Sarahs Diary

The Racing Industry in Australia, is desperately lacking in imagination with regards to Horsemanship and the welfare of horses. It is pretty much still stuck in the 1800's and closed minded about some of these subjects. The anti-rearing bit is one example. Here are some reasons why I am against them:

1) They ruin the potential of any unbroken mouth.

2) They are often used in a cruel manner

3) I note that they are normally attached to people who lead horses by the beard and six foot lead ropes. Therefore, when the horse rears, it often escapes.

4) If you hurt the mouth of a horse, it will fight against that pain, thus increasing the very behavior that the bit was designed to prevent.

5) They give young horses a bad experience when it comes to bits.

and above all, when it comes right down to it, a rope halter has far more control so why bother? it takes alot of work to get a the respect from a horse and this is just a way to lose it all together and makes them even more dangerous when using one.

I have worked in the racing industry in 2 very different environments one where the horses get time out in the paddocks everyday an DO NOT use rearing bits and get the treatment and respect they deserve and I didn't even get accidentally trodden on by any of the race horses, they were happy, healthy horses.
The other where I worked was very different, I used to get kicked, bitten, dragged, jumped on etc by these sour, unhappy horses that were stabled 22 hours a day and worked 6 days a week, and constantly having those unruly "anti rearing bits" stuck in their mouths.

What really amuses me is the dancing that Racehorse Strappers' do with all of these horses equipped with Anti-Rearing Bits. Just like a Square Dance. Walk 5 metres, take hold of your partner and do a small circle before continuing on. The lack of control is worth watching indeed.

If you go and look on any Saddlery Shop wall, you will see weird and wonderful tools of torture called bits. They were all invented by incompetent horse handlers' and the Anti Rearing Bit belongs on the same wall.