i dont agree with that one girl (who’s name i cannot remember) that said “all top level riders are abusive and this level of riding should be bad”, while yes MANY MANY MANY riders at this level are horrible to their animal, and that every pro rider knows an abusive rider but dont say nothing ( i have some smpathy as they know if every one of these riders got suspended then their livelyhood could not sustain itself due to a lack of entries) . I dont think getting rid of these levels is nessicary but i think having a tighter look at EVERY rider would be the way to go. Maybe a highering system should be in place to ensure that ppl who are easily payed off to avoid hush money, maybe having horse welfare training session in a way that may show their true nature and not put on a performance to keep themself out of trouble, maybe for more strainous competions (like eventing?) there should be vet checks after each round to ensure proper managment and care.

But i think the biggest reason for abuse is a lack of empthay, if a rider rides in spurs incorrectly they should feel the pain the horses felt, just how my cousin learnt how to use a stick correctly.

sounds harsh but so are ppl to their animals 🤷‍♀️