So I am watching this movie Let him go and in one scene Diane Lane (why’s she so hot all the times even when she’s old?) telling story about some dead horse she rode and what she whispered in its ear when it was dying etc—All with with some misty music in the background and I thought fuck this shit—why do we humans get to be so self-righteous and so fucking self-amusing when whole life of a horse we get to jail it, train it to be our obedient slave, ride it day in day out like a master, amused and giddy—and when it dies, shed a tear or two reminiscing good times we had assuming horse felt the same way for the sake of our own feeling-good.

I always found horse riding to be kinda abhorring and atrocious. No animal likes someone else riding its back. The only exception is your kid on your back—but just for five minutes tops.

I understand the the historic value and utility horses provided when we didn’t have machines but in this day and age raising horses to be ridden for recreation or in many countries for transportation is not justifiable. We can do better.

While I've never been on a horse (and never, ever will be), I don't see the problem. All domesticated animals have a utility for humans. Horses have the utility of being ridden. I don't think it's abusive or cruel.

That aside, I think the horse breeding and racing industry has a helluva lot to answer for.

Boru

I was once in a desert on a horse with no name.

You obviously learned about horses from a movie.


....

My dad worked the fields with them (grandpa had planned to replace the horses (Morgans) with a tractor in the spring of 1942.) This made theirs the last farm in the area worked by horses. So I learned about horses from somebody who knew horses.

Growing up - many of our neighbors had horses so I learned to saddle and ride theirs. I could have had one - but the expense and time involved just did not make it seem worth it.

See - for the most part - unless a horse is dragging a plow or other implement - you do more for the horse than the horse does for you.

You provide the horse with foo0d, water, shelter and medical care.

You think a horse feels enslaved? LOL. What anthropomoric drivel. A slave tries to run away from it's master. If you take a horse somewhere and leave it - it will show back up at your barn in short order. In fact - if your barn is burning down - and you get the horses out - they will try to run back in the barn. I have seen this with my own eyes.

We provide them with a sense of safety and belonging.. They don't seem to mind much the occasional ride.

Dr. Oakley, Yukon vet.

(December 25, 2020 at 9:15 am)onlinebiker Wrote: You obviously learned about horses from a movie.


....

My dad worked the fields with them (grandpa had planned to replace the horses (Morgans) with a tractor in the spring of 1942.) This made theirs the last farm in the area worked by horses. So I learned about horses from somebody who knew horses.

Growing up - many of our neighbors had horses so I learned to saddle and ride theirs. I could have had one - but the expense and time involved just did not make it seem worth it.

See - for the most part - unless a horse is dragging a plow or other implement - you do more for the horse than the horse does for you.

You provide the horse with foo0d, water, shelter and medical care.

You think a horse feels enslaved? LOL. What anthropomoric drivel. A slave tries to run away from it's master. If you take a horse somewhere and leave it - it will show back up at your barn in short order. In fact - if your barn is burning down - and you get the horses out - they will try to run back in the barn. I have seen this with my own eyes.

We provide them with a sense of safety and belonging.. They don't seem to mind much the occasional ride.

I imagine that’s a very accurate assessment. While they almost certainly don’t conceptualize it as such, horses would probably take the position, ‘Let’s look at my options. I can sleep in this nice, warm stable where I get fed and watered every day, groomed as needed, and get plenty of medical looking after. At other times, I get to run round a nice, open pasture where I can nibble clover and enjoy the sunshine. In exchange for all of this, I have to carry a human on my back every so often. Or, I can go off on my own and get eaten by wolves. 

‘Which way to the barn, again?’

Boru

The Y-donor used to work horses to plow fields. Come quitting time he knew better than to fight them, they were heading for the barn.

I've had several horses. If they didn't want to do what we ask, they wouldn't do it.

(December 25, 2020 at 12:42 pm)Mermaid Wrote: I've had several horses. If they didn't want to do what we ask, they wouldn't do it.

All I've ever asked of horses is to keep their distance, and I'm grateful that they're OK with it.

Boru

I did a lot of riding when I was young. I haven't been around them since. I was attacked by a big dog in high school, and so am uncomfortable around big dogs, but I don't know about horses.