judgement on the part of WHW....