'Cheyenne - America's Shame'

[Badders]

What really annoyed me was the fact I have posted another comment and the channel owner hasn't posted it. I said something like: ''Horsey' is a term people familiar with horses use all the time.' I'm only annoyed because obviously they have the choice to make the comment public and respond to it, and they haven't because it would make them look foolish because they are wrong. They had no other logical argument other than to point out what they thought was an error on my part and if you look through the comments they mock people in every reply. I think it's a good cause but someone with more knowledge of horses and horse racing should be head of the channel and discuss the very serious matter without mocking or degrading comments. I do disagree with foal racing, but to turn it folk devil is wrong.

 

[Badders]

M'n'M - It was simply a quote from the video, not me implying that. I agree with you.

 

[fburton]

Who can tell when a horse is actually happy in it's job? They put up with a lot. I see plenty of competition horses and childrens ponies looking a darn sight more miserable, and stressed out, for a more extended period of time (like hours, not just the 8 seconds a bronc is ridden for) than I ever have at a rodeo.

I am sure you are right about miserable horses here. If rodeos are such a good thing, would you like to see them over here in the UK? Do you think they would be allowed?

All in all I would say that Yes, the animals are content, of course they would probably rather be back at the ranch in their pens or paddocks but this is a life they are accustomed to and understand.

I expect it takes a few times for the animals to become accustomed to the treatment they receive at rodeos. I don't know how many times the calves used in roping events get re-used. Would they stop running away if they became too accustomed to the procedure? Again, I don't know. However, they don't look as if they are enjoying their 'job'. It can't be pleasant to be thrown (or even jerked) to the ground like that.

Yes, animals frequently have to put up with indiginity and discomfort for our benefit - it just seems rather perverse that people should inflict it on them for mere entertainment.

 

[cbmcts]

Anyone thinking that this - although not nice - is America's shame needs to leave the house and take a look around them. No, the foals shouldn't really be put in a stressful situation, and I was upset that no one went to check the foal (but if people had run over if might have made things worse?)

Weekly, auctions take place, Shipshewana, Eumenclaw, Keenland, and at each one horses end up going for a pittance to kill buyers. I'm talking OTTBs, outgrown or elderly horses, frightened babies, Amish horses (who frankly are terrified of the situation and so badly bred it's terrifying!). And kill buyer? They buy horses and ship them to Mexico and Canada to go for meat; no feed or water breaks in the shipping, just sent all day and all night to a horrifying death. Even before they are loaded up - google feedlots - horses stand in cramped conditions, often unfed/watered, injured and in pain, with on shelter.

Further to this, the BLM rounds up Americas wild horses, its heritage, selling them off to the highest bidder. Even those would aren't sold get rounded up yearly (I think?) often splitting up herds and families, but driving them for miles using helicopters. Of the horses that are sold many end up in unsuitable homes or going to slaughter, as new owners don't know how to handle them.

Another worse shame is the state of the American horse market. You can get a TB for $50 on craigslist. I've seen pregnant mares with foals at foot for around $300, sometimes less. Stallions uglier than Simon Cowell being pimped out for $100, or sold for $500. And where do all of these horses end up? Being cared for and healed by responsible rescues and individuals all on their own backs, largely out of their own pockets, or in Mexico.

Worse things happen. These foals probably went home, back into the pasture with plenty of nice grass, safe fencing, and a decent future ahead of them. I doubt that if owners are getting them out, and in the future competing them to a high standard at the rodeo any of them will end up dying horrific deaths, whereas many of the horses I've discussed will.

^^^^^^^

What she said - no, it doesn't make foal racing right (JMHO) but in the big scheme of things there are a lot more things to work on first.

Crozet, the Simon Cowell comparison made me LOL!

 

[tallyho!]

Where do the horses from craigslist come from?

All this is like saying all the ex-racers in the UK race for a few years and then live happily ever after in the yard they were trained at and then retired and made beautiful broodmares or eye candy in their lovely white picket fenced manor house somewhere in Shropshire with Lord Shitinabucket.

Lets come to grinding halt because that is not true. Is it?

 

[tallyho!]

You mean whose selling them? Just your general horse owner, not usually dealers but occasionally BYBs (Backyard breeders). HTe horses I posted are kids horses and general trail horses (so just your usually UK hacking horse)

Ah, well, you never can tell. Look at H&H... so some of these $100 bargains may well be knackered old rodeo horses which were supposedly going back to live a nice life.

You can't guarantee a nice life for a horse, not when theres money involved.

Agree that there hundreds of golden hearted humans out there picking up the peices off thier own backs however I don't believe for a second none in thier care came from competitors.

 

[tallyho!]

No, I do agree, in so much as there will always be people doing badly by their animals, no matter how much that animal has given to them. You see ex-eventers, ex-showjumpers etc being dumped cheaply because owners are too lazy to look after them too though, not just rodeos. However, in the cases of one of the ads I posted, the 17 year old rodeo horse was being sold for $20,000!! Overpriced IMO, but probably going to have a nicer life than the $350 kids mount

Of course crozet, I was trying to keep it in context.

I hope some dope really did buy the old rodeo horse for $20,000 and gave it a nice life but I doubt whoever did spend that much money on old buckyroo had much experience if at all!!! LOL!!

What enfys said about the trotters, that happens here too, well, apart from parking outside tesco while they popped in and got milk but that's thier way of life. Sport is for fun - so the animals should be treated well and I think that's the point - why get all upset because your baby fell over and didn't run well - get over it. But this is heading into moral territory so I'm backing off now.