Horses and Turnout

It's no secret to people who know me that animal welfare is terribly important to me, and the ethical dilemma of keeping horses existing on the planet by using them for sport is on my mind and in my work. I am so happy to see the issue of turnout for dressage horses being discussed more and more, and a cover story of Dressage Today magazine. It makes me crazy that so many people refuse to let their horses just be allowed to be horses for even the smallest moments, because they have so much money invested in them...ignoring the price the horse pays in ulcers and neuroses and overall health, if not the fairness of the thing. I am adamant that there should be an agreement by those who make use of horses for sport, or for work, that they, who give so selflessly to us, be allowed some relief in return. If I hear one more person tell me that their horse came from Holland and has never been turned out and it would freak out, you may hear the screaming....