PETA calls for eventing to be banned

amandap

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Whatever the opinions, I really don't like it when people say horses can "love" something they do. How on earth are we to know?
Ditto. I think we forget the influence we have through training and horses' naturally compliant nature. They tend to just get on with the life they are in.

One thing Peta do achieve is getting us all thinking and talking about more mainstream horse activities. lol
 

Faithkat

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Whatever the opinions, I really don't like it when people say horses can "love" something they do. How on earth are we to know?

Would they do a full course on their own if we let them loose on Badminton grounds? Would they still run without a rider at Ascot?

Please, don't anthropomorphise horses like that. Or any animal.

Just because they don't protest, doesn't mean they dream about hurling themselves over two L200's each night.

I know we say "he loves carrots"... I can believe that. I just don't believe a horse LOVES eventing.

I think my horse prefers jumping to flatwork because his attitude changes but I don't think he "loves" it. I think the case is that the owner loves eventing and likes the fact that the horse seems willing to do as is asked.

Now, you tell me this horse doesn't love eventing! She's not exactly being beaten into it:



 

amandap

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Yes, but is that a Good Thing? :confused:
Well, I suppose it depends on how the discussion goes but my belief is it is never a bad thing to revisit your own and cultural practice and philosophy. Perhaps we should all carry on never questioning or changing?
 

amandap

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Now, you tell me this horse doesn't love eventing! She's not exactly being beaten into it:
Lovely photos and the horse looks very comfortable/content to me. I personally couldn't say the horse loves it because I'm not a horse and I don't think one needs to beat a horse to get it to comply apparently happy and enthusiastically.

Good training, preparation and husbandry will produce a horse content and comfortable in it's work for us. This is the skill we all hope to achieve.
 

fburton

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Nice photos! The horse's ears are pricked, so on that alone we could reasonably assume the horse isn't unhappy with the work. But to say she loves eventing is a big and unwarranted further step, in my opinion.
 

Oreo&Amy

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How ridiculous !,

All my eventers have absolutley thrived on competing !, part of the buzz is how your horse gets so happy and excited after the SJ waiting for the XC.

Horses simply won't do Xcountry at the levels it is deemed 'dangerous' unless they love it.
Although I respect PETA for their work I really think they need to spend some time with event horses and their riders at home and competing to understand the partnership involved. Yes it's considered a dangerous sport but horses are not stupid and like I have said they would not do it if they didn't want to !. The majority of riders would not continue to compete a horse with a distinct fear of any of the phases anyway. Yes there are the minorities but with the cost of eventing horses...... Why would someone persist with a horse who is not bold enough or is clearly unhappy??. My horse ..... competed and then broke a leg in the field..... He was put down and left me heartbroken..... We as humans could walk in front of a bus ?..... Where do we draw the line ?

Imagine if eventing at every level was banned...... What the hell does PETA think would happen to so many of the horses ?..... Slaughter. Simple.

Rant over :)
They are loonies who know literally zero about the 98% of loving horse owners who have a unique bond with their horse. Pathetic.
 
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