Farkn Trailers!!!!

A ranty post on facebook brought this one on.....somebody criticising someone else's trailer, sharing a photo to their wall and really bad mouthing this person, when in reality, the type of trailer they were bashing is no less safe than a "standard" two horse float - and I'll bet my life that difficult horses actually load better into it.

So things brings up the point of towing safety. I so often see setups that are not safe, so let's go over a few things, shall we?

Your drawbar and vehicle should be LEVEL. That's a straight horizontal line - you know, flat!! If your car and trailer resemble a V, or worse, a hill, the download on your towbar will be all wrong. This means that in an emergency situation, you are not going to have a great deal of control of what your trailer is doing, because it's weighted wrong (I won't go into the physics of it, but the greater your ball load, the more stability you have). You can get various different hitches to adjust the height if you need it - Cynical Horse went through about 4 before getting the right one on our older vehicle. Oh, and make sure you have the right type of towbar in the first place! The standard one on your dad's old Falcon probably won't cut it......

Okay, so not a horse float, but a great pic to demonstrate my point.

Wiring!! Make sure your bloody lights work!! This is a 30 second check - and usually if they don't work, it's just a bulb. This too is a quick and easy job to fix. And if it ends up needing wiring, that is not difficult either - if Cynical Horse can do it, anyone can. Just follow the wiring diagram....easy! Now that you have made your lights work, other drivers will actually have some idea of what you are doing! IF you actually use them properly, that is (but that's a whole other story!). Also, make sure your brakes are serviced and WORK! Don't forget the brake unit fitted in your vehicle either - if it's broken, your trailer brakes won't be working. If you have a battery in a breakaway unit, CHECK IT and keep it working. Derrrr!

TYRES!! I've seen some shockers. This goes for both float and vehicle. Tyres can deteriorate if a float is not used for periods of time, they can crack and the rubber deteriorates. Have a SPARE!! (Duh!) Tyres must also be appropriately rated, you can't just chuck any old second hand car tyre on and expect it to be safe. They need the right load and speed ratings and PRESSURE!! Under inflated risks overheating and/or a blowout, over inflated causes vibration and stress on your trailer and horses. Any good tyre retailer can advise you on correct pressure in towing situations, as it does vary. And LEARN HOW TO CHANGE ONE!!

Chains!! First of all, make sure you have two that are correctly rated, along with D-rings that are also correctly rated. Remember, they are your last resort if your trailer jumps off. Each chain takes half the weight (theoretically in a perfect world!), so they must be rated to at least half of your total laden trailer weight each. Preferably more, as your load is not going to be equal should it come off the ball. Now, there is great debate about crossed or uncrossed chains. My preference is crossed - why? If the hitch comes off, it will land in the cross, not nosedive into the road. It also provides more flexibility in tight turns. Seems obvious, but it is vital that the chains are attached to the main towbar framework and not to a detachable ball mount or tongue. Safety chains must be stamped with the chain’s capacity, the manufacturer’s identification and the digits 4177.

Load and towing capacity. So, your car tows 3 tonnes? You can stick 3 tonnes on the back and away you go, right? WRONG! Both Cynical Horse's vehicle have 3 tonne tow capacities. But in reality, one can tow much more than the other. Why is this so? A little thing called Gross Combination Mass, or GCM. This is the maximum allowable combined mass of a towing vehicle, plus all the passengers and cargo in the towing vehicle, plus the mass of the trailer and cargo in the trailer. (Thank you Wikipedia!) In other words - you, all your shit, and then your float and horse. If you have a ute with one tonne load in the back, your tow capcity considerably reduced! And it doesn't take much to create the weight - 4 adults can easily be 300kg+, plus a whole lot of gear! And some cab chassis utes need to include the weight of the tray as well! So make sure you know your specs. If you are loaded incorrectly, your insurance company will laugh in your face when you claim. Cynical Horse's first vehicle has a GCM of 5750kg. The other has a GCM of 5920kg. Okay, not much different. Now let's look at the unladen vehicle weights (AKA tare mass). First one 2025kg. Second one 1635kg. Soooo......that leaves us with 3725kg and 4285kg as "load" allowance respectively. That's a massive difference. They are very different vehicles, yet both are rated as 3-tonne towing. Confused? Well, there's also Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM), but Cynical Horse will not blow your mind with that, or towball loads, but these are also important for stability, especially when equalizer hitches are involved. Get your mechanic or auto place to explain it to you. Your GCM is usually set by the manufacturer, and in some states is listed on your rego papers. Learn it. Learn your tare weight. Load your vehicle accordingly.

Learn how to drive! Learn how to REVERSE your float! (It isn't that hard!) Check your state's road rules for appropriate speed limits and towing laws before you go - too late to check AFTER the cops get you. Manual or auto is up to you, but either way, learn your vehicle's capabilities, and how to handle it in an emergency.  It is NOT the time to drive like a dickhead when you have your prized horses on the back! Cynical Horse prefers manual because she was taught by a heavy vehicle driver to use the engine as part of the braking process. However, modern auto transmissions are usually quite suitable for the task, if proper attention is taken with transmission cooling. They can engine brake too, by putting them into a lower gear. They both have pros and cons, so choose whatever suits your driving style. Gone are the days when manuals were the only safe choice. And seriously, I am appalled by the number of people these days who panic at the mention of "manual transmission!" It isn't that hard to drive one! However, if you are driving an auto, don't ride your damn brakes to stop!! If you lose them going down a big hill, I do not want to be in front of you. Learn to use your engine PROPERLY in either transmission. And if you drive a manual, learn how to drive it!! Poor gear changing can be hell on your horses in the float, so make sure you get that sweet spot in the RPMs before you change. And NEVER, EVER tailgate. I'd love to see you stop 5 tonnes in a hurry.....yeah, right!

Here are some driving tips (thank you National Caravan and Recreational Vehicle Towing Guide:

Apart from adding to the driver's legal responsibilities, towing requires a greater degree of knowledge and skill than normal driving. When towing, you should:

• allow for the extra length and width of the trailer when entering traffic;
• apply the accelerator, brakes and steering smoothly and gently to avoid sway, especially in wet or slippery conditions;
• maintain a space of at least 60 metres between you and the vehicle in front to allow for a longer stopping distance;
• engage a lower gear in both manual and automatic vehicles to increase vehicle control and reduce brake strain when travelling downhill;
• allow more time and a greater distance in which to overtake. When towing, your vehicle's capacity to accelerate is reduced;
• if possible, reverse with a person watching the rear of the trailer;
• where areas are provided, pull off the road to allow traffic building up behind you to overtake;
• be aware that towing is more stressful than normal driving and is more likely to cause fatigue. Therefore, more rest stops should be planned.

Now here is the big one - MAINTAIN YOUR VEHICLE!! You will go nowhere fast is you think you can run your vehicle into the ground and expect it to keep going and going and going.....they are not energizer bunnies. If you want to break down in the middle of nowhere with a blown-up anything, then sure, forget your services! I don't care what you do with your runabout cars, NEVER neglect your tow vehicle. Some of the wrecks I've seen getting about......OMG. Accidents waiting to happen. Don't expect sympathy from me if you blow it up and haven't serviced it for three years! I WILL laugh evilly at you.

And remember - ALWAYS keep a toolkit and a first aid kit in your float. Never leave home without them, because you never know what is just around the corner.

Photo ills.....

I am not a professional photographer. I thought about it, but becoming friends with a couple, I am SO glad that I didn't! Because, being a photographer in the horse world is, quite frankly, a bitch of a job. Here is a rundown of some of the best rants that I have heard from my photographer friends - please feel free to add more in the comments, because I know I won't have covered even half of it!

THEFT.

So you got that lovely proof sent to you, or perhaps a low-res digital copy, because you "wanted" to buy some photos. THEY AREN'T YOURS to use as you please. There's a reason the photographer watermarks everything with their name or trademark, and it isn't just to ruin your special picture. It's a effort to stop thugs like you thieving their hard work, and/or passing it off as yours. It clearly doesn't work too well, with the huge numbers of watermarked pictures I see on facebook and in advertising. Remember, you don't just pay for a pretty picture - you pay for the top end camera and lenses, you pay for the years of practice and perfecting their craft, you pay for the hours spent out in the stinking hot sun or freezing cold, taking those brilliant pictures, then the days spent uploading, editing and then sending them to you. You pay for the administration and upkeep of their small business. You pay for their livelihood. How dare you flaunt that!

NON-CREDIT OF PICTURES.

So you've bought the picture.The photographer may be one of those generous ones who provide digital copies without watermarks once you've purchased. Sure, you can use these pictures, but seriously, give some credit where credit is due! Tell people who took the damn picture! It isn't hard,  and gives the photographer some exposure (pun not intended,lol) so they might even get more sales, and come back to your little show again. It really shits me when you see lovely photos which are clearly professional, which have not been credited - or even worse, the signature has been cropped or photoshopped out! Absolutely disgusting behaviour!

SET UP ALL DAY THEN BUY NOTHING.

So.....you went to a show, and want some nice pictures, so you've bailed up the photographer, and taken up an hour or two of their time with a gazillion different poses, on the premise that you will buy some pictures. The photographer has bent over backwards to accommodate you, probably in the stinking hot su, all because you wanted some nice photos. Then you disappear into the woodwork, never to be heard of again. All the while, genuine buyers have missed out because of you, and the photographer has missed out on some revenue. You lowlife.

NON-PAYERS.

So you ordered your photos, the photographer has, in good faith, arranged printing and is now waiting for your payment so they can be sent to you. You don't pay. Now they have wasted their time and money, for nothing! I mean seriously, how rude and selfish can you be?! No wonder it's payment upfront these days, with pieces of shit like that around.

So come on photographers - add to this list! I just KNOW there are soooo many things I haven't even thought of!

Horses - the forgotten minions of the drought.....

Let me begin by saying that I DO NOT begrudge any assistance given to farmers. I support Buy a Bale myself. Farmers rely on their stock or crops and without rain cannot live. But there is a forgotten side to this drought, one which is beginning to rear its ugly head.

The every day horse owner.

The paddocks are bare. There is no rain in sight. Your horses need to eat.

There's no hay. You can't get it for love nor money, without spending three times it's value in transport. You can't afford to buy it by the truckload, and nobody will sell it in small quantities any more. Even if you had the money, the few farmers who can afford to, will snap it up right from the paddocks it's grown in, before you get a chance to get some. Hay is sold by word of mouth in these dreadful conditions, before it's even cut. I personally cannot buy it for my 6 horses. I will be relying on chaff and hard feed this winter. It's going to be rough.

There's no drought assistance for horse owners. There's no celebrity-driven, charity hay runs for horse owners. Our pockets bleed money just trying to keep your precious creature(s) fed. Things start to fall by the wayside. Shoeing? Nah, he needs to eat, his feet can wait another week....or two....or three! Dentist? Nah, he needs to eat, he isn't showing signs of dental issues, so better put that money into feed. Ribs? No, those aren't ribs, he's just in "paddock condition."

Sell them, I hear you say? To whom, I ask you! It's a dreadful market to sell. Every day horse owners don't have high end horses, and the current fad of buying the desperately ill ones in droves from the sales (under the auspices of "rescue") leaves the every day horse owner stuck. Plus, if you're out west, like me, nobody wants to travel all that way when there are plenty of nice, fat horses available for bargain prices, in areas where it is actually raining. Not many options left.....feed them what you can scrounge, take them to a sale (usually quite far away), or euthanise them. The hard reality of drought.

There's no denying that welfare organisations are seeing the run-on effects. Horses are being surrendered, and owners are crying out for help. They are going to sales in large numbers, in less than optimal condition, in the hope of either finding a decent home who can feed them, or ending their starving misery. Others are slowly fading in paddocks, supply of feed unable to keep up with demand.

So next time you see an item on the news, or on facebook, about the drought - remember the horses, the forgotten victims of this horrendous drought. It's a pity that the welfare organisations don't raise money to buy a truckload of hay to sell at cost price to their local horse owners - instead of buying more horses and then crying poor! That'd be a better way to get supporters, who will surely give back when this terrible drought breaks. I'd support that. Like a "you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours" kinda deal.

Come on horse owners! Let's get together and support our own! Restore Cynical Horse's faith in the horse community......

Just a quick one.....

Just quickly today because Cynical Horse must go to work.......

Okay....if you don't know it's breeding, it's a PINTO not a PAINT!! Same deal for ponies - PINTO.

Ponies are also Palouse, not Appaloosa.

Palomino and buckskin are colours, not breeds. Appaloosa and Paint Horse are breeds. Palouse is a breed.

Crazy colours do not make your horse better.

And the big one...... if you can't GIVE your horses away, and have no feed in your paddocks....DON'T GET MORE. (And maybe you should look at WHY nobody wants them!) No brainer right? Seems not......

Get these simple things right, and people in the horse world might take you more seriously.

Parenting....and horses.

There are many of us who understand the joys of growing up with horses. There is no doubt that they have a lot to teach us. But when you constantly see pictures of young children riding without helmets or appropriate footwear, it begs the question - do these parents really value their children's lives? The tack is usually old, ill-fitting, incorrectly put on, and completely unsuitable. The horse is often stuck in a small backyard, with dreadful fencing and rubbish everywhere. The horse generally looks unhealthy, with wormy belly and bad feet. These are probably the same people who constantly advertise for a super quiet, kid safe, beginner's pony under 10yo for $500 or less, preferably with gear. Or better yet, they want a free lease (with all gear) so that they can ruin someone else's horse, then blame it for any problems and give it back busted.

In this example, there is no concept of safety, or education about horses. Yet when experienced people try to guide them in the right direction, they suddenly know "everything" and will go out of their way to tell them - rudely. It's sad, because ultimately it is the horse who suffers the most with these type of parents. These parents are sucked in to unscrupulous horse dealers offering nice cheap horses which are absolutely bombproof, fit and healthy, and because they don't bother to educate themselves before buying, they think it's the best horse ever, because it might be a pretty colour. It may even have nuts and therefore they can make money out of their new purchase. But when it all goes wrong, who cops the blame? Yep - the horse. Not the poorly educated idiots who went in blind and believed all the sunshine and rainbows crap they were fed by a horse trader! You don't try brain surgery if you aren't educated, so why should horses be any different? Nobody will mind if you don't know, unless you choose not to learn!

Then at the other end of the spectrum we have the child with the $10,000 horse, all the spiffy, shiny, sparkly, trendy gear, the matching rug and boot sets and big flash float or truck. And a big fat scowl on their face because they only came second. They've had the fancy lessons, the horse is "boarded" at a stable (and therefore looked after by someone who does know what they are doing) but there is no bond there. There is no real understanding of horses, just a big show of how much more money you have than everyone else. This is Mummy and Daddy buying a blue ribbon to fulfil their own needs, not the child's.

And then there's the competitions.......nasty, snickering parents setting a wonderful (not) example to their children about sportsmanship. Bitch and moan and carry on because your $10,000 horse was beaten by the cheap pony clubber down the road. Turn your nose up and snob all the friendly parents who help each other's kids out and congratulate them if they win this time. Don't get me wrong, they are just as competitive as you, but they get that sometimes it's not your day (especially with horses!) and "well done" should always be appropriately applied to the kid who won. They'll get 'em next time..... :-D It is not worth the ridiculous comments such as "if you don't win, you will NEVER ride again" or "we will sell the horse if it doesn't win." If you have to threaten your child to get them to a show, then you're in the wrong sport!

I've only scraped the surface on horses and parenting....so comment on what irks you!!

Nasty, nasty horse world....

Cynical Horse DOES NOT condone bullying of any kind. If you want to have a bitch and moan, do it privately, where you can't hurt anyone. One small, flippant comment can cause an awful lot of hurt, and often leads to more and more nastiness. Please note that this post is heavily sarcastic and contains many naughty words.

I recently saw a rant about people selling horses because they were pregnant or had a young baby. Several people were congratulating each other because they had kids and could manage several horses. Well fuck me, good for you! But how dare you judge another person for putting their children first! Would you rather have the horse languish somewhere, fading away because it's been forgotten? Or should the mother neglect her children to give her horse the optimum care that you, oh mighty judge, give yours? No? Well what the fuck should she do then? Everyone's life has different pressures and constraints - walk a mile in their shoes before you judge. She might be going back to work to support her family, she might have the horse far away on agistment, she might have a sick baby or one with a disability. Her horse may have special care needs. YOU DON'T KNOW. Heaven forbid that your nasty comments fell on the ears of a mother with postnatal depression......motherhood is difficult enough without fucktards publicly judging you because you sold your beloved horse. Selling the horse would be hard enough too! Heaven forbid that someone wants their family, and their horse, to have a better life. How selfish of them!

And another instance, where a photo of a junior rider had been put on a social media page, that had been specifically set up to shame people. There were many nasty comments on this, and other photos, about the horses and the riders. Every rider is guilty of backseat judging at times, but deliberately shaming someone is disgusting! It's bullying, plain and simple. I wonder how many championships the shamers have to their name? Or if they even compete at all! You can never raise yourself by putting someone else down. You just make yourself look like a nasty bitch. And I'd say that you probably are. This is unacceptable! The recreational horse industry is already in decline, and cannot afford this type of crap. Judgemental attitudes and bullying have no place, yet the industry is rife with it. Social media could be a wonderful tool, sadly it is a platform for the cyber bullies to run riot. How on earth are people supposed to be attracted to competitions, when this type of shit goes on? We should be encouraging and helping people! Never look down on someone, unless you are helping them up.

Now we come to the problem of know-it-alls. Nobody likes a know-it-all, right? Well, imagine this......somebody is  struggling to look after their horse, for whatever reason, and have been desperately trying to find somebody to take it on, while slowly watching it decline, knowing that they cannot provide for it. They don't want any money for the horse, just a kind loving home to provide what they can't. Seems reasonable, right? So somebody comes along - hallelujah, they will take the horse! Awesome, seems like a great home. It's a done deal, horsey goes off to live with new person. But soon enough, new person starts the accusations. They "know" that this horse was neglected and abused because it's skinny, it hasn't been wormed in months or had it's feet done, and they "know" that they could have done SUCH a good job with it if it were theirs. They would NEVER have let this happen to THEIR horse. Now let's take a step back - if this person was able to provide optimum care, they would NOT have been giving their horse away in the first place, twit! Likewise if they were an abusive or neglectful owner, they would not care about finding a better home. You DO NOT know their situation, and have no place carrying on about it. No wonder people turn to knackeries, at least they don't ask questions or badmouth people.

Moving on.....before I get too agro! What about those poor owners who ask for advice or assistance with something, and then get torn to shreds for even daring to ask? HOW DARE THEY NOT KNOW!! THEY ARE CRUEL!! What a load of rot. As an experienced horse person, the idea is to educate, not denigrate! This person you are belittling is probably trying their best. Think back to when you first began to learn about horses - you made mistakes, until somebody showed you another way. You didn't know everything. You NEVER know everything. Don't forget - there is always more than one right way to do things, and just because it's different does not make it wrong. We are here to help people, not judge them. And the big rule - NEVER, EVER touch someone else's horse unless they ask you to. Especially if they aren't there. I don't care what you think they have done, or want to do to you, you DO NOT touch their horse. I've seen horses deliberately injured, tails cut off, manes cut off, feed stolen, gear defaced, damaged and/or stolen, you name it. All in the name of bullying. Often for a blue ribbon. I've even had my horse MOVED TO ANOTHER PADDOCK when I wasn't there, because certain people felt that their horse deserved the grass instead of mine. I was working 2 jobs at the time, and they felt that because I couldn't always be there to bring her in at night, she would eat all "their" grass - after the owner of the property assured me that any paddock was fine. Very glad I no longer agist - some of those places are the worst for bullying.

Then there's the "sportist" types. "You are beneath me because you do XXXX sport with your horse." I've heard of a place where certain groups were not allowed to use the indoor arena because their sport would "ruin the surface" - what a load of rubbish! It's simply because they took up a bit of room in your precious riding arena, and you happened to have the ear of the farm owner. Snobbery, combined with bullying. Even better!!

I don't know why the horse world is so nasty. It just seems to attract fuckwits. I have been part of some wonderful groups, where everyone will bend over backwards to help you, without a second thought. But I have also been to some horrendous places, where everyone is out to get you. I do wish I knew how to stop it.....

I saved him! - Now what?

Following on from my "save it at all costs" post......

Over the past few months, several "rescues" have promoted buying horses from sales and dogger yards. Lots of people fell in love with the fairytale idea of saving a life, and bought them, because they had a bit of land and lots of love to give. But then what? Many of these people have limited, or zero, horse knowledge in the first place, let alone have any idea about the specialised requirements of these types of horses. Given that it is extremely unlikely that any of the horse's history would be known, any problems will not be known until they manifest themselves.

So now what do we have? Classified websites and facebook pages flooded with advertisements along the lines of "I saved this horse but now I've run out of grass and it's losing weight. Please give it a forever home!" Well, derrrrr! You don't just stick it in a paddock to look pretty, you nincompoop. The horse will need feeding! They don't survive on love alone. Especially the ones who were compromised to begin with. The ones who really irritate me are the ones who've had the horse for a few weeks and decide it costs too much to feed. Well, what did you expect? It weighs half a ton, it eats A LOT!

It is so irresponsible to promote the purchase of these horses, without also providing support and education in regards to their ongoing care. It's also irresponsible for a welfare/rescue organisation to promote these horses to the first person who coughs up the money, regadless of their horse experience. An ethical, sensible organisation would screen prospective buyers, and decline those who live in fantasy world, or who just want the warm and fuzzies, without the knowledge to back it up. True rescue is hard, physically, mentally and emotionally. These horses have suffered enough, and this type of so-called "rescue" serves only to prolong that suffering. Just because the horse is not dead, does not mean it has been saved. It is, in my view, a form of cruelty also. Many of those horses are at the doggers for very good reasons - incurable illness or injury, extreme old age, dangerous behaviour etc. Not every horse owner can have their horse PTS at home, and doggers provide this service, unpalatable as it may be to some. And lets face it, there just aren't enough homes for the sound, trained, rideable horses as it is! Horses don't think like people, they don't fear death as we do. Rehab facilities are bursting at the seams already, so unless you stumble across somebody who actually has a clue about equine rehabilitation, the horse has little option but to return to the roundabout and try its luck again.

And then there's the idiots abusing doggers for doing their job. I have yet to meet one who actually enjoys killing things - they aren't Ivan Milat you know! It is a necessary part of the horse industry. Just look at the USA where horse slaughter was banned. Horses now have to endure horrifically long truck journeys to either Mexico or Canada......cruelty in itself! We don't want that here. Knackeries are already few and far between, thanks to misguided individuals protesting their very existence. Think of the knackery people as the garbage men of the industry - cleaning up after our throw away society. Most of us are diligent and do the right thing.....but some leave their recycling in with the trash, and sadly, it is treated accordingly.

Most of these ads then go on to say that the horse is a companion only for whatever reason - most often injury or arthritis from poor leg conformation. Well, hello! Very few people want this type of horse. Who wants to feed a horse bucketloads when it has no practical use? Many of the horses also have minimal handling and/or behavioural problems. I am absolutely shocked at the prices these horses are now fetching, due to the "save at all costs" mentality. They are more popular than the ridden horses! Do people not realise that they are condemning many healthy horses by consistently buying the wrecks? Horse traders are not silly. They want the horses who will give them meat money. The skinny ones are a poor investment, so selling them to the bleeding hearts mean they will make a profit. So who fills the quota then.....the fat ones. Derrrrrr.

The owner also wants a "forever home" - I find this expectation extremely hypocritical. If you really want a forever home, keep it yourself! You apparently saved the horse, but once you realise what you have taken on, you want someone else to take over? It's gotten too hard, so pass it on to the next person? So typical of society today, and once again, the animal suffers. Just like all the animals given as Christmas presents, who flood shelters a few months later because it was all too hard. Fairytale does not equal reality.

And what happens when the paddock is full of grass again? The person gets another horse, feels all warm and fuzzy because they "saved" it, and the cycle starts again. The only ones to suffer are the horses. You also see the odd ad stating that the horse must go, so the owner can "save" more. People with this mindset obviously have no understanding of equine mental health. Shuffling them from pillar to post does them no good, and will likely exacerbate any existing problems. It is not possible to properly assess, rehabilitate, and put some training into a horse, so that it's ready for rehoming, in less than 6 months. At least a year would be realistic.

This trend will ruin the horse industry for those who have spent their lives carefully selecting and promoting their sound, handled, well performed and correctly fed stock. The bottom has fallen out of the market for these small, family operations, while the dealers and agents are laughing all the way to the bank. People are buying all their problem horses to "save" them - halving their workload and doubling their profits. I think I'm in the wrong game!

True rescue and rehab does not involve buying a horse at the sales and passing it on to make yourself feel good. If you do this, you have saved NOTHING. You've given the horse a more uncertain future than it had before, possibly even condemned it to return to the very life you pretended to save it from. This fad is dangerous, to both the horses and their well intentioned but naive buyers.

When will common sense return to the horse industry?