Inexcusable behaviour

Dear editor:
I am writing this letter in regard to the Emo Fair horse show. I attended the fair with some friends, and we went to watch the parade and the horse show.
I have owned, raised, trained, and shown horses for 40 years and I was motivated to write this letter because of something I witnessed at the fair show that was very upsetting for myself and many of the other spectators there.
First of all, I need to say that most of the riders did a great job of showing their horses in a kind and professional way. They seemed to have a great time, as well.
My congratulations for the way you showed and handled your horses as you are the ones who make coming to watch such a pleasure.
Now for the part that compelled me to write this letter. As I watched the show, I noticed a pretty paint horse come into the arena with his nose to the sky. His eyes seemed a bit glazed over and a man riding as if it was his first time.
I couldn’t help but wonder why he couldn’t get his horse to go any faster than a trot even though he was trying desperately to get some speed out of him.
As I took a closer look, I realized this was a very young horse—too young to be rode yet. The horse’s knees were blown out and the tendons in his pasterns were so torn that he couldn’t even walk a straight line.
This horse was suffering so much pain, he had all he could do to stand, much less carry a rider and run.
Needless to say, this horse’s career is over before it even got started.
To his owner, I say get some education in horse care and training before you ruin another good animal.
Now for the second heartbreak of the day. I noticed a young girl on a very obedient bay horse. A I watched her run her horse profusely around a wet grass arena, I feared that they may fall and one of them get hurt.
As she continued to push her horse to exhaustion, I finally came to the conclusion she was punishing him for something.
Later, she entered the arena to do an event that requires your horse to back up. As she attempted to back the horse, she spurred him harshly, driving him forward while, at the same time, drawing the reins back with all her might.
Well, the horse had nowhere to go but up. And as she continued to confuse the horse even more, it finally turned its head to her foot in an attempt to grab it and get her to stop kicking him in the ribs so painfully.
Finally she gave up, rode out of the arena, and went back out to run the wind out of him some more—his punishment for her mistakes.
This is a great horse just struggling to please a rider that has no clue as to what she is doing.
To her parents, I say shame on you for allowing such abuse. And as for the rider, please get educated, have a heart, and quit showing off as it’s not working!
I was deeply saddened and so were a lot of other spectators that had to see such cruelty.
To the fair/show committee, I hope you get a judge for next year that has the sense to excuse this kind of behaviour from the show ring.
Thank you,
Cindy Christopherson,
Littlefork, Mn.