Unquestionably, what happened recently is a depiction of pain, suffering, and mistreatment of the Haitians and, I want to add, horses. In the mean “herding” of these vulnerable people, at one point in a video I observed a horse’s head yanked so high up with his mouth wide open from the strangling metal bit and his eyes visibly in distress.

Bits are mechanisms designed to inflict pain to make the horse obey humans’ commands. However, there are many types that add varying degrees of pressure depending upon usage. Some cause minimal discomfort and are low-impact and others cause severe pain and possible damage. All the way around, this is disturbing and not a welcoming scene.