Send us Fan Mail

A brideless horse show sounds like an instant win for horse welfare, but the reality is messier and more interesting. We start with that headline making UK event and use it to ask a bigger question: is the show horse industry built in a way that rewards calm partnership, or does it quietly reward control no matter what’s on the horse’s head?

We talk about what we actually see when tack disappears: softer rounds, less wrestling, and spectators paying attention to behavior and communication. Then we dig into the uncomfortable side, including how “light” performances can be manufactured at home with harsh methods, and why equipment debates can distract from the real moral issue: training, pressure, and what we choose to reward. From there we get practical about safety in jumping, fairness across riders with different aids, and how judges and judging criteria shape the entire culture, especially in dressage.

We also widen the lens to the welfare realities around the show environment itself, from stressful stabling and heat to horses that simply do not enjoy traveling. And we get candid about lesson programs, the way shows become the only motivator for students, and the disconnect between professional horsemanship and consumer expectations. We close with a grounded look at starting young horses, breed maturity, conditioning, and why “exercise and training” does not have to mean riding in circles. If this conversation challenges you, share it with a horse friend, subscribe, and leave a review so more riders can rethink what good competition should look like.

Image of tack neck strap
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?

UK competition
https://youtu.be/t3ksAJgtc64?is=tffNVDNGqtcXFNwy

Bridleless Wyatt
http://offtrackthoroughbreds.com/2014/04/08/bridleless-wyatt-is-a-racetrack-wonder/

Brendan Wise Horse Radio Network podcast
https://youtu.be/SzFxEAtDO5w?is=e_lmz2X1bNnv01Ej

Unbridled Wings

https://youtu.be/WWZae7C4peg?is=OQyaH1FssvMdeU19

emmajenkinsondressage@gmail.com

https://youtube.com/@emmajenkinsondressage?si=Zt9ma9vtpMK2iZV7