Comment

Comment by Rose Cook on September 28, 2011 at 12:55am

Look what it boils down to is that how ,when,where the UCD show is being conducted isn't working. It is time for a change! I have brought this up at previous meetings and it have fallen on deaf ears. Also lets face it there is some hard feelings involving the UCD and the now defunked CHBA which held shows in Orono. Yes it is time to put all of this behind and carry on. It is not a proper futurity show if 85%  of the horses at the show are from the same farm or have been purchased from that farm. How is that a representation of the breed. There I said it. Stop bashing individuals who choose to present their horses to a wider audience and be more accepting , inviting and FRIENDLIER.

Comment by Ferrous on September 27, 2011 at 6:56pm

Whoa! I never at any point suggested that breeders who are retiring do not want to preserve the breed. The breeders who are retiring are mostly dedicated people who have bred Canadians for many years, and have certainly earned a retirement from the hard work of breeding. I value every breeder who is working, or has ever worked, to breed the quality animals that we enjoy. I stated simply that breeders ARE retiring, and at a rate that is faster than new breeders are taking up the task. It is a valid concern. If you look up the statistics regarding the number of Canadian Horses registered annually, there is a very significant decline that has been getting worse with each year.

If you carefully read my comments, you would note that I do mention that a limited number of breeders and HORSE OWNERS are involved in publicity for the breed. People who do demos and hand out breed information should be commended. You were never criticised by anyone for being at a demo rather than the show.

As for the number of classes at the show... the UCD show is two days long and has a wide variety of classes. It actually has more classes than the Acton show.

I have lurked for a long time without commenting because I see very emotional reactions whenever anyone does speak up. I had to comment when I saw people criticising the show here... which is far less productive than bringing one's concerns to the association and working to initiate change. I did not intend to offend, but rather I hoped to get people thinking and talking about how to save/improve the show and increase participation in both the association and its events. Instead, I seem to have been grossly misunderstood and will now return to merely lurking... somewhere else.

Comment by Ferrous on September 27, 2011 at 6:24pm

To address a couple of your comments... the UCD show is two days, while the Canadian classes at the Acton Fair were Saturday only. As I already mentioned, the Acton Fall Fair Canadian Horse classes do not conflict with the performance classes held on Sunday at the UCD show... only with the line classes and dressage classes which are held on Saturday.

As for being a single person who can not do it all... I understand that feeling. My boyfriend is relatively new to the horse world, so I was on my own in my horsey endeavours for many years (one reason that I did little showing). As someone who gets very anxious in public situations, I like the fact that there is always 'backup' available to help at the UCD show. Everyone at the show is very supportive, and there is generally someone to lend a hand. I would have happily been your 'groom' and helped you with Scooter, especially on the Sunday as our horses were not competing on that day (we also had only one horse in the Saturday dressage classes and could have managed to help then). We pitched in where we could, whether it was holding a horse, taking a horse in a class, or mucking a stall. People also stepped in to help show horses on the line on Saturday for people who had more horses than handlers.

As for financial concerns... I think that is an issue for all horse owners, they are not a cheap passion to have. While I do have a partner, he is the only one of the two of us who is working at the moment. We don't have a lot of money either, so we have to make choices and sacrifices to follow our passion. We wanted very much to take our horses to the John Lassetter clinic that you mentioned, but for the price of our two mature horses to each have one session on one day of the clinic, we were able to take three horses to the show and enter a total of nine classes. The horses got experience off property for a longer period, dealt with being in strange stalls for extended periods, had to behave around unfamiliar horses in unfamiliar surroundings, and were expected to stand quietly in the ring and behave on the line and under tack. We were able to get good feedback about our horses, their training and their performance. We met great new people and also had a chance to see horses and owners that we had not seen in a year. In the end we feel that it was a good investment - our horses gained good experience, we supported the association, and we enjoyed ourselves. The UCD and other recent shows and commitments have currently consumed our limited time and funds, but we do hope that we will have a chance to take our horses to a John Lassetter clinic in the future as he is one of my very favourite coaches/clinicians (and hopefully his next clinic won't be on a holiday weekend). Twist in particular would enjoy his clinic tasks!

Comment by Queenrider on September 27, 2011 at 1:24pm

Looking at it from a business aspect:  There are is a limited number of horses showing.  You have 2 shows on the same day.  One is growing while the other is contracting.  Without looking at anything else this indicates that some thing needs to change.Passionate pleas for more participation isn't working(unless the particpation is up for the recent show?).  I am just trying to make a point and hopefully keep the show going. Showing is a competitive business like any other.

Comment by Queenrider on September 27, 2011 at 1:11pm

I show dressage at Bronze shows because that is where the trailer is going and my coach as well.  I am also a single person with limited funds.  Shows usually require a 2 person effort so I go as the groom and I hire the rider. Dressage shows will have a couple of classes for Scooter which is enough for both of us. I am 56 now and due to illness I no longer have the stamina to be able to ride in a show and do all the other work. I can do one or the other.  And yes I did suggest that the date for the UCD show be changed at the last meeting I went to which was 2 years ago.  I shall probably go to the next one. I have run

Comment by Ferrous on September 27, 2011 at 12:35pm

Again, I am saddened to read this sort of attitude. The Breed Shows of a variety of breeds do not provide prize money... this is especially the case for rare breeds where shows are small. Queenrider, you show in dressage. That is a discipline that also does not provide prize money... what is your motivation for showing in the discipline? I show dressage because I love it. My boyfriend is in the process of pursuing driving because he loves it (now there is an expensive discipline whose primary reward is the mere enjoyment of participating)... that is also our motivation for showing at a dedicated breed show, we love the breed. We also want to see the breed survive and improve. At a breed show, breeders can see how the horses are faring when judged against other examples of the breed, and make breeding decisions according to the quality of animals being produced.

The current location is somewhat central within the province, and because the association has returned to the facility for a number of years, it gets an incredibly good price that is not likely to be matched elsewhere... especially for the amenities that are being provided. It is also in an area with a reasonably high concentration of Canadian Horses. One participant drove three hours to get to the show, so obviously some are willing to make the sacrifice. We have other livestock that show at the same venue, and participants drive from as far as Alberta and Nova Scotia to attend those shows, which also do not provide prize money. Not everyone is driven primarily by cash incentives. Orangeville is not very far from Acton, so people who went to the Acton Fair on Saturday could have come to the UCD show on Sunday. A variety of classes are held at the UCD show in order to ensure that people of a wide variety of disciplines have a chance to participate. If members have suggestions for classes, or for changes to the show, they are free to attend UCD meetings and share their thoughts. I do not understand why people will complain in online forums but are unwilling to participate in the breed association and help to improve things.

Yes, finances are important, but they should not be the driving factor. If people love Canadian Horses and want them to survive, then people must be willing to make some sacrifices to help support the breed. The breeders alone cannot do it all... but since we have had Canadians we have seen that the majority of work done for the show and the breed association, and the majority of publicity for the breed, has been done be a few breeding farms and a few other horse owners. The majority of Canadian Horse owners are not involved at all. Breeding horses is a labour of love, it is not financially rewarding and it is a lot of work. It is only fair that we appreciate having the opportunity to have these wonderful and unique horses in our lives by making the sacrifice to support the efforts of the dedicated few. Is attending one annual show really too much to ask? There were horses a short drive away that did not attend, when others drove a few hours to participate. There were offers to help with transportation for some local horse owners if they wanted to attend, but they declined.

When people come together there will be different opinions on how things should be done, there will be personality clashes, there will be politics. People should be able to work through such challenges for the sake of something as worthwhile as these amazing horses. Anything even remotely social is very challenging for me, but I force myself to participate to the fullest of my ability. I may say the wrong thing, I may have a different viewpoint than some, I may even go "AAARGH!" in frustration and consider throwing in the proverbial towel, but I persevere because I love these horses. I often lurk in the background at events, in online forums, etc. trying to absorb everything. I am saddened by the things that I hear and read. I get frustrated by the fact that people seem almost determined to not even try to work together.  We are losing breeders, supporters, events... I am saddened by the noticeable decline of the breed and fear its eventual loss.

One of the reasons that there is still a second breed in my life is because that breed has a more cohesive, supportive, determined and successful community and breed association network. Things aren't perfect, but they do work together and support one another. Their shows do not have prize money... instead the community draws together to find sponsors, and members donate items to (and bid on) the silent auctions that support their events. The members go great distances to bring their horses to shows, clinics and other events. They work hard to train all of their horses to a level appropriate for their age.  They accomplish all of this despite the fact that there are even fewer animals of their breed than there are Canadian Horses. I do hope that it is not the only breed of the two to survive.

Clearly I am alone in my views in this forum so I will no longer press the issue. Enjoy your horses all, and please at least give a quiet thanks to the breeders who brought them into being.

 

Comment by Queenrider on September 27, 2011 at 8:50am

People always vote with their feet and their money! If people aren't coming then there is a message in there. The message is change is needed.Which classes are the fullest?  There should be more of that, for example.Which classes are difficult to fill?  There should be less of those. Horse shows are a business like any other and the competition (Acton Fair) is obviously getting the horses.At the very least a change of date may be needed.  A more central location for the show?

Where do most Canadian owners live?  More advertising may be needed?  I put an add on EMG for the UCD Canadian show for example .

Comment by Ferrous on September 27, 2011 at 2:23am

Hmm, my last post would make a little more sense if the comments that I was addressing had not been deleted. I wish that the person commenting had not deleted her post... while I may view things differently, I think that it was good for another Canadian Horse owner to share her views too. To that poster: please share your opinions with the UCD... if Canadian Horse owners share their concerns and opinions, perhaps we can all work together for improvement. I am not a UCD director or anything, but as a member I do believe that the association requires input and participation from more Canadian Horse owners in order to survive and develop opportunities to showcase our breed.

Comment by Ferrous on September 27, 2011 at 2:00am

Thank you for your comments... open discussion is the first step to solving problems. If your reply is in response to my posts, note that I did state that whatever the reason for non attendance, things (and attitudes) need to change. I mentioned the 'lack of cash incentives' argument as ONE reason because it was discussed in posts below (as demonstrated by the quote that I copied directly from one such post).

As for the lack of rules at the show, the reason that you heard may be valid. At the moment attendance is very low, and accommodating participants who have limited tack options is better than having them not be able to participate at all. The tack situation was discussed with the judge and participants, and the judge did discuss proper rules (and etiquette) with the participants, before and/or after judging them as they were equipped. I agree that the show needs improvement and rules, but until more people get involved, the show organizers are doing the best that they can with what they have... the first step is to get people to show up, have fun, and return. Once we have people attending, then the association can work on education. The show did generate interest in a showmanship clinic, and the judge is willing to give a clinic if there is sufficient interest. Other clinics that teach proper techniques, equipment etc of other disciplines are also an option if members are interested and will attend. One must remember that many Canadian Horse owners are pleasure riders who have not yet learned about the rules of showing... most are not averse to learning, they simply haven't had the exposure to showing/lessons etc yet.

I am a dressage rider (lots of rules and traditions), and the other breed that is close to my heart is one that requires inspections and has breed shows with clear rules and guidelines. I also come from (and am more comfortable in) a world with clear rules. I would like to see our Futurity/Show grow and develop into what it should be, but growth is currently being impeded by the lack of participants. If you (or other members) see areas where improvements should be made, why not attend meetings and share your ideas? Instead of merely condemning the show, why not get involved and help to improve it? The show can't be fixed without more people to help fix it.

The show organizers also put a lot of time, effort and money into their horses... and they work to prepare their horses for the show, while also doing all of the work to organize the show (all of the arranging and paperwork, preparing the venue, finding volunteers, dealing with entries etc.). Everyone involved in organizing the show owns horses, has a job, is an active farmer etc... it is a lot to balance. The show is a labour of love for a determined few who have invested a lot in their horses as well.

We also put a lot of time, effort and money into our horses (ask what we have put into our young horse who was seriously injured last year). As people dedicated to this breed and its survival, we expect there to be a Futurity and Breed Show. We feel that it is worth striving to keep it alive and make it better each year. Unfortunately, we meet a lot of Canadian Horse owners who do not seem to really care that their horse is a Canadian Horse... it just happened to be that the horse that they found when horse shopping was a Canadian. They care only about what the horse can do and what the horse is (ie. a Canadian) is not of any great importance (some don't bother to get their horse's papers). I am not saying that anyone in this group feels that way, but it is another problem that we face... we need Canadian Horse owners to be proud of what their horse is, as much as they are of what it can do. Then, perhaps they too would get involved in Canadian horse events... and want Canadian Horse events to survive.

As for the "children scream obsenities"... I have to admit that I do not remember witnessing any such incident (and can't imagine who would have done so). The only possibility that I can think of is the young rider who was thrown from her horse. If she did, I am not sure that I would have fared much better in her situation, considering the fact that she was injured. I have been thrown from a horse to the point of requiring a trip to the hospital, and I would not be surprised if I uttered an expletive in a pain filled haze. I am not excusing the use of bad language if it did occur, but I would be able to overlook such an indiscretion in extreme circumstances. I have heard a variety of 'colourful utterences' emitted by thrown riders at horse shows! ;)

Comment by Ferrous on September 26, 2011 at 11:29pm

In response to the sentiment conveyed by a few posts below, but especially by the comment:
"i have defiantly crossed the Orangeville show off my list not worth the time or money."

It has been over an hour since I read the posts, and I am still cringing. If there were no breed associations involved in supporting the breed and the registry, there might not still be a Canadian Horse. If there were no breed, then there may not have been Canadian Horse breeders to put the effort into producing your awesome horses, and so those horses would not be in your lives.

Every breed tends to have a Futurity to show the young-stock that are the Future of the breed and a Breed Show to showcase what the mature horses can do. Dedicated breed shows give legitimacy to a breed... in the eyes of livestock governing bodies, funding agencies, and the horse community. It is unfortunate that many people do not see the 'worth' of the show... it has a value that extends far beyond prize money for individual participants.

I wish that more people would recognize that value and come to the show. People may have a variety of reasons for not attending: a lack of prize money, shyness, personality clashes, politics, etc. However, I wish that people would push all of these things aside and attend for the sake of what is really important - the horses. In the end, they might actually find that they have a lot of fun.

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