I totally agree with you. There was a demo in Essex last week
and we lealfleted alot of people. Of course there are the ones who are
ignorant and decided to make a nasty comment but we mangaged to turn
someone away.
Its a cruel way of making a living. They are not welcome any where
and the animals need to freed.

What a load of rubbish! If that's the case are you saying that you should free all domestic pets? The horses are taught their moves in an encouraging and natural way and rewarded accordingly. I doubt there is any cruelty involved whatsoever.

Tracey, the Director of Spirit of the Horse is Nikki Fossett, the surname giving a clue as to the pedigree of this circus. The Fossetts (often alias Roberts) are prabably the largest family of circus owners in England. This family has exploited all sorts of animals for profit over the years including elephants, lions, tigers, camels etc. If you want an idea of how these animals are looked after you only need to look at the history of some of this families circuses. Animal Defenders, for example have filmed the training of camels belonging to a circus run by Rebecca and Joseph Fossett which were repeatedly beaten about their bodies and faces. You may see a leaflet from CAPS showing a terrified-looking horse rearing up on it's hind legs while a member of this family stands in front of it with a huge whip - it's all part of the training Tracey. Is that how you train your pet dog or cat?

And how do you keep your pets Tracey? In the late 1980's John Robins of Animal Concern sneaked behind the scenes at the Christmas Circus in Glasgow, Scotland, and photographed elephants chained by their legs and unable to move more than a few feet in any direction. The next day Bobby Roberts of Bobby Roberts' Super Circus admitted in a BBC radio debate with John Robins that, apart from performing, the only exercise his elephants had received in three days was a one hour walk around the car park of the SECC in Glasgow. Around the same time an Animal Concern investigation disclosed that before the start of the annul Christmas circus Bobby Roberts had been keeping his animals in a damp, cramped, dilapidated barn at Bishopbriggs near Glasgow. Nice family.

The horses are are kept in the highest of standards. They are trained and perform usually with their riders and owners. Take the conemarra comedy horse (i've forgotton its name). I read an article about him and his owner. It was baught as a youngster and has grown up with his owner: trainer. If this was banned, then surely any sort of dog competitions such as heelwork to music where the dog preforms tricks even though they enjoy it and love to please. I know this as I do heelwork to music.

THE CIRCUS IS NOT CRUEL TO THE HORSES. SO SHUT UP PROTESTING!!

I cannot believe or understand the perculiar mentality that pervades the minds of animal rights activists - I mean, do you people actually live on this planet?? People are starving, enduring genocides, holocausts,ethnic cleansing and other atrocities all over the world and you are moaning about a few horses doing nothing more than a high level of dressage for a couple of months in a country with the strictest rules and standards of animal welfare compared to any other country!
Of course these people do not abuse their horses, or dogs or whatever it is you are accusing them of! Could somebody please explain to me why is it that someone who wants to train animals to do things that might be appreciated by an audience is automatically branded as a cruel, evil person?
Perhaps one should consider that there exists in this world people who are gifted with animals - resulting in good communication and relashionships with animal and handler and therefore leading to a high standard of training. Which part of this I ask you is cruel?
My final point is to the muppet who was going on about "Freeing the animals"....I need help, desperate help not to throw myself under a train with sheer deperation at my revelation that someone with this mentality actually exists! Just where would you free a bunch of domesticated horses? Hyde Park?
Please go........free yourself from the mental ties that bind you......I suggest travelling the worlds poorest third world countries so you can achieve some perspective that may (God willing) alter your views. If its protesting you are interested in, there are a great many human causes that are in need of support - google "Amnesty International", you will find some real and worthy causes crying out for your help.
Good day to you all.