The horse industry's core values have always been protecting and enhancing equine welfare. While it’s true there is the occasional bad actor, they are few and far between. Most horse owners, trainers, and breeders put the health and welfare of their horses above all else. Nevertheless, animal extremist groups work feverishly to eliminate any kind of use and enjoyment of horses, and unfortunately, now, a major equine organization is helping to enable their misguided mission.
The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) recently announced upcoming changes to their rule GR838, which applies to abuse, neglect, or otherwise unethical horse treatment. Thus far, the rule has only applied to actions on competition grounds. However, as of December 1, 2024, GR838 will apply anywhere USEF members raise, board, practice, train, or otherwise use horses, including home facilities. However, the USEF does not have the authority to make site visits to private property and relies entirely on reporting of alleged incidents. They also allow anonymous reporting.
As the old saying goes, the road to hell is paved with good intentions. Quite simply, USEF has left the doors wide open for animal extremists to target horse owners and, furthermore, to trespass and spy to document alleged abuse and neglect. Because their ideology is of the mindset that any use of animals is abusive, and they leverage the general public’s lack of experience with horses and other livestock to garner donations and advance their cause, their campaigns often quickly gain traction. For example, some animal extremist campaigns have claimed standard equipment like bits are abusive, which is, of course, a ludicrous idea for those familiar with horses. Still, such messaging can upset people without experience and prompt them to donate.
Given the USEF's size and influence, it is safe to say the effects of this rule change could have repercussions throughout the entire horse industry, regardless of whether reported incidents of alleged cruelty have any merit.
The USEF website boasts that the organization has over 500,000 fans and members, with competing members owning more than 300,000 horses. This encompasses 11 breeds and 18 disciplines, including Andalusian/Lusitano, Arabian, Connemara, Friesian, Hackney, Morgan, National Show Horse, Paso Fino, American Saddlebred, Shetland, and Welsh Pony/Cob.
Seven disciplines are recognized internationally, including combined driving/para-driving, dressage, endurance, Eventing, jumping, para-equestrian, and vaulting. Nationally, English pleasure, carriage pleasure driving, hunter over fences, hunt seat equitation, parade horse, reining, roadster, saddle seat, western pleasure, western dressage, and western equitation are recognized. USEF is the National Governing Body of the US Olympic & Paralympic Committee and governs other major events such as the Pan American Games and the World Equestrian Games.
While USEF is a large and influential group, it is important to remember that 300,000 horses are only 3% of the 9 million domestic horses in the United States. Therefore, we should not let this elitist group make broad-stroke rules that could seriously damage the horse industry as a whole and our way of life.
Like much of the horse industry, regardless of discipline, Western Justice does not condone any actual abuse or neglect of our equine partners. However, we believe it to be extremely unwise of any equine-centered group to create such a broad, poorly thought-out, open-door opportunity for our uneducated and fanatical opposition to attack our industry.