When exactly does the treatment of a horse for equestrian events turn from sports to animal cruelty? To what extent must an animal, in this case, a horse, be pushed to their physical limits in an attempt to achieve better results in sporting events? These are some of the dilemmatic questions that always linger in any animal-plus-equestrian-lovers mind. And when cases of an underweight or malnutritioned horse come to the news, these questions find more relevance. However, thanks to people like Tim Anderson, these horses still have a future.
Tim Anderson is a horse trainer who has trained, coached, and looked after horses for the majority of his life. Recently, he rescued another horse from a kill pen and from an almost perishable condition, brought it back to its healthy self.
Tim Anderson goes above and beyond for equestrian horses
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Tim Anderson recently wrote on his Facebook page, Tim Anderson Horse Training, “This horse was very underweight when she was rescued from a kill pen. I have been working her through most of her issues but she still needs physical therapy which will help her mental state”. Alongside, he attached a video where he demonstrated how he nursed the horse back to health.
View this post on Instagram
But first, what is a kill pen? Kill pens are areas that hold hordes of horses cramped together in unhealthy and under-kept conditions. As if this wasn’t bad enough, these horses are then auctioned off for mass slaughter. It is a blessing for these horses that trainers like Tim Anderson exist. And it surely was a miraculous blessing for the horse he did rescue, named ‘Maggie’.
READ MORE – “They Travel Better Than My Kids”: Exquisite Horses of US Team’s Luxury Travel Leaves Sports Fans Amazed
Maggie was in a weak and malnourished condition in a kill pen. However, after Anderson rescued her, he spent a fair bit of time and effort on her, and she is finally getting back to prime fitness.
Anderson’s love for horses is universally required
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
It all started with Maggie watching Anderson treating a cow back to health, as he put it. Anderson believes that something changed in Maggie since, and she started trusting Anderson more, allowing him to work on her. Since then, her steering and lope have gotten much better. As Anderson kept repeating, “Just becoming a really nice horse overall”. Anderson also got her out of the snaffle bit and made the change to the leverage bit.
View this post on Instagram
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Although Maggie has improved tremendously, there’s still some work that needs to be done on her. This includes building her muscles since her back is still weak. However, this further begs the question – How bad was her initial condition? Horses are one of the most overbred animals on Earth, and they often serve as work animals. They are also constantly injured and prone to accidents, like the two racehorses’ collision in Kentucky Derby in 2009. Hence, a better treatment, like the one Tim Anderson is doing, is absolutely warranted.
Watch This Story: Baby Biles turns into Simone Biles, mother teases about her joining gymnastics