As a new rider to the hunter/jumper ring I have been exposed to an old tradition that I morally oppose. I am speaking about drugging in horses.
I was raised that equestrian sports are a team sport. It is between you and your horse's bond that create a great competition and show your skill set as a person and animal. But trainers and riders alike are constantly trying to push the limits and are using drugs to do this. They are replacing skills and patience with Ace, Bute, and Depo, with no second glance of what side-effects can occur in the animal we put so much trust in.
We must remember that if we wanted an easy hoby we would take up yoga, or art (not the talented art, but the ones that people just take trash and put it in a pile and call it art...if that is a hobby I have "Art" in my kitchen that my dog likes to sneak into and criticize) Horses are a living creature that require respect and work. When giving a sedative like Ace, we cause the horse to have a "Drunk" effect. Next time you are drunk, try jumping over an obstacle at a sprint. Do you look pretty doing this? Do you feel like crap and want to vomit?
With the winter months upon us, the colder weather brings hotter horses. This is when we are more tempted to drug our four legged friends. We must remain patient and find ways to make time for them to run free and receive the exercise they desperately need. You would not drug your child who is locked in the house for 4 days, why would you your horse?
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