Horse Diving - The Cruel Forgotten 'Sport'

[Bav]

I lunged my horse the day before last and a jump was up in the school, she dragged me on the lunge to jump herself over it, does this mean she enjoys it? I do agree though, quite a few people will say their horses loves it, but does it really or is it simply doing what it is asked?

 

[fburton]

I don't like watching it, although the chestnut pony doing it from a smaller height and without a rider on its back seems slightly more appealing. As for the above, I don't know about most people but I hate running, my horse however loves a good burn and gets excited when we go to our local gallop spot and is keen to go, I can only imagine because it offers a kind of adrenaline rush to her and she finds it enjoyable?

Yeah, I wondered about exercise. Hormones are also released in anticipation of exercise, making the heart beat faster and harder before the horse starts to run. But is it the adrenaline (and/or noradrenaline) that the horse get pleasure from, or something else? I rather think it's something else, but that's just my gut feeling!

One rather crazy/dodgy way to test that would be to allow a horse to e.g. press a lever that caused a small bolus of adrenaline to be injected into its bloodstream. The horse would learn that pressing the lever produces certain sensations. If desirable/pleasant, the horse would press the lever more; if not, lever pressing would stop.

I'm not sure how else one could prove that it's the "adrenaline rush" the horse is wanting.

 

[Bav]

Yeah, I wondered about exercise. Hormones are also released in anticipation of exercise, making the heart beat faster and harder before the horse starts to run. But is it the adrenaline (and/or noradrenaline) that the horse get pleasure from, or something else? I rather think it's something else, but that's just my gut feeling!

One rather crazy/dodgy way to test that would be to allow a horse to e.g. press a lever that caused a small bolus of adrenaline to be injected into its bloodstream. The horse would learn that pressing the lever produces certain sensations. If desirable/pleasant, the horse would press the lever more; if not, lever pressing would stop.

I'm not sure how else one could prove that it's the "adrenaline rush" the horse is wanting.

That's a very good point I hadn't thought of it that way. I know obviously exercise releases endorphins in humans, does it apply to horses? Never really thought about that! It's the elevated breathing and heart beat after a good gallop that made me think it was more of a rush then simply the exersize. Ooohh this thread has got me thinking! And equally feeling guilty that perhaps it isn't an enjoyment the horses are getting?

 

[fourshiresrambler]

It probably would explain why they love a good gallop!

 

[fburton]

That's a very good point I hadn't thought of it that way. I know obviously exercise releases endorphins in humans, does it apply to horses? Never really thought about that! It's the elevated breathing and heart beat after a good gallop that made me think it was more of a rush then simply the exersize. Ooohh this thread has got me thinking! And equally feeling guilty that perhaps it isn't an enjoyment the horses are getting?

There's no doubt in my mind that horses enjoy exercise, and that exercise is essential for health (making sense for it to be enjoyable rather than unpleasant). Apparently, raised endorphin levels have been measured after galloping too - so it doesn't seem so unlikely it would have the same effect on horses as it does on people.

 

[claireandnadia]

Oh my god! Never knew this existed think its awful.

 

[Floxie]

There's no doubt in my mind that horses enjoy exercise, and that exercise is essential for health (making sense for it to be enjoyable rather than unpleasant).

Aaah now that's the first thing anyone's said that makes 'horses that love jumping' make sense to me!

(I don't doubt that some do - I'm certain mine does - but I also find it insane that they let us hammer iron onto their feet and load them into tiny rattly trailers and put gloves on their ears, so it's coming from that awed perspective really!)

 

[fourshiresrambler]

Aaah now that's the first thing anyone's said that makes 'horses that love jumping' make sense to me!

(I don't doubt that some do - I'm certain mine does - but I also find it insane that they let us hammer iron onto their feet and load them into tiny rattly trailers and put gloves on their ears, so it's coming from that awed perspective really!)

I always wonder why they let us do most things to them tbh. If you step back and look at it most animals wouldn't let us do half the things we do. My cat won't even let me touch her belly ffs

 

[conniegirl]

I once had a 12.2hh pony who loved jumping and XC so much that when left to his own devices in the field he used to scramble up the bank we had behind the field shelter (think 8ft high super steep sides, hickstead bank type steep), he would then canter along the top, launch himself off the top of it, land. then canter round and do it again

he was 38 years old when he died and he did that regularly up to about 3 weeks before he died. Creaky joints and all! used to cause great stress to people who were not used to him! Either he loved jumping or he was reliving his glory days! I think the former personally

 

[fourshiresrambler]

I once had a 12.2hh pony who loved jumping and XC so much that when left to his own devices in the field he used to scramble up the bank we had behind the field shelter (think 8ft high super steep sides, hickstead bank type steep), he would then canter along the top, launch himself off the top of it, land. then canter round and do it again

he was 38 years old when he died and he did that regularly up to about 3 weeks before he died. Creaky joints and all! used to cause great stress to people who were not used to him! Either he loved jumping or he was reliving his glory days! I think the former personally

OMG That is awesome! Any pics of him?

 

[conniegirl]

unfortunatly all the good photos of him when he was younger are on photobucket, which of course wont let me share anylonger.
however I have got a couple of photos of the little terrorist on the beach.
Age 36 in these photos

And yes the bridle was totaly nessecary as you just could not hold him if he set his mind to going somewhere! used to tow my mother across the yard regularly (my mother must be the best part of 16stone) but never put a foot out of line with small children. He took me from leadrein to eventing for PC teams.

 

[EternalVetBills]

unfortunatly all the good photos of him when he was younger are on photobucket, which of course wont let me share anylonger.
however I have got a couple of photos of the little terrorist on the beach.
Age 36 in these photos

And yes the bridle was totaly nessecary as you just could not hold him if he set his mind to going somewhere! used to tow my mother across the yard regularly (my mother must be the best part of 16stone) but never put a foot out of line with small children. He took me from leadrein to eventing for PC teams.

He sounds very like my lovely old man! Most head strong pony you'd ever meet, but an absolute angel when it really mattered. The only horse I've ever met that would jump for fun. Left to his own devices with jumps he just wouldn't stop

 

[Landcruiser]

But back to horse diving...just another example of an animal being mistreated or coerced or used for human amusement and gain. There's no other reason to do it than our amusement and someone's gain, just like dog fighting, bull fighting, showjumping, racing, hunting....the list is endless and is on a very long scale starting at "does no harm" all the way up to "tortures and then kills" or maybe "forces extinction." Horse diving - for me it's somewhere around the lower middle.