Poll: Do you see racing being banned?

[Elf On A Shelf]

I thought flat racers had to be pure TB unless it's an NH flat race?
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Nope

 

[Gallop_Away]

I'm not sure how that matters? A horse that’s never born doesn't know it could ever have been alive.
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True but then is it better to have a life, albeit with some risks involved, than to never exist at all? I'm not saying this is what I necessarily think, but it's an interesting question.

 

[ycbm]

True but then is it better to have a life, albeit with some risks involved, than to never exist at all? I'm not saying this is what I necessarily think, but it's an interesting question.

I don't get the argument at all that there is a benefit to any animal, including man, from being born. If you never develop any level of consciousness you can't be aware that you might have had a life, so you can't feel robbed of that potential life.

There's no such thing as a horse which was never conceived.

It could be argued that there is benefit to humans in horses being alive and I would agree with that. I also think that you can see from the number of unridden horses which are already being kept in livery that horses will still be kept even if riding them is banned.
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[Gallop_Away]

I don't get the argument at all that there is a benefit to any animal, including man, from being born. If you never develop any level of consciousness you can't be aware that you might have had a life, so you can't feel robbed of that potential life.

There's no such thing as a horse which was never conceived.

It could be argued that there is benefit to humans in horses being alive and I would agree with that. I also think that you can see from the number of unridden horses which are already being kept in livery that horses will still be kept even if riding them is banned.

And that's a perfectly login point of view, but nonetheless I think some would argue that it is better for these animals to exist and live a life, and the risks involved with the same, than to never exist at all.

If there is no benefit to existing, then why do we care when a species of animal goes extinct? True it won't make a single difference to those who are never born, but the world is a better place for them being here.

I'm getting very philosophical this afternoon . Like I say it's an interesting question. One that doesn't really have a right answer. Just something to think about I suppose.

 

[reynold]

and also linked to the discussion around quality of life over quantity of life

 

[sakura]

And that's a perfectly login point of view, but nonetheless I think some would argue that it is better for these animals to exist and live a life, and the risks involved with the same, than to never exist at all.

If there is no benefit to existing, then why do we care when a species of animal goes extinct? True it won't make a single difference to those who are never born, but the world is a better place for them being here.

I'm getting very philosophical this afternoon . Like I say it's an interesting question. One that doesn't really have a right answer. Just something to think about I suppose.

Broad question. A life of neglect, abuse and/or discomfort, to a human, may not be better than simply never existing at all.

Horses don't think of the future like humans so there would never be an answer to that question for them. They live largely in the moment, and that's how life is to them.

We care so greatly about species extinction because it is often a sign of other issues - climate change and/or illegal poaching. I really don't think horses would go extinct without racing, or even any equestrian sport, so I don't worry about that. I think there's more likelihood of the planet becoming inhospitable before that ever happened. In that case, the possible extinction of polar bears is of far greater likelihood and concern.

IMO.

 

[Gallop_Away]

Broad question. A life of neglect, abuse and/or discomfort, to a human, may not be better than simply never existing at all.

Horses don't think of the future like humans so there would never be an answer to that question for them. They live largely in the moment, and that's how life is to them.

We care so greatly about species extinction because it is often a sign of other issues - climate change and/or illegal poaching. I really don't think horses would go extinct without racing, or even any equestrian sport, so I don't worry about that. I think there's more likelihood of the planet becoming inhospitable before that ever happened. In that case, the possible extinction of polar bears is of far greater likelihood and concern.

IMO.

I wasn't trying to say that horses would be extinct without equine sports. I was just using an example that, while these hypothetical animals that are never born have no consciousness to care about their own existence, it is still deemed "better" that they do exist than simply let them die out and not care about them no longer existing.
Of course horses would still exist in some way, but bringing the point back to banning racing or the wider high risk equestrian sports, it is worth pointing out that many of the horses used in those would not be here if these sports were banned, and arguably is it not better that they live a life, obviously free from neglect, abuse, but with some risks, than to not exist at all? I honestly don't know and to be honest this is getting rather deep for a Thursday afternoon so I will respectfully agree to disagree on the matter and say no more.

 

[sakura]

I’m not even sure we wholly disagree with each other, but yes, maybe too late in the week for such deep thoughts!

 

[ycbm]

And that's a perfectly login point of view, but nonetheless I think some would argue that it is better for these animals to exist and live a life, and the risks involved with the same, than to never exist at all.

If there is no benefit to existing, then why do we care when a species of animal goes extinct? True it won't make a single difference to those who are never born, but the world is a better place for them being here.

I'm getting very philosophical this afternoon . Like I say it's an interesting question. One that doesn't really have a right answer. Just something to think about I suppose.

I think why we care is a different question than whether the unborn animal cares. We care because we admire them. There are few people who care whether a cockroach does or doesn't get to live a life.
.

 

[Gallop_Away]

I think why we care is a different question than whether the unborn animal cares. We care because we admire them. There are few people who care whether a cockroach does or doesn't get to live a life.
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Oh come on now there are some who still care whether Mr Donald Trump has a nice life

 

[sakura]

Oh come on now there are some who still care whether Mr Donald Trump has a nice life

Insulting to cockroaches