Why You Shouldn't Support Saddle Seat Riding

[@RaleighLink]

Every single negative/abusive aspect about Saddle Seat riding is addressed in this video. Video Summary: 0:00-3:35 What is saddle seat? 3:35-5:39 Industry manipulation 5:39-8:10 Exaggerated gaits 8:10-11:17 Are the horses sored? 11:17-17:08 Horse Tail Mutilation 17:08-21:47 Weighted Shoes & Zero Turnout 21:47-22:24 Horse Back Problems 22:24-25:53 *GRAPHIC Horse Gingering 25:53-26:47 Final Thoughts

[@Ash00962]

My school’s equestrian team does saddle seat. I never knew it was abusive. Thanks for making this video🙂

[@Bridgette_equestrian]

Just to let you know this channel called " saddle edits" she does saddle seat but she isn't abusive I'm subbed you should go see her channel

[@Ash00962]

@@Bridgette_equestrian is it all edits they make or do they actually ride saddle seat?

[@Bridgette_equestrian]

@@Ash00962 they do I've seen videos of her

[@Ash00962]

@@Bridgette_equestrian oh ok. Just making sure I know many people that just make edits off what they find on the internet. I’ll try to find the account and look at it. I’m not really faithful in any saddle seat riders rn.

[@topcat32349]

I took my adult daughter to a walking horse show. She had grown up around dressage, hunters, eventing, and western riding. After a couple of hours we left and I asked her what she thought. Her answer “ It’slike seeing a really bad car accident. You’re horrified but can’t look away!”

[@DeborahHamilton-q1w]

Well put!

[@ashleymeggan]

This was my reaction as well. So fkn bizarre.

[@RendaJane]

If you’re doing something to any animal isn’t for the good of that animal, that’s a procedure that should be questioned. Dobermans are stunning. And cutting ears and docking tails is not necessary in my opinion.

[@valeriefrazier7830]

One of those weighted shoes came off and was flung completely across the ring at Devon a couple years ago. It slammed into one of the spectators benches. If anyone had been sitting there, they could have been killed.

[@Ken-s6v]

I rode saddle seat. We did not ride Tennessee walking horses that are completely different and I agree disgusting. From what I understand the Tennessee walking horse shows have been shut down

[@FernandoTorrera]

There is a woman who rides a gorgeous buckskin stallion she always loses and is booed but she rides in a more humane way and her horse has a natural tail. It’s heartbreaking how the “proffesionals” always dump on her

[@daniellelee1997]

They can continue booing until they have nothing left to cheer or boo for because the ways of their disgusting sport will eventually be done away with, meanwhile the individuals such as the woman with the beautiful buckskin will prosper in the new humane saddleseat riding.

[@nicoleculp4636]

I have never been to a show where people booed at the horse and riders. Maybe it's just the shows I would frequent.

[@GoToPhx]

Any idea where she shows? I 'd attend just to clap and cheer for her.

[@FernandoTorrera]

Yeah I’ve been looking for her videos I thought I saved her stuff but can’t seem to find it maybe it’s been taken down 😩

[@nicoleculp4636]

@@FernandoTorrera Pretty trashy to boo at any horse,dog,cat ect show. As if the audience members could do better right... seems horse people can be the worst know it alls.

[@sandralogue]

Anytime you see a horse wild-eyed,slathering at the mouth and widely flared nostrils and sweating heavily you can bet they are uncomfortable and something is wrong.

[@goingferalluvs]

Only things I saw during the entire video tbh.

[@maggy1338]

I am a Veterinarian and a classical Dressage trainer for more than 4 decades and have ridden since I can remember. You have touched on many issues in the saddle seat business and I was surprised that you dwelled on gingering as I thought it was among the the least of the problems in a Saddlebred/Saddle Seat style riding/training barn. One could go on for a far longer thoughtful and true rant regarding the use of so many other disgusting and sad training methods and aids. These include but are not limited to: - confinement (due to ridiculous shoeing mostly) that is cruel and so boring that cribbing, weaving, and other stall vices insue as the horse tries to combat the boredom. - bits and bitting that are unbelievably harsh/damaging and often short cuts regarding actual training. These usually assist emmensely in either a horse entirely fearing its own bit and being a good candidate to rear or flip over backwards, or producing an extremely hard mouthed horse that is stiff and stuffed against its bits into a stuck artificial position where a rider just hangs on and allows the horse to remain this way. The bits that I would find extreme fault with and a reason to inform the local Humane Society are already legal in this discipline. - things to startle or frighten the horse like bags on whips for that purpose (not to methodically desensitize), so called trainers or their assistants out in front of (facing) an oncoming horse waving, puffing baby powder in the air , tossing firecrackers, shaking cans of rocks, etc I know I have missed a lot as these were only windows into that world that I saw and asked about while doing vet work or riding a boarder's different discipline horse. The Saddlebred show horses worked for maybe 10 to 15 minutes, appearing frazzled sweat soaked and exhausted. The rationale of lack of conditioning and all the scare tactics was explained away by their trainers as that was how they were expected to look in the show ring: Fired up and ears apprehensively forward appearing to be backpedaling while going at a good fast clip forward raising their front legs higher than they would without the fear factor. - bringing the horse's head high and back so the underside of their neck becomes overdeveloped and the topline underdeveloped from poll to tail - due to the above 1 result is really keeping the horse hollow through its back, moving its limbs more up and down than being able to push itself from behind This never helps strengthen hindquarters. Sadly when vetting or observing these classes at shows, judges appeared to be judging only the front end of these horses and a weak back end or problems not involved in the height they raise their knees were in the See No Evil zone and never faulted . - As for the term "nicking" the tail - cute word for a barbaric mutilation surgery with a more barbaric aftercare and maintenance with a tail set that reeks of sadism. I have retrained many of these horses that looked afterward similar to some of the normal moving saddlebred horses you showed clips of. It was not easy to start over but I found the Saddlebreds usually quite kind when made comfortable with their back up at the saddles underside and would train well when their trust was gained. Just being consistent, strict with them and myself and fair (where one part of fairness was a good deal of turn out to treat them like a horse) The change in physique was remarkable. They gained upper neck crest muscles, topline, and bigger gluteal, hamstring and in general larger hindquarters. I taught them to athletically stretch through their topline. They learned to be ridden up from back to front and held their head/neck carriage in an appropriate posture at a height appropriate to their individual conformation. Can't say this retraining was the favorite pastime but it was pretty rewarding witnessing the changes that made them stronger and far more comfortable. It is quite the grizzly world. Persons indoctrinated early in their lives that know nothing else may find it normal. I want to finish with All saddlebred trainers are not bad. Also there are some really brutal and bad trainers in any and all disciplines. More often it is ignorance (often fueled by judging standards) and not malicious intentions. P.S. This was an accidental find on KZbin when I decided to watch it. I am an ancient so I feel the privilege of saying what I believe anymore when asked or there is an open comment area. You really are one who comes on strong, outspoken and pretty cocky. I was pleased to see so many comments agreeing with your well done presentation as I thumbed through them expecting far more opposition. Would like to know more about your bio/ experience and will watch more of your work on you tube. Glad to see some research included and not all opinion. Nice job. -

[@Skylark19657]

Excellent commentary. Thank you for educating me

[@glxpassat]

You are confused with Tennessee Walkers and soring. Being a vet you should know that saddlebreds have this natural gait. It's not artificial AT ALL. I own a saddlebred, and she too 'naturally ' prances this way.

[@mariamiller2782]

I watched 1:29 seconds into her video.. my first experience with this person was regarding a pretty controversial clinician and I disagreed with her commentary on that one.... So, from what you say she focuses mostly on Gingering.... And I agree with what you said, all the other very the horrific training methods (which silly me, I thought they were banned?!!) seem a lot worse in comparison.. Thanks for your commentary... The hypocrisy of this KZbinr bashing some clinicians, when her potty mouth is exactly the same 😂😂😂....

[@dawnsneddon8040]

I love how horse abusers justify it to themselves by pointing out abuse in other disciplines as if that makes their abuse less or even ok

[@koalazhd4252]

not even defending saddleseat, but with how many points someone could probably make towards abuse in other disciplines doesnt that just show that most if not all disciplines have some sort of abusive side to it? not only saddleseat

[@harinu9339]

@@koalazhd4252 I think that’s not the point of the message, but you know sometimes you try to explain to someone what’s wrong in their discipline/industry but they don’t even take the time to think about it and are just like « YOUR discipline is not better » to defend themselves

[@Dicaprio-]

Exactly. Even with big lick, they say their not soaring the horses when they are-

[@cathleenc6943]

@@koalazhd4252 no, because Saddleseat is a discipline where these abuses are required in order to be competitive. In no other equestrian discipline that I can think of (including racing for the most part) is the abuse a requirement in order to win.

[@cathleenc6943]

@@Horsesforlife. why is calling attention to legal and sanctioned abuse of animals in order to put a stop to it something that can get a person banned?

[@user-digitalfarmgirl]

We had an American Saddlebred , black & white paint stallion & he was always kept barefoot, shoeless, in his 20 acre pasture. Wearing shoes while breeding, he could hurt the mare. He moved so beautifully, totally naturally, on his own. He was a naturally multi-gaited horse & watching him prance or pace up to you, hooves flying high, up to the fence, for ear & chin scratches, was always a pleasure. He was so sweet & well mannered , but still a stallion. He held his own tail high , when he galloped or loped, like a proud flag. He naturally ( not by artificial insemination ) sired hundreds & hundreds of offspring, in his 39 years of life. He's running in greener pastures now, with the heavenly herds. You were a magnificent , intelligent & fabulous animal Sturgis. I will always miss you.

[@jolena-j8e]

thats so sweet☺

[@kativasimonetta9069]

Once the tail is harnessed up, they live in it 24/7. They build a shelve in the stalls so the horses can’t rub the harness off. They chop the heels off to the hairline of the heel bulbs and leave long toes so they can weight and strap on the shoes over the hoof walls. They also put chains on the pasterns so when the horse is working the chains hit the fetlocks which hurts and makes them lift their feet high. This destroys their legs and feet. They throw firecrackers, rattle rocks in cans or use any type of scary sounding things to get more “action” out of them. I’m an orthopedic farrier and have tried to rehab some of these horses. Some as young as 3 yrs old could not be rehabbed because the damage to their legs was so debilitating and painful, they unfortunately had to be euthanized. I can’t stand this sport.

[@jennykonijnenburg3031]

This sport is not in my country as far as i know of. So i only see it on video, but i become so angry. How can a thinking creature (or are they all aliens) abuse another living being with his full mind on? I really dont get it…..

[@maggsm3392]

@@jennykonijnenburg3031 It's not in Australia thank God!

[@Ken-s6v]

We did not keep horses in tail harnesses or put chains on our horses in my barn. Our basic theory was a horse is either born with motion or it is not and if it's not it can't be learned period. If you don't believe american saddlebred horses and some other breeds like hackneys are born with motion you have never seen videos or pics of those breeds. I love how people comment on things they don't know. Saddlebreds also carry there heads high naturally unlike a quarter horse so it would be cruel to force them to carry there heads low. There is absolutely no form of ride that doesn't have some form of abuse. Where in the wild do you see a horse do the tricks they have them do in dressage or forcing horses to jump crazy heights when they can't see the jump when there right in front of it and I believe both dressage, hunters, western etc wear spurs. How is that not cruel. No as an adult the only kind way to treat a horse is basically let them live in a large field with other horses, groom them and take care of there medical and maintenance needs. I no longer ride because as far as I'm concerned riding a horse is cruel because that is not how they live in the wild it was forced on them but people.

[@montananerd8244]

@@Ken-s6vI get your point, but if we eliminate animal work & meat, do remember that cows, sheep, and great deal of horses, and other animals will eventually need to be allowed to go extinct. Wild horses are not native to the Americas, they died out 10k yrs ago, and we def can’t have more wild herds. There’s no room, the existing herds are unfortunately becoming a huge problem (partly because people do sneak horses in instead of getting them rehomed, poor things). It’s all nice to say that, but we would have to allow every sick child to die in order to pay for what you are proposing. It’s not ok to put one animal above all others because of your emotions. Esp an animal that humans have ridden for so long, I think that ship has sailed. Try telling an indigenous Western US person that they shouldn’t ride 😂😂😂 F around and find out lol

[@vivicouris4233]

I started out riding at a saddleseat barn- the horses NEVER got turn out, sat in stalls with tail sets and chained feet, the lesson horses had severe swaybacks, they used nosebands with spikes on the underside, I could go on and on. It was a highly respected barn too. Thank you so much for acknowledging the abuse that goes on in this discipline

[@bethanyjoyes2189]

not all saddleseat is like that!

[@starry1668]

@@bethanyjoyes2189 but the majority. sorry but theres HARDLY any barns that dont have at least a few abusive methods in their barn. almost every barn doesnt give turnout to their show horses.

[@that.horse.girl1299]

@@starry1668 that’s wrong my barn lets the show horses out every other day it the pasture w other horses but it all really depends on the trainer

[@starry1668]

@@that.horse.girl1299 every other day really should be everyday. how long are they in turnout? i'm gonna be real with you, there is almost no barns that dont ride hollow & disengaged horses. theres 3-4 at the most. please educate yourself on equine biomechanics.

[@schmilew1230]

@@that.horse.girl1299 turnout only ever other day is already not okay wtf

[@OpalDynamo]

When my mom was getting her equestrian degree she used to do driving (the cart behind the horse) and they’d use saddle seat horses. She always said when she’d go into their stall they’d get so angry and try to kick her because they thought she was putting a saddle on them. 😢 But once they figured out it was just a cart and harness they were much happier

[@awkwardautistic]

YES. The Saddlebreds that I worked with would freak out when I would first go into the stall. I was young and they scared the crap of of me too.. lol.

[@DianeViert]

OnNJkook​@@awkwardautistic

[@poly-phonica]

I rode saddleseat when I was a little boy and showed interest in riding horses. My parents don’t know anything about horses and didn’t know the history of the riding style, so they sent me to the nearest stables for lessons. I remember riding in really uncomfortable positions (exaggerated leg posture, back arched, hands raised) and emphasis on using the huge bits that I didn’t see in the books I read about other English riding. I remember watching training sessions of the show horses and there was so much noise, whipping, flag waving, chains, and attempts to basically scare the horse into performing while yanking their heads up. We were encouraged to use long riding whips frequently and to be very heavy handed on the bit. I never witnessed the tail nicking, but was aware of it. We were reassured as kids by our instructor and the barn owner that none of their practices hurt the horses and that their gait and movement was all natural. I no longer believe that is the case. I remember a lot of the prized show horses at that barn were skittish or outright aggressive, but just assumed it was a quirk of the breed. I’m glad I quit riding there and didn’t get sucked into the culture like I know many kids did. Moral of the story is: if you’re a parent, make sure you vet the people offering riding lessons to your kid and that they are treating their animals ethically.

[@debrabiderman4275]

Yes

[@lauriefrancisco1084]

Then you had a terrible trainer and experiences that ARE NOT typical. I owned a five-gaited Saddle Horse that was in training and I showed, along with ME being in training, and I experienced NONE of that. They did occasionally put chains on their pasterns, but they do not hurt, it only makes them aware of that part of the body and encourages to pick their feet up. I personally have put those exact chains around my wrists and ankles and shaken them quite hard to see if it was painful, and it wasn't IN THE SLIGHTEST. Also, the riding positions rae really no different than any other English style, but the saddle is different because it's much flatter and longer so the rider sits a bit further back. If you were having a great bit of difficulty with that, I hate to say it, but I guess you're just not very talented because it's not that difficult. As far as yanking their heads up, again, either a bad instructor or a terrible horse. Good Saddle Horses have a naturally high head carriage and a fairly natural high step that only needs to be controlled and enhanced a bit with training. I saw absolutely nothing cruel or outlandish in the several years that I was involved in the sport. On the other hand, if you look at Tennessee Walkers, they also have a very natural, smooth, flat gait which they TRY to make look like a Saddle Horse gait by putting them on huge stacked pads and heavy shoes on the front, making their bodies look as though their going downhill, and will even go so ar as to put creosote and other caustic things on their pasterns and just above the hoof so the chains ARE painful. They literally injure the horse. It's called soring. It's a disgusting practice to make a horse move in a way that it's not meant to do. So, before you trash an entire industry, I'd say you need more experience. However, riding English of any kind doesn't sound like your forte!

[@poly-phonica]

@@lauriefrancisco1084 Maybe you’re right that my instructor sucked. 🤷🏻‍♂️ I am just telling my personal experience after all, as many others in the comments have done on this video. The barn I attended was fairly reputable in that show world from what I was told but even though this was years ago, it’s apparent a lot of bad apples are still out there. The schooling horses I rode were long retired show animals, so that could make a difference on my riding skills, but that was of lesser importance to my overall point. The training I DID witness the active show horses go through involved a lot of intense handling (shouting at horses, intentionally spooking them with plastic bags, slapping, whips, “bumping” the reins) and equipment (draw reins, double bits, tail sets, long whips, harnesses) to generate, achieve, and sustain the gait and head carriage needed to win big shows and prize money. All those practices I find sickening - horses are sensitive and intelligent animals. And those were YOUNG horses too - some only 2-3 years old. The natural breeding and movement of the horses just wasn’t enough to make grand champions, which is what most saddle-seat show barns want. The problem is the industry still normalizes expectations that go beyond a horses natural capacity and pushes breeders and trainers to go to extremes. It wouldn’t be as bad if the actual natural action of the horses was demonstrated and desired. I’m glad the horses you’ve encountered haven’t gone through that level of pain and suffering and hopefully other barns push towards that trajectory.

[@mckennaschilling]

Horses aren’t “scared” into raising their heads. Trotting breeds have that type of headset. The loud noises are meant to get their attention and to make them perform in a way where their trotting and their gaits are accentuated.

[@kropotkinnie]

@@mckennaschilling Nope, they're scared. I've worked with saddlebreds before. That's not their usual headset at all, and we get it thru a combo of scaring tf out of them (some barns near me even chuck trash cans at the horses during training) and pulling the collection reins in severely. You'd literally never see them looking like they do outside of our manufactured bs, other than when horses get naturally spooked/hyperaware of a threat. Horse 'alertness' is just another word for scared. They're prey animals. The stuff we do to make them 'alert' is just fear based stuff. Sorry to break it to you. Most trainers will happily and readily admit to and even joke about scaring the shit out of their show horses for the looks.

[@vixtalityy]

as a saddlebred and tennessee walker owner i heavily agree with everything that you’re saying. with my saddlebred, she competes in lower level eventing and loves it! she isn’t shod and lives out in pasture 24/7 with my tennessee walker gelding ollie who is completely retired (he was a big lick rescue and isn’t able to be ridden due to the extreme trauma he faced in the industry.) my tennessee walker gelding is my best friend and was very shy and scared of life when i first got him but is not essentially a big puppy dog. thank you for speaking out about this raleigh, i definitely think much more light needs to come to this

[@sidilicious11]

You sound like a wonderful horse owner.💗👍🐴🐴

[@vixtalityy]

@@sidilicious11 thank you so much 💕 i really do love my horses and their care, happiness, and wellbeing is my top priority and will always come first with them

[@erikatowle8695]

Thank you for rescuing his poor soul, What happens to TW's is just cruel!!

[@vixtalityy]

@@erikatowle8695 it really is 😔 when i first got him he was very lame and had to be stalled until he was well enough to go out into the pasture. when i tried to saddle him he would freak out and get extremely anxious so i overall decided that he would be much happier being retired and just a companion to me and my saddlebred mare. once i worked with him more and he opened up he now comes up to me every day in the pasture letting out little nickers. it warms my heart every time knowing that he was once this horse that was absolutely terrified of life and had a hard time walking. but now he’s totally sound, happy, and retired living his best life out in the pasture 💕

[@randomvielleuse527]

@@vixtalityy I love reading this so much! Thank you for doing so well by your horses and listening to them! Well done!

[@Shanna_Blake]

I know this is super late, but here's my saddleseat story anyway. I took lessons at this Arab show barn back in the day...also late 90's. My instructor was amazing and gave me an excellent equitation background, but one of the horses she used was a retired NSH gelding that had done well in Saddleseat while he was in his prime. I never rode him in anything but a snaffle and a dressage saddle, and we got along well together. At some point the barn he was at didn't want to deal with him because he had lots of medical problems that they probably caused. Since they wanted the horse gone, I bought him and planned on letting him live his best life in my pasture along with my 2 riding horses. I took the horse home, had my vet come out and look at him, and was told that his legs and back were so shot from his previous show career that he probably would not live more than a few years with me. He was completely correct about this. So yes, Saddleseat and anything even close to it should be outlawed. Not only because of the blatent abuse that happens in the ring, but also because it can cause long-term, irreparable damage to the horses as they age.

[@cyphermage6112]

Agree 1000%. At least he ended his days being treated with kindness and care - thank you for giving him a place where he could simply live quietly for the remainder of his life.

[@celestefisher740]

I rode saddle seat for a number of years and will never forget the event that turned the tide on my opinion of the discipline. A sweet, older, “seasoned show” mare was purchased by a previous trainer of mine and was meant to be my new partner. She was lovely and patient and I couldn’t wait to learn more about her. Very shortly into her time at this farm, her pads were removed and she was placed into the paddock for a brief turn out. I was told that she had experienced very limited turn out throughout her life (she was in her 20s) due to her involvement in saddle seat showing. I received a call the following morning that she attempted to jump the fence, sustained a gruesome compound fracture in one of her front legs and had to be humanely euthanized. I cried for days. Now horses can of course horribly injure themselves under all different types of circumstances but the reality of this horse spending most of her life with zero to minimal turnout absolutely crushed me. I have showed with other saddle seat trainers who promoted natural movement and tails and general good horsemanship and hope that this will one day become the standard for these beautiful animals.

[@willow-jaynecarr8132]

That is so terrible. People seem to forget that they a living animal and need to be outside. It's heartbreaking that people focus on the cosmetic side of the sport instead of just embracing the breed as it is. They still have beautiful gaited movement and there is no need for the gait to be emphasised when its so easily noticed when its natural.

[@jbramucci1991]

A lot of show horses who live at big stables or homes do have paddocks . The ones in barns get excersized and worked a lot and very cared for. Many horses can't be loose with other ones or can get injured . I think it was an unfortunate freak accident or got spooked or chased by another horse . I doubt the trying to jump the fence had much to do with her being a show horse . It's still very sad. Some die in stalls after getting prone from rolling. They now have shelves or bumpers to help prevent that.

[@paulabrister3586]

The hair dye you use was tested on animals, so was your makeup….

[@Mimi-hn6iv]

​@@paulabrister3586 there are makeup brands that don't test on animals. Regardless, not everyone dyes their hair or uses makeup.

[@TheVickster321]

Yes!! I remember one time I was helping this woman move a bunch of hay into her barn loft and she had 5 horses. One of them was used for this and was locked in while the other 4 horses ran in the fields. It was so sad. I am sickened looking back on it. What a selfish woman she was.

[@kropotkinnie]

I refuse to state names or locations currently but I recently found out my trainer has gingered her horse... with a caustic substance you cannot legally purchase here. Found out a ton of people at my barn do it. All the ladies started talking about it once they figured they wouldn't be judged. It made me beyond sick to discover. No wonder all our horses look in pain aside from every other torment they experience. I'm leaving the barn to pursue low level jumper not for competition but to hopefully befriend some horsies in a better environment at an ethical horsemanship barn. Oh, I once saw a girl put a bike chain shank AND chainsaw bit in a tongue tied mouth. The horse looked to be in so much pain. Saddleseat riders just be abusive. I met so many nice people who turned out to be abusive as shit to animals in this sport. Not a single truly good person that I've met. I've given up entirely on it. Saddle Seat should be illegal. There's no fixing it, because almost everything about it ends up being cruel as shit.

[@madelith5834]

I rlly hope you can report it so legal action can be taken against this horror. I've seen evil shit seen as okay but this ...

[@wendydomino]

You have a moral obligation to report them to the authorities

[@nicoleculp4636]

Why? So your respect for the trainer is more important than the health of the horse? You're wrong and find a trainer with ethics

[@MoneyStrategiesSOULutions]

Wow! So sorry to hear this!

[@xXxgoatgirlxXx]

'gingering' is the act of using ginger substance, it is different than the stuff big lick uses

[@philippacheyne6039]

I can’t continue to watch this video it makes me feel physically sick . Good on you Raleigh for exposing these abuses. I must be totally naive but I had no idea that people would do things like these and think it is ok

[@darkwolf2622]

I've never heard of "gingering". What the absolute fuck, that's absolutely disgusting. That's... Beyond twisted. No words can describe just how fucked it is. Tennessee Walking horses are one of, if not my favorite breeds. And hearing just how tortured they are in the community breaks my heart. I knew about chemical soreing and already abhor that, but they have to take sexual assault as well? Then be made to prance around with a shitty human on its back? How in the absolute fuck is this okay?

[@sharonburgess9488]

The western pleasure world injects substances in the tail dock to make it 'quiet' & dead. Done wrong it permanently makes the tail unable to lift up. Real special if it's a mare. (Not!)

[@28FineLine_]

Yeah that was horrible to learn about. I don't know much about this part of the equine world, so it was a shock to me. I knew about big Lick, but not the literal SA.. What the hell

[@starsforstar]

It's so gross. I can't imagine doing that to my horse. Hope these people fall off and get some sense knocked into them.

[@UnderSuperior]

​@@starsforstar I feel like to be insane enough to do that to a horse you would have to have fallen already and had the sense knocked out of you

[@starsforstar]

@@UnderSuperior lmao probably gotta beat it back in I guess

[@scarlettpony]

I grew up riding saddleseat and would defend it heart and soul. Then I found Instagram (this was the only place I had access to this information) and learned about biomechanics and horse’s needs and slowly my perspective began to change. I bought my saddlebred as a 4 year old for showing saddleseat but now he’s eight, he’s barefoot, and he lives outside 24/7 with other horses. He does NOT have the exaggerated movements he used to (we showed in show pleasure so he had weighted shoes). We’ve been dabbling in dressage but I’m struggling to find a teacher who will teach me how to do it ethically. I refuse to go down the same road with a different discipline. Anyway I have a perspective from both sides and there 100% needs to be changes in the industry or they will keep losing people like me.

[@solangedeschatres4004]

Wow, good on you for being willing to change and grow for your horse’s well-being! That’s amazing!

[@scarlettpony]

@@solangedeschatres4004 thank you! My horses well-being is always my number one priority. I can’t deny the science that proves that what I was doing was wrong. After learning and educating myself I did everything I could to make sure he was healthy and his needs were being met. There was just no other option in my mind! Even though I honestly loved riding saddleseat, realizing that it was just me being happy at the expense of my animal, it was easy for me to make the decision to change. And I wish others would do the same.

[@jewelweed6880]

One tip for dressage, look for classical dressage instructors rather than competition dressage. Somewhere along the line they became kinda different.

[@scarlettpony]

@@jewelweed6880 yes unfortunately there’s no one in my area that teaches true classical dressage. I’ve searched high and low.

[@erikatowle8695]

Kudo's to you for being open to the truth & NOT continuing down that abusive show path👏👏💕🙏

[@ShesMrsSunshine]

I rescued a saddlebred.. he never saw a blade of grass never felt rain, they gave him a neck issue his bones crunch in the neck, he’s now living a good life and is the sweetest boy.. never going back to a cage!

[@thewerewolfofwaggawagga8818]

My problem with saddleseat is that no matter how far from big lick you take it, no matter how naturally you keep your horses or much turnout they get, their backs are being INCREDIBLY stressed by bad breeding, hollow movement, and riding on their loins, and the overlong trimming puts them at MASSIVE risk of coffin bone rotation and tendon injuries. Not to mention the massive shanked bits. Even without all the nicking, soring, tail setting, constant stabling, and weighted feet, the very basis of the 'sport' is counterproductive to the welfare of the horse.

[@sleepyguinepig1394]

Well said.

[@avaequestrian1602]

I’ve been riding saddle seat for 15 years and have only met 3 horses with back problems. I don’t know why, it must be the years of selective breeding, but it is much less common than you’d think

[@pearlshark001]

@@avaequestrian1602 you should stop

[@avaequestrian1602]

@@pearlshark001 why would I? I found ethical trainers and my horses are perfectly happy and healthy, and have been vet cleared to do saddle seat

[@hannahjans5742]

I've always thought Saddlebred horses were ugly until I saw the horses in eventing/dressage. Apparently the way they don't look natural AT ALL in the Saddle Seat industry

[@susanoverbay8119]

My horse was sold to me in 2007 as a “dead broke” American Saddlebred gelding that was gaited. He is not gaited. He was very “green”. He was three years old, that much was true. Is he still a good boy? Yes, he is the bestest boy!❤️

[@gerrycoleman7290]

When buying a horse don't believe what you are told about the horse. Tell the seller to show you. If the seller is reluctant, we call that a clue.

[@susanoverbay8119]

@@gerrycoleman7290 oh, I know that now lol. I was an ignorant 16 year old 😅 It kind of didn’t help that I bought him off a horse trader. But, he was sound and everything. He just has a bit of an attitude. It’s either from his Arabian or Appaloosa side.

[@gerrycoleman7290]

@@susanoverbay8119 'He just has a bit of an attitude.' A classic mistake that many horse owners make. It is not the horse. It is not the breed. It is not the wind. It is not the alignment of the planets. It is the person that interacts with the horse on a regular basis. Fix the person, you fix the horse. A horse is a reflection of the person.

[@susanoverbay8119]

@@gerrycoleman7290 how else can I put it? He’s not a bad horse by any means. He’s high spirited. He has LOTS of energy. This is in his blood. You won’t find a cob who has his temperament because they are a “cold” type. He’s hot blooded. There’s nothing wrong with that. That’s what I meant. Seems like you took it like “he’s a problem horse” he’s not, he’s just not for a novice. I don’t even have to use a bit with him.

[@susanoverbay8119]

@@gerrycoleman7290 honestly Raleigh’s background with Link rather mirrors my journey with Romeo. Neither of us knew what we were doing in the beginning, but we learned and grew together. Would I recommend this to others? Absolutely not. But in our case it just happened to work out and he and I (me 29, him 18) have a wonderful relationship. Some days he’s a bit spunkier than others but we still work, we just stick to groundwork.

[@HEYitsMaddy22]

I used to be a saddle seat rider .. I absolutely hate it now and I'm embarrassed to have ever supported it. My saddlebreds are now hunt / dressage horses and much, much happier.

[@caringheartsforhorsesoutre8516]

kudos to you for changing. That is a ballsy admission

[@cryalight]

Isn't there a non abusive saddle seat?

[@Agoddamnbetch]

I know this is an old comment but I had a question. How did you transition your horses into a new discipline? The barn I started to work at has had a saddle seat Arab for 2 years now and they have made no progress with him. They have a martingale holding his head down and he’s now impossible to steer or settle down. Constantly amped up. Would love to hear what you did with yours.

[@caringheartsforhorsesoutre8516]

@Agoddamnbetch time and patience does wonders. And I mean a yr or two if that is needed. PTSS can be one of the hardest things to get over or work through. Especially for an arabian. Arabians are a special breed when it comes to emotional betrayal. What works for one won't be identical for another

[@Amy.Horses2024]

I'm glad you changed disciplines but that's cool to hear your horses are in dressage.

[@alex_speedway]

I was trained to ride saddleseat when I was 13. I didn't realize just how abusive it was until I was a bit older, but I knew I didn't feel right about what my saddle club did with the horses, like putting chains on their feet and using stretchies between their front legs to make them step higher. Thankfully I knew I never wanted to compete, but I did go to one show as a groom and was absolutely sickened by the awful tail sets they wrenched onto these poor horses and the way they made them work with their necks hauled back. Every single one of the saddlebreds in my club had breathing problems. I had a saddlebred named Adam at the time who was half blind from uveitis, and I rode him true saddleseat for a few months but he was so spooky and tense I decided it was safer for both me and him to switch to western pleasure riding instead. He was the best damn western pleasure horse I ever rode. Sadly he died at 8 of colic in 2012 but I'm thankful I trusted my gut and took him out of saddleseat before we got too involved. Horrible stuff they do to those horses. I see nothing but abuse when I look back at it now and every time I think about it I apologize to Adam for what he went through before I knew enough to put my foot down.

[@alex_speedway]

@Ace Equine I understand that not every saddleseat barn was like mine but as Raleigh evidences in her video it was sadly not an anomaly.

[@connemegan1864]

thank you a lot for thinking about what is happening ..sooo many riders just stick to the stuff they are learning and dont think about the methods they use to treat the horses .. i am very glad you are one of the handfull people who is thinking :3

[@judyjay7100]

I had a similar experience, just with Western Riding. I was taught to kick, yank and underfeed horses to gain ultimate control over their mindset and body. Sadly I listened to my teacher and dir all horrible things to my own horse before she (its a mare) showed me that she was done with my BS. Thankfully I learned through natural horsemanship how to properly train a horse and treat them right. My girl and I became friends again, she is now retired and spoiled rotten. She showed me what a giant jerk I was and after I improved myself, she forgave me my actions.

[@erikatowle8695]

Glad you listened to your horse Alex🙏💕 So sad to learn most sports that have to do with horses are so abusive to the horse😒 such a beautiful animal & stupid humans think we can 'improve' them.

[@melsroomm]

@ae saddle seat has a bad rep because it is just overall abusive bro 😭 I haven't seen 1 person riding saddle seat in a way that isnt abusive

[@janebenami3342]

I grew up showing American Saddlebred’s. I was just a child and didn’t know much better. I even rode at the World Championship s in. Louisville Kentucky. Som that demonstrates how deep into riding my family was. As an adult, I can tell you I could not agree more. The abuse is terrible. Along with the abuse to the horses. I would also like to mention the abuse to the riders. It took me years to overcome. When you win you are the trainers next superstar have a bad class and you are knocked down. I was made to Practice riding with a piece of straw in my mouth so I would keep it back and a whip in my back to sit up straight. This damaged my pelvic floor. So, all around there is abuse and as human beings we can do better. In Christ’s Love, Jane

[@scarlettredding]

Same I rode saddleseat briefly as a kid and my mom was great but those show moms be crazy and abusive to their kids too

[@janethompson2305]

My heart is crushed listening to this video & reading comments.!!! I'm angry that this gross BS is going on & covered up.!! Why is it that these thugs aren't stopped of this lewd behavior.?? For sure, they should be arrested & charged w/some kind of animal sex abuse charge as well as every charge they can be charged with.!! The horse Judges, Farriers, Veteranians, horse owners, trainers, stable hands & ANYONE ELSE physically on the premises should all be arrested & charged as doing these acts &/or being on the premises as this goes on.!! If anyone is there for business or knows of this going on at these farms & shows THEY R GUILTY OF IT TOO.!! IT SHOULDN'T BE EASY FOR SOMEONE TO NOT BE ARRESTED & CHARGED.!! IF THEY R THERE THEY HAVE TO KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT THIS GROSS LEWD BUSINESS BCUZ IT'S NOT A SECRET.!! GUILTY BY ASSOCIATION.!! U COULDN'T EVER PAY ME ANYTHING TO SHUT MY MOUTH IF I KNEW SOMEONE WHO DOES THIS.!! I'M SICK OVER THIS & IF I EVER KNOW OF SOMEONE DOING THIS I WILL BE UR WORSE NIGHTMARE.!! I PROMISE U.!!

[@Mimi-hn6iv]

I was made to cry soooo many times as a kid, by my abusive instructors. Theu made Abby Lee Miller look sweet. It's also crazy how these barns abuse child labor.

[@wakingohiomama9110]

I know what you mean. I never rode saddle seat in a show......but I know about MY training. I too have pelvic damage. But honestly it was worth every second I got to have these beautiful creatures in my life!

[@piailsley7774]

😭

[@HeyHayles7]

I remember visiting a barn that rescued Saddlebred horses from this torment, back when I was in Pony Club. The owner described the horrific crap they did to this beautiful breed. I swear I remember being told their eyelids were sometimes trimmed so that they had that wide eyed look. Is that something you came across at all in your research or am I remembering things wrong? I'm so glad that you're making these videos! My boyfriend, who has no horse knowledge/experience, is always just in awe at how unnatural the riding looks and how some people treat horses in the industry! Just goes to show you how obviously abusive it is! Sickening! 😢

[@BI1zz4rd]

Yeah, They say the gates are gorgeous (I’ve seen comments) BUT the gates look SO fugly! (Funny and ugly)

[@nyapkin]

As a non-equestrian (I've probably only touched a horse twice in my lifetime), I don't understand the defense of "it doesn't bother the horse" for untraditional shoeing. I have a few pairs of chunky platform shoes, but I would absolutely not wear them for even a whole day, especially if I'm moving around a lot. As much as I love them, they get incredibly uncomfortable (sometimes borderline painful after too much walking). If something as simple as adding extra height to some converse hurts, I can't imagine how uncomfortable it'd be for the horses to constantly wear those horseshoes with no relief

[@katrinascarlet5637]

I like your high heel comparison. People also walk funny with heels, no wonder the horses gate is so off

[@Thesouthern8099]

Good analogy. The truth is IF your horse has a good, strong foot and IF your horse has a good anatomical angle throughout the legs the show shoes have little affect. It's when shoes become the means of improvising athleticism to a horse lacking certain physical attributes, that problems can arise. I used to spend $250 on said show shoes for my mare. Glad I quit!!!

[@smellsbad2742]

As an equestrian, it’s because the people who use that defence are egotistical and think others are gullible enough to believe them.

[@erikatowle8695]

Well said👏👏👏

[@Purplesquigglystripe]

Sad how people take advantage of the docile nature of horses. Horses put up with so much crap

[@ZielOmizu]

I have two things to say about this: 1) The barn I volunteer at has a Tennessee Walker horse, kill auction buy, we believe use to do Saddle Seat - we don't know if his tail was nicked or not. He is now barefoot, and ridden with proper posture (either in a normal Western / English saddle, or a bareback pad). He is still gaited, and he still holds his head high, and he still acts anxious when riding... BUT his movement isn't NEARLY as exaggerated as horses in Saddle Seat shows, and the his tail never lifts higher than to the same level as his spine. So, yes the running walk may be inherited (it's genetic to a handful of breeds), BUT the movement seen in Saddle Seat shows is NOT natural. 2) Draft Horse halter and breed shows are guilty of weighting their horses hooves to increase movement, too. They'll let the feet grow long, and make them flare out to put these huuuuge, heavy square shoes on them. The excuse they use is "It's so they grip better for pulling", BUT - horses doing extreme weight pulling competitions do NOT have these huge, exaggerated feet. Horses doing extreme driving competitions *might* have squared off shoes, but they do NOT have the huge amount of overgrowth seen in the breed shows. And if you watch these breed shows, and you watch the high-stepping movement... you'll see that the horses "flick" these giant hooves when picking them up... just like the Big Lick horses do. Thankfully, Docking is less prevalent in modern day shows, and banned in many. They just shave half the tail instead so they can still have the "traditional" look of a short tail and a bun. The Equestrian industry overall needs to evolve and have an overhaul. They need to mature, learn some empathy for their animals, admit what they've been doing is wrong, and make MASSIVE changes to their rules and what their judges look for in their shows and their horses. I'm not against looking for movement, but it needs to be COMPLETELY natural. I'd love to see Saddle Seat and Draft horses show unshod, ban "cosmetic" surgery and *any* amount of force to lift the tail, and throw the Saddle Seat saddles and bits in the trash.

[@janethompson2305]

OMGOSH.!! GOD BLESS 🙌 🙏 ❤️ 💖 THESE LOVING ANIMALS ❤️ 😍 💖 ❣️ 💕 💘 ❤️

[@missminx6984]

Seriously thank you for exposing these horrible practices & the fucked up humans that do these things. I am a beginner rider and have been actively around horses for the past going in 7 years. I am a late bloomer and only started actually seriously riding with a trainer that I trust and respect for the last 7 months. She told me about 80 percent of people involved in the equestrian world are horrible abusers, I didn’t want to believe it but the more I research and open my eyes she is being generous unfortunately. It’s because of people like you that we can come to terms and change these practices and give dignity back to these phenomenal creatures

[@savannahross2061]

I just saw this video today, I am a saddleseat rider since basically birth, and she is honestly correct as much as I want to go to bat to defend saddleseat. but there isn't much to defend. there is a lot of inhumane practices and procedures that go on in the saddlebred world. I can't say that any of what Raleigh said/explained isn't the truth. I own a saddlebred myself and she doesn't move like the ones you see in this video Never would I do "tail nicking " or use "ginger" on my horse , she lives in a pasture eating grass hay and grain living her best life. end story saddleseat has abusive tendencies and is a troubled side of the equestrian community unfortunately

[@themarksmn4181]

Maybe its because I grew up riding "western", but Ill maintain 2 things" #1 This is absolutely abuse....Much like Rollkur. #2: Those of you that agree thats its abuse but still go to/watch/support/supply the bastards that use/allow/condone it are just as fucking worthless as those that utilize it. From the "kids" being taught that its "ok", all the way to the adults paying for the horses/classes or even as their career. If you still support this "sport", you are a pretty shitty human.

[@gaylethompson4003]

.... tendencies???? ... did you view the whole thing ???

[@savannahross2061]

@@gaylethompson4003 yeah lmao

[@danfeuer5527]

Hi Savannahross how are you doing?

[@kropotkinnie]

​@gaylethompson4003 She used the right word? Tendencies means something they tend to do. Implying that abusive practices are commonplace and recurring lol. "The saddleseat world has abusive tendencies" is a 100% accurate statement.

[@brennadavies2716]

Last year I was offered a job at a well known and respected saddleseat barn. I've never found the sport interesting but I thought since it was a good opportunity that I'd try it out and maybe come to love it. I ended up asking them to find me a replacement after my first week because I couldn't morally justify working there. I was absolutely appalled to find out that the horses were stalled 24/7 unless they were working or got 5 minutes to run in the arena, even the yearlings. They all had cross ties in their stalls and would sometimes be left on them for hours while they waited to go to the arena to be trained. Their shoes were massive, and the justification for them being stalled constantly is that they'd pull their shoes if they went outside. (I was also told while I was telling them I couldn't comfortably work there that they preferred that lifestyle because they were bred to be "the peacocks of the show world" which is absolute bs). Nearly every single horse had behavioral issues: biting, kicking, etc., and who could blame them??? So most of them wore hobbles in their stalls, some had them on all four feet so they wouldn't break their stalls down. And the tail set contraptions were on a few of them. They were kept on the horses the entire time I worked there which ended up being two weeks. Its like a sling holding your finger hyper extended for god knows how long. Something else I still think about all the time is when I was untacking a horse I had to call someone else over to help me undo the noseband. It was on so tight that I physically wasn't strong enough to take it off. I'll never understand the appeal of a sport that treats animals like expensive cars that have no emotions or needs outside of food and water. It was really an eye opening experience.

[@ageverett5935]

Which barn?

[@Flackojodiie]

Crying rn 😢🤢

[@kropotkinnie]

@@ageverett5935 All of them. I've been to plenty and all do this stuff. It's a norm within the sport. As an adult, I was often told not to tell younger students some of this or to make excuses, hence a ton of saddleseat kids not believing this happens at their barns. It does, just behind closed doors and with plenty of excuses.

[@ageverett5935]

@@kropotkinnie I was curious because I have grown up riding saddle seat with a barn that doesn’t do that kind of stuff like some of the other barns do

[@kropotkinnie]

@@ageverett5935 While I hope that is true, and it could be, I'd be wary. Esp if you grew up in it, it's likely you've been lied to at least a few times and have had things justified to you when you were young that feel normal now. I've met so many saddle seat kids who don't know mule mouths and bike chain bits are animal abuse because they were raised using them in lessons. Lots of kids who get raised into tying tongues so they can't escape harsh bitting, tail nicking and setting which has been proven to damage the spinal cord, and even just setting the saddle too far back on the horse as seen in the highest classes, which causes swayback. Lots of saddle seat kids who grew up into it also buy into the idea that stacks (what we put on the front hooves of some show horses, and yes, they are called stacks behind closed doors) are just "pads" used to absorb shock. So many kids I spoke to genuinely believe that saddlebreds have different weight distribution and force in action than most breeds (they don't, despite being naturally higher stepping and high-set), and actually Need those pads to absorb the shock of their footfall. Scientifically speaking the pads do none of that, and actually add on lots of weight which pushes the horse further onto its back legs (actually very similar to lameness) and causes weighted stepping, which forces the horse to throw their limbs more. This actually creates hyperextension in the limbs because they can't naturally support the stack weight or, more specifically, the force created every time they step in 'pads'. Creates extreme lameness in the back end over time. They're not big lick stacks, obv, but they're actually very similar both in construction and purpose, only about half to three fourths the size. Children growing up into the sport are told so many excuses for the pads, but adults behind barn doors talk openly about how we exclusively shoe our horses like this to create artificial action. Our barn (in California) actually got furious when rules were instated that forbid we further stack our horses pads than we already had (too much already), because they wanted higher action in some of our younger horses and horses who had developed lameness. We told the kids none of this. We raised them into thinking all of it was natural and normal and did not hurt the horse, but honest to god we all knew and I can't count the number of times the adults admitted to it all in private w me. Feel like the biggest one that I'd guess even you probably still buy into - which isn't your fault, you've been raised into this, btw - is the headset 'natural' thing. A lot of people still say saddlebreds in saddle seat assume their headsets naturally and that level of hyperflexion is normal, and not caused by harsh bitting and rein position, but that's absolutely false. Most often the 'comparisons' to 'natural' saddlebreds involve photos of saddlebreds being frightened into lifting their necks (common thing you can do with any short necked horse as well) or foals, whose skeletal and muscular systems are so different from adult horses that headset on any breed foal is higher than adult horses. The reality is that the way we hold the reins in saddle seat (think how high we lift them to our waist), shortness of said reins (how we collect them until there is barely slack), and how we utilize the shank portion of the show bridle (pulling the horse into forced collection) is super unnatural and forces the horse into a difficult to maintain posture even for saddlebreds. Their head sets are normally quite similar to that of other horses when they are calm (seriously, check out western and dressage saddlebreds. Jumpers too. Or watch them in a pasture!), just longer and SLIGHTLY higher. We force the unnatural show headset 100% and the position is entirely comparable to rollkur and achieves the same fake collection at the expense of comfort, breathing, and movement for the horse. You also probably were told often that saddlebreds are a naturally excited breed, with wide eyes and high heads and nostrils flared. Maybe you were told they enjoy showing - a horse with ears forward must be happy (except actually, pinning ears is only for certain communication, and ears can be alert/up when a horse is in extreme pain and fear), or that they behave this way out of the show ring. I've worked with a ton of saddlebreds both for showing but also just at rest in pastures (not showhorses, who are kept in stalls like prisoners, which legit creates proven emotional trauma similar to that of imprisoned humans) and the breed is actually quite calm. Those expressions we see from the competing horses are of pain, fear, and stress, not of excitement at showing, a concept they do not even understand, or of happiness, something which horses express through lidded eyes and soft nostrils. We have just endlessly justified our actions by telling young riders that saddlebreds emote like this naturally, when they actually behave much like any other horse. I'm not saying all this to rag on and on, but instead to point out how even though you may think your barn doesn't do this stuff, that's not entirely correct, and even the baseline common saddleseat practices are pretty harmful and scary for the horses. A lot of things you likely have grown up viewing as okay because you were raised into it are actually really problematic. That's not to say your stable gingers or nicks or overstacks (though on the west coast, most if not all stables do without telling the kids or many riders) but it is to say there are things you've likely been told all your life are alright by this community that actually genuinely are not. I want to be clear and make sure you know this is not a moral judgement of you or anyone else who grew up into saddleseat. I love the vibes of shows and love so many of the people I have met at them. The kids and riders who grew up into this are innocent. Just taught incorrect, and sometimes awful things. I don't doubt you're a very good and kind person who loves your horses! But I will say I'd recommend questioning certain common saddleseat practices and asking yourself if some things you believe may be untrue. The saddleseat community sugarcoats and uses codewords for so many forms of abuse, and especially if you're a kiddo there's a hefty chance you're not being told the truth all the time. I am a saddleseat lover and think that while things need a MASSIVE overhaul (the sport needs to look way different from headset to saddle position to no more stacks) for the benefit of our horses, I love it and want to see it change massively, not disappear. I hope that in the future generations like yours will vastly improve it!

[@kissabus]

My mother helped my father with his Saddle Seat endeavors before I was born so we are taking the 80s in the piedmont of rural North Carolina. Today I was telling her that the barn closest to us does Saddle Seat and I am nervous to seek their help for lessons. She immediately went into great detail about how my father would practice. She started with chains and pads and ankle braces. She then went into the tail brace and and even remembered the two incisions required. She used the word “pull a shoe” despite being out of the sport for over three decades. She remembered that my dad would also put something in his fingers and shove it in their privates. Just another bullet to add to the daddy issues. Poor horses. Sheesh.

[@Shinysquarepants]

I would go insane if i were you.. hows it holding up now? Edit was for autocorrect being an ass🤦🏼‍♀️

[@sarahg.7944]

I rode saddleseat for 10 years growing up. I have now moved on after realizing I did not like how the horses were treated. The no turn out during show season just was awful to me and created a bunch of super hot horses, with a breed that is already high energy. But, I will say I have genuinely never heard of the gingering thing. I’ve been in numerous show barns and I’ve never seen it or heard of it. So, I don’t really thing people aren’t bringing it up on purpose, I think they just have never heard of it in all honesty. I could be wrong but that’s what I think :) great video

[@aerisiero1293]

My first horse was a Saddlebred, unfortunately he passed away in 2019 and I knew watching this video would be hard on me because I love the breed so much. I never wanted anything to do with the saddle seat community because even as a young novice rider when I first got my Saddlebred, I thought it looked wrong. I have been around many Saddlebred’s in my now twenty years in the horse community and they are still by far my favourite breed. Saddleseat is.. for lack of a better word; fucked. When you know the breed and you know their personalities, their big hearts and goofy ways, and you see that stress and tension in their body when they’re in saddle seat, it just breaks my heart. Thank you so much for touching on this, this video really hit home for me, I cried during your examples of natural saddlebred movements because it just reminded me of my boy and how he would dance around when he was happy with his tail and head held high. I miss him more than anything. This breed deserves better.

[@m6666]

I'd say every breed deserves better. That includes dogs and cats which are over bred and for a lot of the wrong reasons.

[@rmf7332]

Thanks to you for shouting all this out loudly, Raleigh!!! The whole business is unbelievable abusive, 😱😰😭cruel and awful and leaves me speechless once again ...

[@twnki3]

The whole business itself is not cruel, there are some barns that don't nick tails, ginger or do anything on this list.

[@Kas873]

I couldn't even get through the first 2 minutes without crying. Just seeing the unnatural way the horses are made to move. I did Hunter/Jumper growing up, and I remember at some shows, there would also be SaddleSeat simultaneously in other arenas. I remember walking through the barn where they were stabled, and all the curtains on those horses' stalls would be closed, so the horses couldn't see out. I reached my hand through to pull the curtain back to see the horses, and was horrified. They were kept with metal bars on either side of their neck, forming a sort of neck brace, forcing them in an unnatural headset. Their feet were also chained, & they were just left in a dark stall, unable to move freely, until it was time to perform. Animal abuse. No wonder the curtains were kept closed. This was in the late 90's & early 2000's before social media. I hated Saddle Seat then, and hate it now. So grateful to see the level of awareness is going up!!

[@emilycorwith1119]

What a horrible thing to be exposed to as a young person!!

[@jasminechen009]

Huh I've never seen anyone use a neck arced before

[@MoneyStrategiesSOULutions]

Wow horrifying!! So sorry....!

[@lucindra766]

These horses are naturally gaited.

[@jasminechen009]

@Horses and Co yea but I rode saddleseat at multiple barns and have been to many saddleseat shows and I've never seen a neck brace

[@spellywelly]

Gingering definitely still happens. I’m a Brit and SO far removed from the saddlebred and big lick worlds - but I first came across gingering when I was 16 and was advised by a breeder to ginger my Welsh D’s tail before showing her in-hand. I don’t know anyone personally who’s done this but it stuck with me, because I had no clue what it meant. Later, I encountered an arab breeder who talked about gingering. Seems it’s a widespread and international practice, amongst psychopaths at least. WTAF.

[@adventuresinblackandwhite]

This is true - gingering in the Arab showing is a world wide practice. It's sick.

[@blauespony1013]

Gingering was even done in the middle ages to turn a rather lame and calm horse into a fiery one. Thought we had outgrown the practice. Obviously we have not.

[@barbarahendryx809]

Me still trying to figure out the first human to do this and how they knew it would do that🤔 Were they all out if cucumbers that day🤷. Humans are vile creatures.

[@blauespony1013]

@@barbarahendryx809 I mean, have you ever cut ginger or other spicy things? You learn where to touch and where not to ... applying that principle onto other areas is a thing humans were always good at.

[@michellemullin7127]

Most Arabian babies in hand are all gingered.

[@jacquelineyoung6817]

I used to ride Saddleseat for other people when I was a youth. When i got my own horse I decided to show only in classes called "Country Pleasure" rather than "English Pleasure" or "Park Horse". In this class the horse is judged on it's natural abilities and appearance for riding and driving. I felt this was a more ethical option. It would be great if all the classes were judged this way. Another unethical training method is the use of "quarter boots", a weighted bell boot with a long elastic (surgical tubing) that attached the boots to one another. When the horse takes a step, the other front hoof gets snapped back up quickly to create that springy high stepping action. It creates muscle memory and you see the results when the horse is showing. Their necks are also "sweated" to decrease the fat in the neck so they can maintain a severe/ high "headset", tucking their head in tightly towards the neck. This requires wearing a rubber or wool wrap strapped around the neck to increase heat in that area. They actually had to make a rule in the Arabian world that any signs of cosmetic alterations would disqualify a horse - people were getting liposuction on their horses necks! There are also some rules now about not being allowed to whip your horse prior to entering the show ring. Obviously, this was a regular practice that they had to clamp down on. I have seen this done many, many times and I was even forced, as a junior rider, to whip the horse I was about to show, in the neck repeatedly to get her pumped up for the show ring. I could never bring myself to do it very hard, as it was against my nature to do so, so the trainer would just take over and "do it right". I only ride for pleasure now and offer therapeutic riding and driving to children. I believe these practices are all cruel and unnecessary. The worst part is these horses are mostly stabled (imprisoned, essentially), due to the heavy shoeing and tail sets, let out only for the purpose of being worked and shown. I quit my job at a Thoroughbred racetrack for a slew of other unethical practices. P.S. Have you done any research on the PMU Farms? "Premarin", the hormone therapy drug many older women receive (stands for Pregnant Mare) as well as birth control pills and implants. Mares are bred in order to harvest their urine containing the hormones. The foals are considered a waste product. This industry is fraught with abuse and the unethical "disposal" of newborn foals. There are synthetic alternatives available. Many women are not aware of how this drug is sourced. There are some PMU Rescues for the foals but many others meet a tragic end. Jacquie

[@kristenkaz3080]

Jacquie, my first eventer mare was a PMU foal. She was gorgeous & the eventer barn I was in thought she was “amazing”, until they found out I bought her $2,500. Sadly most of these babies were sent to France for consumption. PMU’s are no longer as popular as the synthetic hormones were found to cause cancer. I definitely do not recommend this for the horse industry. I’m just glad I rescued one out of the pipeline.

[@dragonstooth4223]

I firmly believe if someone needs to alter the horse in anyway then they don't love horses they love winning and peacocking, I happened to click on the saddlebred world championships (I find it ironic as I don't think there is any saddlebred riding outside of the US or very very little) and noted that there was almost no crowd watching. it looked like just the people who came with the riders. I guess that ribbon is all that matters after all

[@moccasinlanding]

Yeah, I knew the source of Premarin a long time before I was a potential candidate for using it. I simply refused to take it. I consider the "harvesting" of the mare pee would require the equivalent in the horse world to "puppy mills" in the canine world.

[@lisabrady8229]

Same here! No pads and a natural long flowing tail! Won top every show I rode in!!!!!!!

[@debbismirnoff1424]

So so happy to see your video! Those horses have been abused for YEARS! No one has done anything about it. I’m 73, when I was 20 I went into a saddle seat horse barn and I couldn’t believe my eyes that they put heavy weights on each hoof and the poor horse just drags around. I’m told it is for when you take the weights off they throw their legs high…..it’s torture people!!!

[@jenniferskroski2129]

My friend who rode Saddleseat told me about the Ginger, I was kind of in shock almost disbelief but I always wondered how their tails got pinned up so high and up until watching your video and seeing that contraption I did not realize the extent of it thank you for posting this. Why can’t we just let our horses be The beautiful animals they already are ?

[@lauryn877]

I’ve never heard of it before as a saddleseat rider, it is disgusting but knowing my barn and other local barns don’t support it is great for me

[@eventingthedude]

There is a saddlebred at my barn that one of the trainers rides. He is very young and sweet. He does have a natural high stepping gate but he isn’t used for saddle seat he is a dressage horse.

[@moonsmilk333]

I rode a saddlebred mare for 6 months. We were working on re-training her from saddleseat which she had just done a little of in her youth, and wow, she was a nervous wreck sometimes, but she was hands down the most sensitive, playful and loving horse i've ever worked with. She also had lots of energy and would be happy to go out on the trails all day, which is what she mostly does now. They are wonderful horses to rescue and I wouldn't hesitate to buy my own.

[@nadirgq9427]

I use to work on a stable in England where I was told how to 'liven up' dull horse for sale - which included gingering. I was told is was more 'humane' than what use to be used for the same result in Victorian times; a live eel. Gingering is also called 'figging' in other circles (and the BDSM scene). Thank you for calling these practices out, its important to shine a light on these vile and pointless acts.

[@jessieflanders7671]

Wowwwww. When I was a teen, I worked with a trainer who had a gorgeous gaited saddlebred and got to dip my toes into saddleseat…and NONE of this shit was happening (but also I didn’t show and it was totally casual). The horse was allowed to be a horse and move in a way that was natural to her, just with some light collection and guidance) so it was lovely. Thank you for raising awareness! This is insaaaaaane..

[@annpalmer7470]

We had a beautiful and naturally spirited Saddlebred horse growing up. She was gaited and a joy to ride. Never could I imagine anyone treating such a beautiful creature so cruelly; obviously, we weren’t aware of the workings of Saddle Seat competition. Thank you for this revealing exposé. I hope anyone who sees this will help spread the word and push for the ban of these horrific practices. If the sport if allowed to continue at all it should only be with horses in a natural state with beneficial training.

[@jules8299]

I am owned by a 10 year old Saddlebred mare. She is amazing. They are so gentle and love people. I transitioned her to a bitless bridle. She moves with so much grace. She carries her head and tail high. I love watching her move. Riding her is such a joy. I believe my Morgan gelding had his tail nicked. He's super sensitive now. He was an Amish carriage horse.

[@faithcrisis2138]

Earlier today, I responded to your poll stating that the "sport" looks stressful on the horses and IMMEDIATELY I was responded to as though I can't recognize stress in animals by people defending this practice. All I had to do was a little bit of research and, as an animal advocate, I can tell this is messed up

[@katrinascarlet5637]

Dancing in platform shoes with the base of my spine cut all while a chunk of fresh ginger is up my hooha definitely sounds stressful. Doesn't take a vet degree to come to that conclusion.

[@maggiekeziah5095]

@@katrinascarlet5637 everything you just mentioned doesnt happen.

[@Roheryn100]

@@maggiekeziah5095 Extreme shoeing happens. Gingering happens.

[@maggiekeziah5095]

@@Roheryn100 but its very very rare. Instead of gingering, it is more common to slowly strech the tail.

[@Roheryn100]

@@maggiekeziah5095 Sigh. 🙄 You should learn not to speak in absolutes. You conceded that it happens, when you originally said "never".

[@oranges8302]

I first learned about gingering clear back in the 1960s when I was showing jumpers at our state‘s state fair. During our downtime, we’d walk around and look at the other horses and talk to other horse people. When I first heard about what gingering a horse is, I couldn’t believe it. It’s fifty years later, and I still can’t believe it.

[@markleeswatermelon2052]

I have been riding saddleseat since I was 7 and I agree with you. Growing up, saddleseat was all I ever knew, and the people at my barn take amazing care of their saddlebreds, so I started showing. I quickly realized that many other saddleseat riders are not as kind to their horses as my barn is, and I've witnessed straight up abuse multiple times at shows. I eventually got so disgusted with the saddleseat show environment that I stopped showing. I still enjoy saddleseat, however I'm starting to lean more towards other diciplines. I'm actually adopting my first horse next week, who is a saddlebred and I've already decided he will not be a saddleseat horse and we will not be showing. I'm hoping to transition him to bitless once I buy him, and begin him as a hunt seat horse. I'm forever grateful that I picked the right barn that prioritizes the horses over anything else, and got the right education on how to ride saddleseat the PROPER way. With that all said, YES saddleseat can be a fun sport and will teach you a lot about the unique ways of the American Saddlebred. But NO it is absolutely not always a good sport to surround yourself with and it can many times be abusive. If you're going to ride saddleseat, do your research! Find a good barn that knows how to properly take care of their horses, and acknowledges/stays away from the toxicity in the industry

[@ageverett5935]

What barn did you ride at?

[@bcgrote]

A declawed cat can still "scratch" or "sharpen" its claws. But we know declawing is amputation. Just because a horse can swish its tail doesn't mean it hasn't been tortured! And if it's unable to move its tail while in the contraption, it can't swish it!!

[@Gnome-wj8km]

As a first year showing my horse, I ride and show saddle seat but it is almost nothing like this. This is the high class show like at state or high class shows and these horses that are shown are trained for this and know how to do this correctly, My horse and I are not like this at all at a show, My horse is gaited but makes me tell him to gate or not, I find this a little untrue and unfair. He is a morgan. I have NEVER been hated on in my time of showing. It is NOT all saddle bred horses doing this sport. My horse loves what he does and people online ask me “How do you know that?” I only know that because he is blind in one eye and if he didn’t like it he could seriously injure me or worse. I don’t do anything to my horse but show him, I do not put shoes on my horse or anything else. It may look like we sit so far back on the horse but It’s the coat that makes us look like that. I HAVE NEVER EVER PUT ANYTHING IN MY HORSE THAT IS NOT SUPPOSED THERE. AND I HAVE NEVER PUT ANYTHING IN MY HORSE BOOTY. I do have a saddle bred horse that I am going to start showing and I will NEVER do anything such things that you have shown with my horses. No Thank you Your saddle seat friend

[@woofcartoons]

Slay.

[@suetwoponi8163]

I sure hope you hold onto the good way of their natural gate

[@Gnome-wj8km]

@@suetwoponi8163 I do, and now that my Morgan horse is older, I don't make him gate, he now just trots so that he is more comfortable. And for the Other horse, I've decided to not show him yet due to him having really bad anxiety when it come to new places.

[@erismarriott5875]

I do appreciate you mentioning the natural movement, btw. I feel like Saddleseat riders and critics focus too much on that and not the real issues of abuse and mistreatment that go on.

[@Saerise]

I own a TWH gelding and a Saddle mare and I’m so glad to see this discussion happening. Used to board at a barn that was mostly saddle seat and big lick. It was really upsetting to see up close. Lots of the same stuff going on with both of them. Saddle seat is just as bad. Plus the saddle seat riders look like weird turtles riding horses and it just looks ridiculous.

[@sheena1960]

Utterly disgusting this needs to be banned .. its cruel and barbaric

[@Amy.Horses2024]

Ugh I hate saddle seat and big lick there both like Ew and like why aren't they banned tho?

[@michellegoodrich7115]

Add to the above, a tennis ball, cut in half and each half is placed over each eye so that when they are removed right before a class, the horse's eyes are more "expressive." Also, tying the tongue with shoe string to "keep the horse from getting the tongue over the bit." I've seen blue tongues (back in the 70s when I was at a saddlebred barn in high school). Twisted wire snaffle bits. Thank you for this video.

[@clare8146]

I appreciate you making these videos because the main equine industry I’m aware of it’s abuse history is just the racing industry with thoroughbreds. All these other breeds unfortunately seem to have their own industry they get abused in that aren’t discussed as much

[@dinosaurwoman]

I was in the TWH industry for about 20 years, and I worked with lobbyists and Congress to end soring. You are 100% right that it's the shoeing that is the problem in saddleseat, NOT soring. Big Lick horses are sored, along with a lot of Plantation and flat shod horses (they are "pressure shod" or "road foundered," other forms of soring), and those breeds are mostly Walking Horses and Spotted Saddle Horses. Soring is only done to a horse that naturally paces to force the four-beat gait--it WAS tried in the 50s and 60s on racking Saddlebreds, but it didn't work. In addition concerning Saddlebreds, it's also the bits, training in "stretchies," gingering, and the tail braces that are used to change the horse's shape, usually done at the horse's expense and extreme pain. And nicking is NOT done by a vet--trainers do it. Leslie is flat out lying about that.

[@One_liferider]

..I have a American Saddlebred myself and she is used for showjumping and showing AND ALL YOU SAID IS SOO TRUE!!

[@xAetheri]

So glad you pointed out the "Omg no you're confusing us with Big Lick!" deflecting, bc it drives me insnae. Also holy FUCK I rode saddleseat for several years as a kid and had no idea about gingering. That's absolutely horrific and disgusting?? I'm really thankful that the barn I rode at was free of most of these issues (no shoes or light shoes, no tail setting, no weights) but even then I still saw some shit, especially in warmup rings. One thing I'm surprised you didn't mention is the chain and leg cables! There are chains that will will put around the horses front legs to force them to step up and out. They also use cables (basically bungee cords) for the same purpose. And if you asked they would tell you it's just so the horse can "feel his feet, i feels just like putting booties on a dog!" or for "muscling" but it's all just bs. I also don't think you really touched enough on the lack of time out of stall. It's really atrocious and even my barn which I considered low on the abuse scale believed in not letting horses out. It makes for some incredibly stressed and high-strung horses. I also hate when Saddlebred people pass this off as their horses just being a hotter breed. I remember one woman at our barn used to get yelled at bc she refused to follow that rule and would take her horse out to run around and play with him in the paddock. I also find it disgusting how early many saddlebreds are started. There are world championship classes under saddle for two and three year olds, and it just blows me mind seeing horses pushed to that level when they're barely grown. It's not healthy and it's not right, but nobody else around me ever found it odd. My only qualm with this video is your comparison to a "natural gate" showing a couple dressage riders pulling their horses down and behind the vertical. Saddlebreds have a stunning natural carriage that you can really see well in the videos where they're not being ridden. I absolutely agree saddlebred movements are exaggerated and pushed for show. It was just weird to then see footage of another sport, which (although not historically) is also notorious for training and forcing exagerrated movements and carriage at high levels, labeled as the "natural gait". Also, I know you don't give a rats ass but I'm 300% sure you're gonna get sooo much hate and harassment for this one. One of the reasons I stopped riding was the community. The people are more high strung than the poor horses, and a lot of them are vicious.

[@kayetaylor5551]

🤣🤣🤣Yeah ok ...we all got it wrong!!! It's not cruel at all 🤣🤣🤣 actually the horses love it...bit of cruelty is fine as long as the girls are having fun

[@xAetheri]

@@kayetaylor5551 ?

[@kropotkinnie]

big agree with all of this as someone still stuck at a saddleseat barn but learning jumper. :') i feel awful for the horses. tormented souls. not at all a hot breed, just legitimately constantly having panic attacks due to stress.

[@anniemoultray3437]

I agree with the comparison videos, I especially wanted to see a video of a saddlebred doing the same gait (running walk) healthily, outside of show. It’s hard to compare their natural movement vs in show when we don’t even see the same gait!

[@MoneyStrategiesSOULutions]

Thanks for sharing!

[@wolfspade1646]

I didn't know enough about what all went into saddle seat riding. All I really knew was that the posture was exaggerated (that raised head looks so uncomfortable) and the movement, regardless of breeds being gaited, is still out of the norm. You can exaggerate something natural to the point of bad posture (weighted shoes). The rider sitting so far back has always bugged me, too.

[@mckennaschilling]

Hey! As a saddleseat rider that’s been in the industry, I can say that some of the content included in this video is either misinterpreted or false. Trotting breeds such as saddlebreds, hackneys, and morgans naturally carry their head high. They also have different centers of balance than running breeds such as thoroughbreds or quarter horses. The center of balance on a trotting breed is further back, so that’s why we sit further back. I hope this cleared some things up for you.

[@tiffanyjack6095]

WOW! I just got a whole new education. I remember as a little girl, when I was at home watching TV, if one of these shows was on, I would watch it. My great aunt managed a stable yard near San Diego back in the late 1960's to 1980's. We had a horse there and my sister and I each had a pony. I got to know all the big horses like the draft horses because even back then I had short man syndrome. I was the smallest of all my cousins and all the kids that were taking lessons and that were in the yearly rodeo. So anything to do with horses I was going to watch. Even back then I thought they didn't look right. I remember saying something about it to my aunt, she asked her mom about it, because she had no idea what I was talking about. Boy, Great Aunt Judy gave me a lesson in curse words and what she would do to anyone she caught trying to do that to any horse she knew. She didn't care if they did own the horse, it wasn't right and wrong was wrong. She pointed to the corner where she had a big gun and then pulled open a drawer and had a little revolver. She was a tough old broad, and a protecter for all that didn't have a voice of their own. I know by the time we moved away, that stable had more stray dogs she was feeding and finding homes for than horses, there wasn't a rodent to be found, but sure had about 10 or so fat barn cats all neutered or spayed all fully vetted. That's just the way she was. She often said she liked animals more than people. 3/4 of the time, I agree with her, rest her soul.

[@RumBrave]

Super glad for this video. I went down the saddleseat rabbit hole when those undercover big lick soring videos were making news. However, I couldn't find anyone saying the tail setting and gingering were anything other than "well, that's just how it is." Like you said with gingering, it seems like no one talks about it. I used to work at a barn that had a lot of saddleseat riders and I remember the chains, the shoes, and the tail sets. I never did see gingering first person but I imagine that happens right before a show. The riders were all really mean so I tried to stay well away from them, but their horses always had "crazy eyes" when they were out. The horses' whole lives were literally just arena, stall, show, repeat. I always felt so bad for them.

[@erikatowle8695]

How horrible, that is no life for a horse🥺☹

[@j77walker]

Well...I can't say I enjoyed the awareness of what's being done but I'm also grateful you are addressing it. Not a time to turn a blind eye when horses are facing such abuse.

[@annaklemstine9985]

10:51 it’s not the shoeing it’s the training.Its the same thing as when a dressage rider asks for an extended trot but we ask them to be a little more collected and make the movements go up by lifting their feet higher

[@tropicaoptica]

Saddle seat is the epitome of how to most extremely ride your horse in a hollow frame. Absolutely devastating to their musculoskeletal system, even if they did none of the other abusive stuff.

[@thewerewolfofwaggawagga8818]

Yes! And even without pads their hooves are way too long, puts high risk on the coffin bone and tendons.

[@juliettetaupier4495]

Thank you so mcuh for talking about this topic Raleigh! From about 9 to 12 years old (I am now 20), I rode at a saddle seat barn. My mom and I had chose that barn because it was close to my house and I was horse crazy. Any opportunity to be with horses was good enough for me. It was only in the last few years when I really took a step back and thought about the things I saw in terms of the treatment of their horses...everything from the padded shoes, tail harnesses, no turnouts, barbaric bits, older horses with hollowed backs, and (one thing you didn't mention) the 4 lbs chains they put on their front ankles when they were put back in their stalls. As a little kid who was new to the horse world, I didn't really know what else to think. The main thing was that in the last year of riding there, I no longer felt like it was right of me to continue going there. It made me uncomfortable and honestly sad to see horses not be able to be horses. Also don't even get me started with owner of the barn and the other girls that rode there...entitled brats who bullied me if I said anything about not agreeing with the treatment of the horses!

[@MyDuckSaysFucc]

I wish you would talk about tail docking in show sheep. People say it’s to keep them clean but I found it completely unnecessary. The show sheep get docked so short they prolapse from damage to the pelvic floor, with very painful banding where it rots off and gets maggots. Everyone does it, even out of show. I stopped and never looked back. Never seen anyone make a video on it like this.

[@mayah16]

i just want to take a minute to say thank you so much for addressing this. i've worked as a groom in the saddlebred industry for almost a year, and throughout that time i witnessed so many shady things are completely normalized in the industry. every show bridle that i've had to use had one of the most disgusting and horrid looking bits i've ever seen, and i was also taught how to put tail sets on. i didn't think tail sets were that bad (as i was young at the time) until i learned about the surgery that they go through before having a tail set put on. the specific barn i worked at had a RETIRED vet fly out from a different state to do the tail nicking surgeries because most other vets refuse to do it in our area (thank God) i've also witnessed horses being gingered, and the owner/trainer i worked for openly stated that it caused a lot of pain to the horses (i mean, obviously) and refused to admit that it was abusive because he was raised by generations of saddleseat trainers who did the same thing to their horses. i myself am not a fan of the industry whatsoever, and i truly hope that the next generation of saddleseat riders make some serious changes for the better. thank you for reading this :)

[@janethompson2305]

GREEN BEANIE, IT'S UR RESPONSIBILITY TO SPEAK UP FOR THE HORSES.!! U STILL CAN & U HAVE TO.!! PLZ SPEAK UP FOR THE HORSES RIGHT NOW, DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT.!! EVEN IF U DON'T WORK WHERE U KNOW SOMEONE IS ABUSIVE U HAVE TO STILL SPEAK UP.!! WILL U DO THAT.??

[@evloftis4143]

we need more people like you in the horse world thank you

[@octoberjubilee9866]

Over several decades, I've noticed that EVERYTHING has gone to the EXTREME when it relates to sports! People train harder and take greater risks, even those that are life-threatening and, equine sports are not much different. The only differences seem to be are that PEOPLE DECIDE on what risks to take, how much they are willing to loose in that situation and finally, the consequences always involve the horse. It's the horse that always pays for people's stupidity! Why not just sport horses with their natural characteristics and movement without all the artificial bull crap?

[@brittany6103]

I showed in the APHC circuit when I was a kid. There were countless questionable things but tail blocking(numbing which limits movement) was so commonplace. My trainer tried to make us do it to our horse at the time but we refused. Looking back on it I realize how fucked up it was that this practice was so normalized.

[@Msspinnerb8]

I have seen some of being the scenes practices of western pleasure. The tail numbing so the horse can’t express discomfort in the ring. The extreme head tie downs on horses for hours in a box stall. No turnout. Only coming out of the stall for cleaning and breeding and that’s it. Always in a bowed position under saddle. Rock grinder spurs. I learned that horses have to have pain inflicted on them to perform especially when money is on the line. Not my horse. Got outta there. I’m not into showing or any discipline I just want a partner, a friend, and piece of mind.

[@rebeccamatthesen]

@@Msspinnerb8 I do hunter under saddle, eq, showmanship, and western pleasure with my horse (aqha) and I honestly didn’t know that ppl will numb their tails the most I do is put a fake tail on so it looks fuller

[@Brooklyn.Arnott3426]

I feel so bad for these poor horses. I don't get how people think that this is OK.

[@emmad9289]

Dang... Now I'm concerned. I rode saddle seat for a couple years when I was little because I was young and had non-horsey parents. I left a while ago, but thinking back, they did a lot of sketchy things that I didn't realize were bad when I was younger. Thanks for shedding light on this issue! I didn't know about half of these things, but they're awful!

[@margauxnodvin7478]

Just started the video, and have gotten to the point where you said Saddleseat is always ridden on Saddlebred horses. That is 100% untrue. I took Saddleseat lessons for a while when I was younger, and I rode a normal flat-shod Arabian. All my cousins used to ride their Arabians Saddleseat. They were not gaited horses, and they didn’t use any special shoes or any of the cruel methods used on the Saddlebreds. I quit riding Saddleseat bc I was appalled by the way the Saddlebreds at the barn I was at were treated. However, my point is Saddleseat riding is NOT limited to Saddlebred horses. Arabians, Morgans, and other breeds are also used, and are not all subjected the the torture that the Saddlebreds are. (I’m sure many are; I have only seen my cousins show their Arabians, and nothing unnatural was done to them). But that was my limited experience in Saddleseat competition, so other breeds could certainly be being abused as well.

[@glap_T-T]

To the movement’s of the saddle horses, when I saw the first clip of the riding I was like: “that is not how horses move, it’s very very exaggerated”

[@stephmaddox833]

I’m so glad you did a video dissecting the saddleseat sport. I showed half Arabian country English pleasure as a kid, so was spared a lot of the stress and trauma that the full blown English pleasure and park Arabian classes inherently had. I remember seeing some trainers ginger their halter horses and never understood why. I’ve never been around saddlebred saddleseat, but have always objected to the heavy shoes and pads they wear and also the training gimmicks they use; chains, elastic etc. fast forward to my recent search for saddleseat show horses (Arabian and Morgan) and to my surprise now both breeds have insane front shoes and straps to hold them on. I was totally shocked and sickened by that! The sport needs to change and the horses need to be allowed to move freely so people can see how beautiful they all are without all the aids and gimmicks and terrible trainers.

[@janethompson2305]

STEPH, PLZ BE THE HORSES 🐎 🙏 VOICE.!! PLZ SPEAK UP FOR THEM & TELL WHAT U KNOW.!! WILL U PLZ DO THAT.?? THEY NEED U.!! ❤😊❤

[@stephmaddox833]

@@janethompson2305 I haven’t been around horses for many years now, but I feel like I understand and love them much more as an adult thanks to people like Raleigh. I’m so happy to see so many people who are passionate about the safety and wellbeing of horses!!

[@AreXXunA]

I just really, really love your courage and what you are doing! Please, please keep calling out (and shitting on) all these abusers and keep educating equestrians who love their horses but just don't know better! Your channel is one of the best out there when it comes to horses and horsemanship. Unfortunately, also one of the hardest to watch... But thank you so much Raleigh!!!!!

[@JustAPaintAndASorrel]

I am a saddleseat rider and people like me that actually CARE about their horses and that proves not all saddleseat riders are bad. My horse lives a nice life eating grass all day in the paddock and has a nice healthily diet and i DO NOT ginger, do ANY sort of “tail nicking”,soaring, put ANY large shoes on i only EVER just put the normal horse shoe, or exaggerate his gait!!! That is absolutely DISGUSTING that people in my discipline do that! I compete in classes with just a natural trot the only difference is the rider posts different and the saddle is flatter. Id rather die than put ANY of the inhuman things on or even NEAR my horse thanks. This is not meant to put ANY HATE whatsoever towards Raleigh because im a huge fan and respect her opinion.

[@charlottenightlinger3009]

I think that horses should be free of human involvement except for food and water and veterinary scrutiny. I feel sad for these show horses, and I loathe the industry that perpetuates their abuse. These riders are cruel and arrogant.

[@Carole2Kittens]

This was an eye-opener to me. I once owned a gorgeous saddlebred stalion that had a natural floating, high stepping gate. Unfortunately I had to sell him, but my love the breed remains. I'm sad to see that these incredible 😢 horses are treated like this. Gingering absurd!

[@twnki3]

Gingering and nicking tailbones is illegal. It is animal abuse.

[@Carole2Kittens]

@@twnki3 I just wish the law would be enforced! At least making it illegal is a step in the right direction.

[@twnki3]

@@Carole2Kittens I completely agree! The barn I ride at is a Saddleseat barn and we do not nick our horse's tails, ginger or do any of this stuff. We let our horses out after lesson hours every day and they stay out until the next lessons.

[@mattiemegan9782]

As someone who owns two saddlebreds who were ex saddleseat horses I have to make a comment. Yes there is a lot of things in this industry that need to be changed. Tail nicking, weighted shoes, etc. But there is many classes that you can not use pads, weights, etc. all country pleasure classes are flat shod or barefoot. They step high and the movement is more natural. I would recommend reading the USEF rule book for saddlebreds on the variety of classes offered. I did want to say when you show the difference of movement between the saddleseat horse showing and the one turned out or doing dressage, they are not the same horse. Just like with other breeds, every saddlebred is built different. My mare has a more forward neck placement which causes her to place her head down easily. While my gelding’s neck is further back on his shoulders. He naturally has a very up right neck. At times it will be at an almost 90 degree angle while riding in a snaffle or just leading him outside. The confirmation of these two horses are very different and this is why they performed better in different disciplines. Most of the saddlebreds you see as sport horses do not have the confirmation for saddleseat so they do not do it. This is the same with Arabians and Morgan’s (who also offer saddleseat classes at their shows) there is different breeding lines to accomplish different goals.

[@kyliechandler543]

Love this comment. 100% agree

[@welovehorses2022]

Finally some common sense!

[@katherinecostanza259]

Wonderful comment, you are spot on. I am involved with Saddlebreds and can tell you that they are a remarkable and much overlooked breed. Because of their athleticism, natural propulsion and forward going nature, they excel in nontraditional roles like dressage, jumping and endurance. I would love to see them prompted more in those disciplines. Like the Friesian, Morgan, Islandic, Tennessee Walker and Rocky Mountain Horses, Saddlebreds are naturally built to have motion. They have longer pasterns and an increased angulation at the hock. Their center of gravity is not over their shoulders like the warmblood, western stock or hunter type horse. Their necks are very upright and in front of your face when you ride. You can actually feel the difference in the center of gravity when you sit bareback on a stock horse as opposed to Saddlebred/gaited type of horse. Try this with each type side by side and you will understand and actually feel what I am talking about. The cutback saddle and Saddleseat discipline are designed for these types of horses. It is the conformation of the horse, together with the flat, cutback saddle that allows the rider to sit in a more upright position, which frees the withers and shoulders of the horse to accommodate the more elevated stride that naturally occurs in these breeds. Therefore, I disagree that the style of riding, in itself, constitutes abuse. Keep in mind that the US Equestrian Federation recognizes Saddleseat as a legitimate discipline and sets rules and guidelines for showing. Gingering and soring are strictly prohibited. While all Saddlebreds are born with the ability to walk, trot and canter, some -- but not all-- are born with the ability to be trained to do the 2 additional gaits (slow gate and rack). This is where padded shoes, stretchies around the pasterns, and tail sets are used to fast track horses into the show ring. The welfare of the horse must always come first and I appreciate how those outside of the discipline view these practices as gimmicks, but keep in mind that they are not universally applied by everyone who rides Saddleseat.

[@Jenna-eu6rv]

Some show shoes can be harmful, there are different kinds. At my barn we only use shoes if necessary to keep the horse safe. This comment is spot on!

[@sandrapate7497]

Thank you Raleigh. I learned several things from lessoning to your commentary. I've had Tennessee Walking horse most of my adult life and have been adamantly against "Big Lick" . And now Saddle Seat. Keep up the good work. This is the way to educate and change these practice's. Again, thank.

[@soppelusa]

I 'm active in the BDSM community in my country, and gingering is some of the most painful I've ever encountered, it BURNS and pooping hurts for days! To do that to someone who can't consent to it is absolutely abuse! I'm seriously shocked that this is being done to animals!

[@bruh-ItsTokyo]

@@nikk_nobody um do you have proof of evidence to back this up, im just saying. I'm newish here, so to say something like that and not have nothing linked to back it up. Especially multiple links.

[@emmacaldwell5443]

@@bruh-ItsTokyo lol they don’t

[@GotAnUmbrella]

Sometimes I forget that people consensually practice gingering.

[@lorapoo8352]

What do you mean by BDSM? 🤷‍♀️

[@ponygirl6258]

@@lorapoo8352 BDSM=Bondage Dominance Sadism Masochism. Some people are into that.

[@bluecrystal3900]

I worked in a saddlebred barn and remember them having to wear the tail set harness 24/7 along with neck collars to keep them from biting or chewing the harness. One horse cast herself in her stall and it was very hard to get her up. They were NEVER turned out, condemned to a life of stall misery. Most of them were rarely worked too because the owner was a basket case. I remember how depressed and sad those horses were. This is a very inhumane and cruel sport. Edit: those nicked tails that were deformed to the point of being molded in a high arch set could not be moved naturally or "swish" even when the tail set was taken off. It was a permanent mutilation of the horse's tail.

[@ceilingunlimited-cp5kq]

LMAO! 😂🤣😂

[@bluecrystal3900]

@@ceilingunlimited-cp5kq What is your problem?

[@ceilingunlimited-cp5kq]

No problem. Your comment is funny that’s all.

[@bluecrystal3900]

@@ceilingunlimited-cp5kq What's funny about it?

[@ceilingunlimited-cp5kq]

Pretty much all of it

[@ryanryan5673]

I ride saddleseat and yes this does happen I don’t support this and my barn (They don’t do this) Knollwood farms doesn’t do this they are amazing they rescue and love the horses and they get a ton of turn out time each night everyday when they’re done with lessons any photos at knollwood and you know how well there taken care of but no hate they have 4 maybe more and they every day Carol and Scott the barn owner say and the trainers say if you ever beat a horse you done or do anything of this sort banned from are barn

[@mckennaschilling]

I love this comment, I’ve shown against knollwood before and it’s quite obvious that you guys have amazing riders and such. Along with that obviously is amazing horses!!

[@aoifeburke303]

At first I thought it was ok and everyone was bullying them and confusing them with the big lick but now after seeing this video it makes me realise how fucked up and sick this whole thing is so thank you for speaking up on this ❤

[@lulucalifornia]

I recently purchased a 15 y/o half Arabian half saddlebred mare (former saddle seat show horse). I got her for my 11 year old since (the horse) was retired and initially seemed to be a good fit for my daughter. the problems this poor horse has now from years of this abuse and work she did is so sad. her hips are so messed up, her feet are so jacked, she has terrible arena anxiety, she really tries but due to the level of discomfort she is in, we cannot feel right in any sort of way trying to ride her. so now we have a pasture pet, and that is fine as she is sweet, but poor girl. Prior to her I did not have a lot of understanding of saddle seat, and I hate to think what she went through

[@Xx_D4RK_K1N_xX]

I’m glad she’s in a great home now tho!

[@jessedinizdecampos2355]

Hey Raleigh! I think it would be interesting to make a video on Brazillian "Vaquejada" which is an incredibly abusive "sport" for both the cows and horses involved which many people excuse as it being okay!!

[@bunnycake9142]

Lol I’m not an equestrian and I thought saddle seat was riding in a saddle I was so confused

[@IngridRockburnOfficial]

I hate saddleseat with the fiery heat of 1000 suns. Horses are such intelligent creatures, they shouldn't be treated like commodities. It's all bc horses aren't companion animals, they're livestock. We need to get their status changed so this doesn't happen anymore

[@Olivia.Boyd.]

Saddleseat rider here (I also am in hunter/jumper and some barrel work): the thing that I believe has made saddleseat so extreme is the fact it is EXTREMELY exclusive. Simply put, everybody is rich. As we often see in upper level grand prix riders, they have access to the horses with their preferred gaits, they can practice behind closed doors with a close-knit barn family, and they always. have. more. resources. to. stay. competitive. You don’t have the large majority of hobby/leisure/low level riders that other disciplines have- you are either showing or you aren’t. Saddlebreds, Arabians, and friesians are EXPENSIVE so you don’t see people outside of upper-middle class and elite families able to afford the purchase. The discipline isn’t built for you to purchase a non-haired horse, as it is such a specific niche. This creates a highly concentrated pool of people with disposable income and very few organized routes to compete or feel “rewarded.” There are maybe 6 big horse shows a year, the rest are generally smaller state specific shows put on by local groups. Every year on the green shavings, you see some of the wealthiest people fighting for a world title, but ALL of them have money to burn to get the best horse, rider, trainer, etc. There are many points I fundamentally disagree with: gingering has been creeping back into the show circuit because there are rarely swab tests performed at the smaller shows, some trainers rely solely on muscling the horses into the desired position, shoeing can be excessive, and the breed standard of a high set tail has been a breeding ground for irresponsible procedures. There are some things that I can wrap my head around, but this may be because I am from an ethical trainer. I no longer compete, but i am a firm believer that any athletes should cross train, even horses. Because saddleseat has the capacity to construct such a hollow form, I like to do exercises that are more long and low to engage neglected muscle groups. I believe turnout is a fundamental part of a horse’s life. The horses I showed all wore keg shoes, we never padded, used tail sets/surgeries, or gingered. This is because our barn owner was trained by some of the og icons who had a firm belief that good breeding is what produces a horse with nice leg action, tail carriage, and headset. I do find chains to be excessive, but I understand the logic that they are *intended* to serve as “ankle weights” to force the muscle groups in the legs to work harder. When I showed, we would use “ankle weights” for one or two laps of the ring at a trot, then they were off. Stretchies I also don’t find to be problematic, they’re a form of resistance training and in my opinion should be used just as sparsely as ankle weights. This perspective on weights and stretchers may be because I was a ballet dancer, where weight and resistance work (as well as cross training) were just as important as regular classes. All of our horses were broken and trained in a snaffle bit (the double bridle would be introduced solely for show horses and they only wore them if they were prepping for a competition), and our trainers are careful to stop riders from forcing a headset that is outside of the horse’s natural range. Lots of our lesson horses were essentially “reject” show horses, either because they naturally carry their head lower, did not display enough leg action, or are just more mellow. Swayback has unfortunately become hard to dodge in the stud books, but many trainers I know work with universities to do genetic profiling in an attempt to understand where and how swayback is genetically linked. I know very very few horses with sway back, but the ones I do know have had it since birth and were cleared to ride by veterinarians. The only exception to this was a rescue horse that we used in our lesson program, who had a slight sway back but we cannot confirm if it was genetic or due to his years pulling carts. The American Saddlebred is by far my favorite breed due to its versatility and its personality, even outside of saddleseat rings. They’re incredibly intuitive and will put their heart into the things they love. That being said, I’ve found saddlebreds are quick to tell you when they are not happy. They’re a hot blooded breed, and I have known them to buck, rear, or give visible bodily cues they aren’t happy, which those I know always take seriously. They are pretty few and far between, but some of our show horses switch to western pleasure, hunter pleasure, or even schooling so they are still in the saddleseat circuit, but I also have seen them be reassigned jobs in the dressage, jumper, barrel, gymkhana, reining, and evening circuits. I agree with what a few others have said, the discipline IS changing, but we are still a young incoming generation. Many of the facilities around me are inherited by younger family members or trainers, and I do actively see modifications made by younger generations to better these animals’ welfare. I unfortunately cannot use the phrase “don’t let a few bad apples spoil the bushel” because the sad reality is that many of the horses you see at the handful of big shows are raised in conditions that do not align with my ethics. We love our horses, but the unfortunate reality is many older generations are stuck in their ways because they get the results they want. I will never condone this treatment, but I often find myself ripping my hair out reading the commentaries on the discipline, especially when it comes from individuals that do not work with gaited breeds.

[@Ruby_Drake]

Didn't read all this but you said u are a saddle seat rider Just stop doing it :/

[@celestialraevyn5187]

@@Ruby_Drake I don’t think they will. Us saddleseat riders work very hard to get in the position we’re in. I’ve never even heard of gingering before this video was uploaded, and I’ve ridden saddleseat for years. Never once have I gingered a horse. My boy loves doing it, he perks up and does his best in the show ring. He’s an Arab so his movement isn’t as exaggerated as saddlebreds, but he still takes some impressive steps for a purebred Arabian and it’s all from me engaging my body with his. His back is fine, as he has a chiropractor and wasn’t bred to have a super dishy back. He goes outside and everything. He is one happy and healthy horse. So stop looking stupid by getting upset about something you don’t know much about

[@Olivia.Boyd.]

@@Ruby_Drake Thanks for missing the point but acknowledging you didn’t read what I wrote :)

[@wynterfel]

My lesson horse is wonderful and she is a reject. My barn took her in after 3 other barns didn't want her. She is forgiving and patient and doesn't get mad if you screw up. After every lesson she nuzzles me like "did I do good?" and I kiss her on her nose and tell her she is a good girl and ask her "no, did I do good?"

[@Olivia.Boyd.]

@@wynterfel They are some of my favorites! I’ve begged my trainer to let me buy one of the lesson horses off of her because he is an absolute gem… no such luck! I bet your little mare is a rockstar! Too many trainers pass up on the value of temperament and personality!

[@gracehamm4274]

I have been doing saddleseat for around 9 years and I can understand your views on some of this. I will admit the tail setting and shoes are definitely an issue of itself. However I have never heard of the gingering thing. Idk if that because the farm I ride at isn’t more show based or what but this is definitely my first time herding about it. Also as someone else had said, there are some of us trying to make the saddleseat community a lot better, healthier and happier for the horses :) It just takes time especially when a good chunk of us are still pretty young.

[@292Artemis]

Oh my goodness, is this really happening? This is absolutely cruel. 😰 How can people do this to a sensitive being? I'm disgusted by people's behaviour just for money, fame etc... Oof

[@equine2020]

Has been for years. Us in other disciplines have tried to stop to this.

[@loonamoon5125]

welcome to wired dumb ass world i hate it when they treat them badly poo horses they need go back to there freedom of wild horses were they truely be an free

[@abigail100000]

Really love your videos. I'm from Europe and I never even knew that something like that exists. Really shocking what human people are able to do to those beautiful creatures :(

[@KathySierraVideo]

The tragedy of this - as with too many other sport disciplines - is that ALL of these cosmetic abuses could be stopped overnight if the breed org and judges just said HARD NO. Sadly, people will do what is rewarded. Wtf is wrong with the Saddlebred organizations? Saddlebreds are amazing horses. My husband’s childhood horse was a five-gaited Saddlebred. My horse in high school was a 17.2 Saddlebred/TW cross. I currently have six 5-gaited horses (not Saddlebreds, but until just a few years’ ago I was still often competing against Saddleseat riders in open multi-breed gaited shows). Why would anyone want to take a magnificent horse and then remove what’s authentically wonderful and replace it with a false tail set and false leg action… My husband and I have loved and ridden gaited horses for more than 40 years. To see how they are treated breaks my heart. I have no doubt, though, that most riders do love and care for their Saddlebreds. But if they show Saddleseat using these shoes and tail setting (and riding with a hollow spine), they just do not know how awful these practices are. Too many people think if the horse isn’t actively fighting [X], he must be perfectly fine with [X]. That’s not how pain, physiology, and psychology work.

[@GoToPhx]

Well said and spot on!

[@tinahall2512]

Trotting horses are 3 gaited saddlebreds, btw. My parents bought me a saddlebred as a teen, when I was finally riding well enough to show on a lower, local level. His tail was natural, and we never used caustic substances, chains, tubing or pads. He naturally had a high head carriage, and he naturally had “high knee action”. Now we did place many times, and many times we didn’t. I was once told by a judge that my horse wasn’t “hot enough” for showing. Meaning he was too calm🙄🤦🏻‍♀️. Same thing with my Arabians. Especially my show horse Apathy. He had a trot that could bounce you to the moon lol. But I can promise you, not all saddleseat riders are bad or hurt their horses, knowing or otherwise. I eventually moved onto Hunter Pleasure, dressage and xcountry. But I’ll always love saddleseat riding.

[@emmajewell8783]

I’m proud of you for speaking up, I questioned it and got so much hate , I was accused of not knowing what I was talking about , even though I won high point youth in western events in the eighties , love from Australia ❤️

[@loonamoon5125]

i love watching her videos every day she helps me learn on every video

[@Divathemorganhorse]

Hey. I ride saddle seat. This video brought to light some of the awful things about saddle seat. The thing I am bugged about, though, is the part about shoeing. I don't shoe my horses according to what you described. The shoes my horse wears are just plates, yet we still win classes. Most people I know put plates as well. My horse gets nearly full day turnout, exceptions are rain, ice, etc. and stays in at night. The shoes don't require them to stay stalled. Example: I have another horse, Jack, bred and raised show horse. He doesn't wear shoes yet requires to be in a stall. He has only been stalled about a week, and his mindset has changed completely. Some show horses are happier in a stall. My main horse, Gunner, wears shoes and hates being stalled. He gets turnout all day. My next issue is you are only showing one clip of one class of saddle seat riding. You specifically said you wanted to find out more about our sport, but only showed a fraction of it. You never acknowledged that not all saddle seat riders follow and participate with these practices. There's going to be abuse in every equestrian sport.

[@Divathemorganhorse]

That doesn't mean every person in that sport does it!! If you made it to the end of my comment, thank you.

[@DB-fq6tn]

Your sport is a crime, animal abuse, any normal person recognizes that, this "sport" should be banned, like the damn Big Lick too.

[@JM-tz9ej]

Greetings from Germany. I does horseback riding since I am ten in different ways, including dressage and western and now I am 43, but my I never thought that the USA accept such a hughe amount of animal cruelty. In Europe there is a problem in horsesport to, but there are less and there are much more rules and laws to avoid animal cruelty. And people are ashamed of it. The thing with the tail and fake extra gangue are typical USA, if you have no real arabia horse fake the high tail with animal cruelty and if you have no real horse breed with a extra gangue like iceland ponies or a couple of other breeds fake it with animal cruelty. The way of the rain handling alone is here not allowed. The most of that "tricks" would here lead a case of extreme case of animal cruelty and the police removes the horses from the owner and a ban of own horses.

[@angelaschmalzbauer]

I agree with you 👍 💯

[@becky8009]

I rode saddle seat for about six months before I left because the way the barn treated their animals was disgusting to me. I was new to horseback riding at the time so I didn't truly realize how gross putting me on a lame horse was or how gross not giving shelter to the horses who live outside was. Needless to say, once I started to listen to my gut feeling and do some research (despite EVERYONE around me telling me it was fine), I changed barns and disciplines immediately. I'm glad I am no longer supporting them, but I was constantly wondering if I had done the right thing or not, because I did truly enjoy the discipline. That being said, thank you so much for making this video, it eases my conscience

[@BeRightBack131]

I've owned a saddlebred. Beautiful, sweet horse. Extremely smooth gaited, and so, so willing to please. I never trained or rode him in competition. Actually, I never competed with any of my horses. They were all just pleasure horses. I cannot imagine any owner who actually loves their horses who would even consider riding in competitions. I used to ride my sister's competition horse, and won MANY trophies and ribbons. BUT... that experience is what made me realize that competition is BAD for horses. So many ways it's bad, it would take a mini novel to explain them all. From horrific bits, whips, spurs, etc to physical injuries and problems, as well as psychological problems that become VERY evident in these poor horses. THAT is why I decided that I would NEVER compete with my horses.

[@xavierahernandez4839]

My jaw dropped when I heard they put ginger in there private parts😭😭

[@graceeqqq]

it’s banned now🤷‍♀️ i have never done that to my horses

[@sherIfpawz]

@@graceeqqq okay? doesn’t mean people don’t do it.

[@Sksiwixiekasks]

I grew up with saddle beds and saddle seat. speaking of which the first ever horse that I have ever ridden when I was 3 as a saddle bred named Lincoln. the sport is very dear to me and most of my friends do saddle seat. (i'm a hunter jumper I just really love saddle seat because of my history with the sport) When I was 10 I was really confused. Whenever I was jumping a saddlebred their trot and canter was almost like a normal horses but when I watch my friends doing saddle seat in the arena they move like you shown in the video. I saw one of our instructors with one of our saddle bred's, Lee's, tail. I was a little bit confused about everything they done but I didn't question it. So the truth hurts but I understand. Even though the sport has a special place in my heart I will continue on. I will still be with saddle beds I just won't take time to pay too much attention to saddle seat. Thank you. Thank you for making me understand. You are one of my biggest inspirations. With all of your videos you have made you have changed my equestrian career in a good way. ❤

[@raisedfromperdition2x919]

I’m surprised that these practices are still going on at this time. I used to be in a show barn in the ‘80’s that had walkers and saddlebreds as well as Morgans and Arabians. The humane enthusiasts were heavy on the practices then and trying very hard to shut it down and a lot of people got out of the sport. This is in Ocala. A lot of people went more underground and moved. So since I haven’t been involved with horses for quite awhile now I assumed they had stopped this. I’m sorry to see it continuing. The gingering is a huge practice, but was used more in halter horses than horses being ridden in this barn. Arabian halter was rife with gingering. I know they say they ban it now, but how much is going on anyway? It’s sad to see. I loved riding gaited horses at the time but once I saw what was really going on I got away from it. I was more into Hunter jumpers and dressage because it offered so much mire variety than going around a show ring. Oh and on the opposite end of the spectrum, how about tail freezing in western pleasure?!! I was horrified when I found out about this practice. I don’t know if you have already covered this so I’m sorry if this is repetitive. But come on horse people, leave them tails alone no matter your discipline.

[@GoToPhx]

Glad you brought up the Western pleasure tail issue, as that's one most people don't know about. And it reminded me of a story from several years ago. I was a show photographer at a Paint horse show, and at the lunch break a woman came up to me and SCREAMED at me because I "made her horse fart" by taking a photo of it; so she lost the class because of me! And as a side note, I think any judge/any horse sport that penalizes a horse for being a horse and moving it's tail (??) to fart (?) has crossed the line into ridiculous.

[@raisedfromperdition2x919]

@@GoToPhx how dare you photo the horse! Haha oh my. If you hadn’t photographed the horse she probably would have sued you for missing the biggest moment of the horse’s career or some such. This brought some laughter into my night, thank you very much. People are insane. And yes, western pleasure tail practices are just as crazy as the others. Why can’t a horse be a horse ?! I guess because horses are gassy and wow they might actually use their tail for what it was intended for. I would never have kept my horse from using his tail to swat a fly. I did try to keep him covered in poisonous chemicals so none would land on him, and for that I also feel guilt. Thank you for your reply!

[@GoToPhx]

@@raisedfromperdition2x919 Thanks for the laugh back! And I always feel a bit guilty for fly spray too; glad I'm not the only one who has that concern!