Horse looking out stall bars waiting for NRHA member

NRHA Members Call Out Professionals Code of Ethics

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NRHA Members Call Out Professionals Code of Ethics as a load of rubbish. They do not adhere to it and nor is it enforced

Further down in this article you will read the actual comments made by NRHA members and enthusiasts regarding the Professionals Code of Conduct in 2020.

You may have seen the NRHA Welfare Publicity and the Professional Code of Conduct. It reads like the horses are living in Utopia!

What the NRHA States:  The Health and Welfare of our Horses

For the love. Of the horse. Of the sport. Of family. Reining is a sport that allows riders of all ages to unite and share their love of and devotion to the horse. They’re driven by the passion they feel for these kind, beautiful four-legged athletes. To compete successfully in Reining, our horses must be in excellent health and tip-top condition. They are cared for and treated as a member of the family, and that relationship is the essence of our involvement in Reining.

They go to say in The Professionals Code of Conduct :

Ensure that the welfare of the reining horse is paramount and that every horse shall always be treated humanely and with dignity, respect and compassion, regardless if the horse does not reside under my direct supervision.

NOW: Look inside the bubble and see what the NRHA members and reining enthusiasts really think. These comments include posts from high profile people within the reining horse business. Are the trainers held to account for their actions? Is there a standard that is enforced?

 

NRHA Member and Enthusiasts conversations

NRHA Member and Enthusiasts conversations

So this welfare and respect of the horse? From the 2019 Show Season

NRHA Member and Enthusiasts conversations

Would you want to be a member of some of those families?

Are bloodied sides and mouths, wires and spur gravel showing they are treated humanely and with dignity, respect, and compassion?

The enforcement of the Code of Ethics is managed by the trainers. Trainers governing trainers – what could possibly go wrong?

With the large sums of prize money for #runforthemillion #nrhafuturity #nrhaderby to name a few, should they be allowed govern themselves?

Questions are being asked now:

  1. Are they being truthful to the public with their welfare statements?
  2. Are they being truthful to the NRHA members who do care for the horses giving them a safety net for horses in training?
  3. Have you had any experience with the Professional Code of Ethics?

Vote Now if you believe changes are required to Rules and Management of Animal Welfare

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Did the NRHA Abandon Their Welfare Statement?

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In March 2016, the NRHA abandoned their welfare statement, and all other statements contained within its Code of Ethics for NRHA Professionals. The program is designed to govern the standards of reining trainers and a compliance requirement that remained the same since 2011. What caused this major change in their position on the Code of Ethics and regulation of trainers?

Typically, a Code of Ethics sets a standard that both members and the public can rely upon in their dealings with an association and its members. Companies, Not-For-Profits and Associations published codes to provide the public and fellow members with confidence and recourse if they feel unfairly treated in dealings with a member. A place to hear their concerns independently and fairly.

Many companies and associations are judged by how they respond to their Code of Ethics. Accounting firms, legal firms, realty and other services like veterinarians ask their members to subscribe to their membership and code of ethics/conduct. The public using a member’s services are invited to lodge complaints where they believe the service provider has failed in their duty of care. But not the case with the NRHA.

NRHA Professionals Card Application & Code of Ethics States:

We, the members of the National Reining Horse Association Professionals in carrying out our role of providing service to the Reining horse industry, recognize the need to do so in a professional manner, and to represent the sport of reining in a professional manner with the highest degree of integrity. Therefore, we have set forth the following code of ethics, which shall govern our endeavors in the industry.

By signing this application, I agree to be bound by the rules of the NRHA Professional Code of Ethics. I understand that in order to participate in this program, I must maintain continuous individual membership with NRHA. As a member of the NRHA Professionals, I will:

  1. Adhere to the professional standards of the NRHA and work to further its goals and objectives.
  2. Ensure that the welfare of the Reining horse is paramount and that every horse shall at all times be treated humanely and with dignity, respect and compassion.
  3. Conduct my affairs in the sport of reining with integrity, sincerity, and accuracy in an open and forthright manner.
  4. Act with integrity in my dealings with reining clients, other NRHA members, and the public when representing the sport of reining. In this regard, any horse shown by my spouse, client, or child will be economically owned as prescribed by applicable NRHA rules.
  5. Handle my reining horse business in a manner that promotes the image of the Reining horse industry.
  6. When representing the reining horse industry avoid conduct that could discredit the NRHA or its membership

NRHA Professionals program has members in some 24 countries across the globe. The public can readily access and are reading the statement on their website application form.

Something happened in March 2016 and they added an extra line to the application form. It says:

The NRHA does not endorse or recommend any trainer or professional and is not responsible for action or inaction of any trainer or professional.

You can view the current copy on their website here.

Furthermore, the NRHA (the owners of the NRHA Professionals Program) are limited in their authority to discipline someone except by the very limited and abstruse rules contained in the NRHA Handbook on non-medication and welfare. In fact, Code of Ethics points 2-3-4-5-6 do not appear anywhere in the NRHA Handbook nor is it even mentioned.

So who governs and ensures the NRHA Professionals abide by their Code Of Ethics at it states should happen?

Members and Reining Enthusiast Public need to really start asking questions about this association. Questions like:

  1. The Code of Ethics implies it expects trainers to abide by rules that affect their behavior away from events in dealings with the public and horses. How are you governing trainers and ensuring they abide by the code?
  2. Why are they asking people to sign the code of ethics if there is no recourse against them? Is this a marketing gimmick to get more people involved?
  3. How would you judge an Association that has a disclaimer of no responsibility on their Code of Ethics and not referenced in their rule book?

What other questions do you think the reining trainers and NRHA should be answering?

Let us know what you think and if anyone knows why they changed their position in March 2016, please let us know.

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