Straight from the horses mouth: What the Roy Moore horseback footage reveals

[sheshe2]

snip/

When horses have their ears back, it means that they feel threatened. I don’t feel good in this situation, such ears say. I really don’t feel safe. Out of respect for a creature dignified enough to not throw her human to the ground, I’ll henceforth refer to Moore’s mare as S. rather than Sassy, because that name, and Moore’s giving of it to her, makes me feel like I’m corroborating his misogyny. (And on a sidenote, what kind of person rides a horse named Sassy to go vote for himself?) In the video from the polling station, S. has her ears pinned back the entire time. On social media, some people have pointed out that the horse is probably frightened by the cameras and the crowds, and that is why S. has her ears pinned. Absolutely valid. But here’s the thing: there is a kind of horse that can be ridden safely into a maddening crowd. It’s called a stick horse. They’re roughly 29 inches long, and they’re usually made out of wood. Using any other kind of horse in a volatile situation necessitates a willing steed, an accomplished rider, or — ideally — both.

snip

In addition to the riders’ natural “aids” (the way in which a rider uses their leg, seat, hands and voice to communicate intention), bridled horses have a metal bar in their mouths called a “bit” that allows the rider (with the assistance of the attached reins) to positively reinforce good behavior, or to correct unwanted acts. Horses move away from pressure. If you apply pressure to the horse with your right leg, for example, he will move away from it, to the left. If you pull on your reins, this moves the position of the bit inside of the horse’s mouth to a place that is uncomfortable for them. Good riders use their reins sparingly — whether they want their mount to slow down, turn, or halt, they will use their legs and seat to achieve this result first. For respectable equestrians, pulling on the reins is a shameful, last resort.


Watch the video of mounted Moore again. If you’ve grasped the way a bit works, you’ll understand that Moore has chosen to respond to his horse’s distress signals by making her feel worse. He is quite literally yanking on the reins with his arms way up in the air, a nonsensical hand position which would only compound the pain of a jerked bit. Add to this the fact that Moore has tacked her with what looks like a Tom Thumb bit — a notoriously harsh bit designed for increased leverage action, which will amplify, tenfold, any pressure exerted on it by a rider. When the reins are yanked with a Tom Thumb bit attached, the mouthpiece can bend in its jointed middle and slam into the roof of the horse’s mouth, which is as excruciating as it sounds.

Read More; https://medium.com/@cmaum/straight-from-the-horses-mouth-what-the-roy-moore-horseback-footage-reveals-25df60400358

You can easily judge a persons character by the way they treat animals. Moore treated his mare viciously and inflicted her with needless pain without a care. She tried to tell him, with ears pinned that she was uncomfortable and frightened...he ignored her signal of distress. No doubt in my mind that he treated young girls the same way.

[Achilleaze]

1. The republican pedophile rides like a drunken russian cossack

[Wounded Bear]

71. Cossacks were notoriously good horsemen. Bite your tongue..

[Achilleaze]

72. Even when drunk?

Will wonders never cease.

[Wounded Bear]

73. He's not a cossack...

Especially when drunk.

[machoneman]

74. Cucksack maybe? LOL

[procon]

2. The fact that he's on a gaited horse and still can't ride, says it all.

These breeds have such a smooth, soft motion, it's like sitting on a rocking horse. There's no bounce, no need to be a skilled rider or expert horseman, but Moore is terrified he might fall off and the videos show him riding awkwardly stiff legged with his arms akimbo.

[Botany]

68. The video of him on the horse @ a trot tells me he can't ride that well

It has been years but you kind of sit up and forward and go w/the motion of
the animal at a trot. Roy just sat there and bounced up and down.

[MrsMatt]

3. sits in the saddle

with all the grace of a sack of potatoes.

[Runningdawg]

4. It might be easier to sit

if he removed his head from his ass.

[gibraltar72]

6. That's

where he carries his bible.

[Demoiselle]

22. Well said!

[madaboutharry]

5. Mika said right away on Morning Joe

On election morning, that she is an experienced rider, and that Moore doesn't know how to ride a horse. She seemed angry.

[GoCubsGo]

7. I haven't ridden in decades, but even a beginner like me could tell that.

I couldn't stand to watch the videos of him. The poor horses always had their heads pulled back toward their necks, because that sack of crap held the reins way too tight. I am sure it was hell on their mouths.

[sheshe2]

9. I don't blame her in the least.

As the article here states, he treated that horse with vicious cruelty and caused her needless pain.

[PearliePoo2]

35. Yes,she WAS angry. She also said that this was abuse and that she hoped someone would buy the horse!

Man, this STILL pisses me off.
I'd like to put a bit in Moore's mouth and yank on it until his bloody teeth fell out.

[sheshe2]

44. I am with you PearliePoo.

[misanthrope]

49. What is stopping her from doing so?

She has enough money as does her beau Joe.

[Rhiannon12866]

66. I heard Mika and I agreed with everything she said

I grew up riding, as well - and the way he was trying to ride that lovely horse appeared not just inexperienced, but downright abusive.

[GoCubsGo]

8. I wish Sassy had dumped him on his ass. n/t

[sheshe2]

10. And then...

kicked him in the head to boot.

[GoCubsGo]

12. Or,...

in his manhood.

[sheshe2]

13. Aaaah...

I can't top that one

[TheCowsCameHome]

16. You mean his toy gun, correct?

[GoCubsGo]

18. That, too. n/t

[sheshe2]

46. His tiny widdle pisssssssssstal.

[Blindingly apparent]

11. Not to mention, that some city sanitation worker will have to clean up the horseshit

Shows his lack of regard for the people beneath him

[Buns_of_Fire]

14. I've no doubt he sees himself this way...

[Brother Buzz]

15. That's not the first young filly he's spooked

[hamsterjill]

17. I am the daughter of a REAL cowboy.

My father, who passed away in 2010 at the age of 95, was a real cowboy. By that, I mean that he earned his living running a ranch and training horses and dogs.

If anyone had ever ridden a horse in the presence of my father in the way that Roy Moore rode that horse and yanked that bridle, that person would have been given a good talking to, and banned from ever riding one of my dad's horses again. The way Sassy was handled by Moore was cruel and unnecessary. Just another crazy-assed Evangelical who doesn't believe that animals have any rights much less a soul. He should be charged with animal cruelty.

[misanthrope]

51. Moore's body language and actions betray his fear

He's uncomfortable on the horse and afraid of falling. That's why he's not using his legs properly and pulling on the reins for balance.

[uppityperson]

62. He's using the reins like bicycle handlebars

Poor horse

[Corgigal]

19. I just found this a few days ago

2 year old American Pharoah, who went on to win the triple crown, at two years old. Watch that tiny young lady give this horse the go and watch her skill. I'm in awe of her, I'm not sure she ever will be a jockey but this is understanding a horse when they are peak.

[sheshe2]

21. Beauty in motion.

Thank you for sharing, Corgigal. They were in sync.

[sarge43]

28. A pas de deux n/t

[Duppers]

27. That was beautiful...magnificent.

Watched the first 2 mins and I'm awestruck.

[geardaddy]

32. Thank you for sharing that!

Beautiful!

[yuiyoshida]

40. I don't know about Horses but....

these guys are totemo kakkoii ne, very cool!

[sheshe2]

47. Those were magnificent.

Thanks, yui~

[yuiyoshida]

48. you're welcome

ど いたしまして

[DeltaLitProf]

54. Mercy at the acceleration

At one point it looked like the jockey threw down the throttle and American Pharoah just took off like a comet.

[ret5hd]

61. Truly a thing of beauty! That moment at about the 50 sec mark...

when he just breaks loose is so awe inspiring!

[BlancheSplanchnik]

76. Spine tingling!

The two of them..... wow!!!!!
That was magnificent...I needed that.


💚 🐴 🐎

[TlalocW]

20. That whole thing just confused the hell out of me

First, I don't get why he's dressing like a cowboy to begin with. I understand that it's traditionally a symbol of manliness, but it's not a common outfit you see in the south, is it? To me it would be like, instead of the cowboy, Vikings had conquered the West, and furry shoulder pads and helmets with horns (I know they didn't really have horned helmets) were the traditional garb, and a southerner dressed up like that.

Secondly, there is a very small percentage of people who are going to change their vote the day of because you rode a quadruped to the voting station. You're not impressing anyone.

Thirdly, just how bad he was at riding it. If you don't have 100% confidence in your abilities, you should not be placing a horse into the middle of a group of people - you're torturing the horse, and you're putting the people in danger.

Fourthly, and maybe I'm the only one, but his having to bend over to adjust the stirrup on his right leg seemed strange.

TlalocW

[fescuerescue]

64. Close elections are decided on small percentages.

Bottom line is he did it because it would make people talk about him. Like we are doing here.

Talk means name recognition and name recognition turns into votes.

Even if it means 0.1% bump, elections have been decides on much much less.

To bad for him. he needed alot more horses

[TygrBright]

23. Most Western horses are trained to neck rein.

I learned to ride English, so it was a little confusing for me when I first tried Western. As noted above, horses will naturally move away from pressure. To neck rein, you lay the rein against the side of the neck, apply light knee pressure on the same side, and the horse will turn in the other direction.

From the appearance and gait of that poor horse, she's a very well-bred and trained Western horse, possibly with some kind of competition experience. If, so, it's unlikely the crowds were what was spooking her.

A well-trained Western horse ridden by a competent rider shows an almost motionless unity, with the horse moving fluidly on the basis of very little apparent motion from the rider. Reins are kept relatively short in order to neck rein, but NOT tight, as pressure on the horse's mouth will confuse and irritate it.

I have no idea where or how that sleazeball got hold of a nice horse, but he really shouldn't be allowed to abuse her like that... sawing at the reins, elbows akimbo, legs stiff, stirrups out.... yeeesh.

disgustedly,
Bright

[sheshe2]

25. Your sign off, Bright....

disgustedly, is correct, exactly the way I feel. He should arrested for cruelty to animals. The video tells you all you need to know about his character.

[not fooled]

75. The problem is

horses can't readily express discomfort vocally. They can neigh or grunt when in extreme danger but don't vocalize as a matter of course when in pain. If horses could scream every time an asshole abuses them, people wouldn't be so casual about committing animal cruelty towards them.

[uppityperson]

63. I got to ride a retired quarterhorse and it was amazing

Id think about turning and we'd be turning. That was a really fun horse to ride with.

[cp]

24. Hope this lovely horse can go to a good home

[sheshe2]

26. I agree, cp.

And welcome to DU.

[Duppers]

29. We should express our thoughts where that asshole

Last edited Fri Dec 15, 2017, 05:39 PM - Edit history (1)

Could see them. In the Gadsden, Alabama newspaper Letters to the Editor:

http://www.gadsdentimes.com/opinion/letters

It couldn't hurt. Tell that bible thumping idiot exactly how he mistreating that poor horse.

Thanks.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

30. Moore is all hat and no cattle. A walking lie. Like tRump. . . nt

[nadine_mn]

31. Sassy was the name of a teen girl magazine in the 80's-90's - so of course he named

his horse that...poor horse

My cousin does barrel racing -and she was disgusted with how he rode that poor horse

Doug Jones should have gotten the horse as part of his win

[sandensea]

33. Moore's like Clint Eastwood in that sense - but much worse.

Eastwood, of course, is closely associated with horsemanship mainly on account of his early film roles in Westerns.

In reality though, he wasn't very patient with them at all, and was known to sometimes punch a horse in the mouth if it became stubborn - which they usually were around him due to his hostile attitude.

But image is everything for Republicans.

[byronius]

34. That is an extremely coherent take on this.

[FreeWheatForever]

36. Sassy?

Sassy was the name of an '80's magazine aimed at teenage girls.

Shocking? I say neigh, neigh.

[Dave Starsky]

37. I am just a layman...

And even I could see that horse was distressed, and that Judge Roy Moore didn't have the first fucking clue what he was doing on that horse's back. I was shocked when I found out that this is a horse he owns. That poor horse nearly ran that bastard out into the woods and bucked him off, and I wish to God he had.

That is always the tell: How do you treat animals, and how do they treat you? Animals don't understand and don't buy into spin and bullshit. They know you're a malevolent dick immediately. You cannot hide that from them. Their very survival depends on it. At the same time, if you love and appreciate animals, you already know that they know this about you. And you know that if you're not threatened by them, you can be kind to them, and they will be kind to you in return a thousand times.

[marble falls]

38. Just another over sized jackass on what seems to be a very good well-trained horse. I bet he runs..

his cars into the ground, too. He's certainly bungled his way through his relationships. Typical bully-boy.

[mudstump]

39. Moore's riding ability is a joke...

He's using a long shanked gag type bit which intensifies the severity of the bit when the reins are pulled. Any experienced equestrian could tell immediately that Moore is no cowboy. He's a cowboy wannabe.

[Bayard]

41. Basic horsemanship is the same across all disciplines

I ride dressage, but the same goes for western, saddle seat, hunt seat. or anything else. You want your aids--which are the cues you give to the horse to tell it what to do--to be pretty much invisible. If you're riding correctly with seat and legs, the reins become almost superfluous. A western bit (what Moore uses), has a much longer shank (the sides of the bit), so that there is more leverage. The idea being that you don't have to make these huge ugly moves with the reins, because a western trained horse is taught to back off the more severe bit. A bit sits on the "bars" inside a horses mouth. Its an empty space--no teeth there, where the bit should rest comfortably for them. Some western folks ride in a hackamore, which is a bitless bridle.

If a horse is ridden correctly, its not tossing its head and "hollowing" its back. Again, this is thru the use of seat and legs. Their back will actually come up to meet your seat, as you see in the video of the girl breezing the Thoroughbred on the track. Although she's in "2 point" position (out of the saddle and balanced on your 2 feet and your legs). A swishing tail and pinned ears are also a big sign of a pissed off or uncomfortable horse. Bucking usually follows.

Moore should not even be allowed to go in a barn.

[Bayard]

42. This is how its supposed to look.......

[mantis49]

52. Absolutely magnificent!!

I was tearing up during that performance. Bravo!

[sheshe2]

53. They are one and in sync.

Nary a touch yet the horse understands the command.

Beautiful.

[Duppers]

43. ...

[scarytomcat]

45. Horses are amazing animals everyone should know one in their life

this asshole was riding a pinto pony (I would doubt it was gaited) with a western saddle and a severe bit (so I'm told)
he had no clue how to handle the animal
he was much to big for the animal
his feet are not in position to talk to the animal and he is jerking on the reins which appear to be English
he is a complete clown
I am not a horse expert but I had the great pleasure of riding a little and took a few lesson in English in my teens

[sheshe2]

50. He is not just a pedophile

He abused that beautiful animal causing her pain and terrifying her. He seemed to take delight in doing so.

I grew up in the country and we had horses, two...one Western and one English. I road Western and never saw a more inept rider. I wish she had bucked him, though I believe if she had he would have put her down.

We see ya Roy...we know what you are.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

78. 😪. I hope we find out someone rescued her.

Poor sweet horse 🐴. 😥

[DeltaLitProf]

55. Surely a complaint can be made to the Humane Society or to the local police

Abuse of animals shouldn't just be let go because their supposed owners are ex-judges and ex-GOP candidates.

[robbedvoter]

56. in Alabama, it's not cowboys who ride horse. It's the KKK

as illustrated in this story

Link to tweet

[sheshe2]

58. This.

[yardwork]

70. Very good point.

[ribrepin]

57. Love the picture with this article

Sassy has #me too tattooed on her hind flank.
Wish I knew how to image to DU.

[sheshe2]

59. Before HP did an update on my computer.... it was easy.

Now I can't...you should be able to do this.

Right click the image. You will see a drop down hit copy. Go to DU or wherever click and then hit paste image.

[ribrepin]

60. Thanks, but I tried that and it didn't work.

[Rhiannon12866]

65. Here you go:

[ribrepin]

81. Thank you

Love the #ME TOO on the horse's hind quarters.

[JimBeard]

67. Remember this

I didn't catch the hymn singing in the background at the end of the clip until I had made the post.

[Soxfan58]

69. I thought S got scared

When she realized she was a 14yo philly.

[homegirl]

77. Keep the Albatross around the neck of

It's important to keep the albatross of Roy Moore's failed bid for the Senate firmly around the necks of every Republican and conservative who not only supported his candidacy, but defended him from credible allegations of child molestation.

It hasn't even been a week since the election, and the prior "vote for Roy Moore!" crowd are now furiously pretending that that his failure to secure Jeff Sessions's old seat is no biggie. Not so fast.

[alterfurz]

79. It's high time for Rootin' Tootin' Cowboy Roy...

...to ride off into the sunset now, and on a far more suitable steed:

#saveSassy

[2naSalit]

80. I noticed that right away....nt