So - If horse riding was banned......

[mariew]

I haven't got one at the moment but want another. I wouldn't buy one just to have as a pet so I would probably give up all together tbh, I like riding. I ride at riding schools to keep me ticking over. I think the horse world would end up imploding with loads of horses dumped. The racing industry would collapse. Riding schools would have to shut. The cavalry would have to stop to exist

Pretty depressing really.

 

[KittenInTheTree]

I would kit my lot out with lots of impressively spiky barding, burn down the established order, and dance in the ashes. Something, something, lamentations, etc.

 

[Pippity]

If my had my own land, right outside my front door, I'd probably have a couple of Shetlands. If I was still on livery, not a chance. (Obviously I'd keep the current one until end of life. But I wouldn't get another full-sized one.)

 

[Goldie's mum]

Say horse riding was to be banned (I hope not!!) would you still be involved with horses and keep them or would not being able to ride your horse be the deciding factor in giving up?

It is 2032, Autumn and the moon is full. The air still smells of warm earth but the heather is crisp under the old lady's feet. Her heart beats faster and she tries not to look until the last minute. The "conservation grazing" ponies are at the far side of the mountain tonight but will he be here? She needn't have worried. This is a game he knows. He has smelled what she smelled and felt the same stirring as the geese flew across the moon. A soft snicker meets her approach and she talks softly into his cheek as he drops his head into the illegal reins.

 

[Michen]

I would continue to worship the ground my horse walks on whether he’s ridden or unridden.

 

[Birker2020]

I'd keep my horse in retirement. The only reason I am going to send my horse to retirement and not retire him on the yard I am on now is because I find it so hard being around people riding when I want to ride so much myself, and the reason I obviously bought him. Its constantly rubbing salt into a sore wound and I find it upsetting and extremely frustrating.

But if no one could ride then it would be great and I'd keep him forever as he is so lovely and I adore him.

 

[Borderreiver]

150 years ago, which is not actually that long, all men and many women rode. Horses were the main form of transport. Horses pulled all other forms of transport. Why on earth would riding ever be banned? Personally I have lots of fun driving my pony and will keep doing so as long as I’m fit enough to do so. If people got out of their cars a bit more then they would be much fitter, healthier and most likely happier too.

 

[Mrs_P]

I would continue to worship the ground my horse walks on whether he’s ridden or unridden.

Couldn't have put it better myself.

Ridden or unridden..... my boy is my world

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

We have 2 horses, one for 19 years & other for 12 years, I don't ride, haven't ridden in many years, we'd still keep them, they are family. Riding is only a small part of horse ownership. At Christmas so many owners want livery on that day & boxing day. We never have, we always see the boys at the stables Christmas morning & then later in the day to bring them in & bed them down.

 

[Peglo]

I would. I love having horses. When my 2 oldies were retired I just loved having them.

 

[sunnyone]

There is a whole thesis to be written about this.
If horses were not ridden, would driving be allowed? If neither then the horse racing industry is dead and horses will be killed by the thousands. If driving was allowed then trotting races would become the norm and a different type of horse required for success.The surplus ones would still be put down..
What would be the point of breeding? To produce a nice piece of meat?
Could blacksmiths, equine dentists etc continue to make a living?
Riding per se is not cruel but some riders are, and we should all work to uphold the highest standards.
I suspect any ban would only be in the UK so the rich and dedicated rider would go abroad.
I haven't ridden mine for 3 years now but I may soon have to face moving them on in some way simply through increasing age and illness affecting our capabilities.

 

[PapaverFollis]

I love having horses and can take or leave riding in some ways. But having fatties that you can't ride for their fitness and weight management would be hard going.... and they wouldn't appreciate how limited their rations would have to be.

I'd keep the horses I have though obviously but would replace them with lightweight types that aren't such good doers or perhaps Welsh As as pets. And take them running with me. ?

 

[maya2008]

If horse riding/driving etc was banned only in the UK I would emigrate. Not so attached to this country that I would give up riding to stay here!!!

 

[Hallo2012]

If horse riding/driving etc was banned only in the UK I would emigrate. Not so attached to this country that I would give up riding to stay here!!!

ditto! we'd be gone in the blink of an eye

 

[Smoky 2022]

Why on earth would riding ever be banned?

Some Animal welfare groups don’t want people riding horses and a lot of the public are against horses riding and think it’s cruel and see horses as a inconvenience. There is a big possibility of horse riding getting banned due to climate change . Cow numbers are going to be dropping horses are next .

 

[scats]

The girls have a home for life here so no, they wouldn’t be going anywhere. Would I then buy another horse knowing I couldn’t ride? No. I have lots of pets here at home, I don’t need horses as pets too, nice as they are!
Perhaps it would be different if I had my own land.

 

[sakura]

I don’t think it’s even a remote possibility though.

I don't think it's as unlikely as we tend to think it is. It starts with equestrianism no longer being included in the Olympics (probably only a matter of time), then it becomes even less relevant to the public, then the top levels and events suffer and it becomes a trickle down effect. I don't think its likely to be explicitly outlawed any time soon, but I can certainly see it becoming frowned upon by the general public and therefore harder to participate in.

Horse racing, however, is another ball game entirely.

For me though, it wouldn't change anything. My mare is semi retired, I enjoy her company just as much when she's not being ridden to when she is and it's already highly unlikely I'd have another after her as I couldn't afford to buy one now.

 

[smolmaus]

Some Animal welfare groups don’t want people riding horses and a lot of the public are against horses riding and think it’s cruel and see horses as a inconvenience. There is a big possibility of horse riding getting banned due to climate change . Cow numbers are going to be dropping horses are next .

All of this is like... a little bit true?

PETA barely count as an animal welfare group, certainly not a respected one. A "lot" of the public only see or think about equestrianism when they see it at the Olympics and only care about cruelty in the sport when there is a scandal. Most people do not care. There are something like 980 million cattle worldwide and the best estimate I can find for horses is 60 million (6%) so the methane production is not anywhere near on the same scale before you even factor in that horses produce a fraction of the methane compared to a cow.

Having a horse probably absolutely annihilates any hope of considering yourself "environmentally friendly" in comparison to a similar person who does not have a horse but you can probably make that up with a few long haul flights.

 

[JoannaC]

I'd carry on as i am as hardly ever ride anyway, two are non ridden and I struggle to find the motivation to ride the ridden one. I definitely wouldn't get any more though so once i'm down to one she'll have to go on livery.

 

[Borderreiver]

Some Animal welfare groups don’t want people riding horses and a lot of the public are against horses riding and think it’s cruel and see horses as a inconvenience. There is a big possibility of horse riding getting banned due to climate change . Cow numbers are going to be dropping horses are next .

PC gone mad. I’ll probably be long gone by then thank goodness. Most people these days have never encountered a horse in their lives, or one wonders if they have even stepped outside so are not entitled to have these opinions.

 

[marmalade76]

I would probably get a little sec B as a pet (I've considered this as I miss the little Welsh mare we used to have for the children, she was such a sweetheart and a real character) if I couldn't ride whether through a ban or choice but if I were younger (ie less well off in terms of time & money) no, I would not keep a horse I couldn't ride.

 

[LadyGascoyne]

I don't think it's as unlikely as we tend to think it is. It starts with equestrianism no longer being included in the Olympics (probably only a matter of time), then it becomes even less relevant to the public, then the top levels and events suffer and it becomes a trickle down effect. I don't think its likely to be explicitly outlawed any time soon, but I can certainly see it becoming frowned upon by the general public and therefore harder to participate in.

Horse racing, however, is another ball game entirely.

For me though, it wouldn't change anything. My mare is semi retired, I enjoy her company just as much when she's not being ridden to when she is and it's already highly unlikely I'd have another after her as I couldn't afford to buy one now.

Social media, and even the mainstream media, likes to highlight opinions of extreme minorities. And they canvas in such a way as to orchestrate the answers they want from the public. Questionnaires are developed to produce a particular response, and polls are targeted at people who have been profiled to be likely to respond in a certain way.

That’s what polls fail at this point - they aren’t representative.

We may well be told that the general public disapproves of riding horses. I highly doubt that will be true.

And disapproving of horse sports is still a big leap to disapproving of exercising horses and riding leisure horses.

I genuinely think we will be ok. I am willing to bet right now that the percentage of people who are even remotely anti riding all horses has been grossly exaggerated. It’s probably an inconsequential amount of people.

 

[blitznbobs]

I don't think it's as unlikely as we tend to think it is. It starts with equestrianism no longer being included in the Olympics (probably only a matter of time), then it becomes even less relevant to the public, then the top levels and events suffer and it becomes a trickle down effect. I don't think its likely to be explicitly outlawed any time soon, but I can certainly see it becoming frowned upon by the general public and therefore harder to participate in.

Horse racing, however, is another ball game entirely.

For me though, it wouldn't change anything. My mare is semi retired, I enjoy her company just as much when she's not being ridden to when she is and it's already highly unlikely I'd have another after her as I couldn't afford to buy one now.

We have to remember who actually is in charge of this country — she is 96 and still gets in the saddle as often as she is able — and most of her children ride (and if those most of them ride horses)

it seems unlikely that horse riding goes anywhere anytime soon

 

[Dexter]

Nope, I wouldnt spend a ridiculous amount of time and money if I couldnt ride.

 

[cold_feet]

We have to remember who actually is in charge of this country — she is 96 and still gets in the saddle as often as she is able — and most of her children ride (and if those most of them ride horses)

it seems unlikely that horse riding goes anywhere anytime soon

She is not in charge of this country. We elect a government (good or bad) to do that.

 

[blitznbobs]

She is not in charge of this country. We elect a government (good or bad) to do that.

She is technically in charge of the government it is indeed her majesty’s government

 

[Jango]

Nope! I'd make sure my current mare was ok, I'd probably turn her out on a small yard near me that does cheap grass livery, but I wouldn't get another and I wouldn't be mucking out every day! If I had my own land I'd still keep them, but not on DIY. Riding is my favourite bit, I quite like looking after them, but I quite like other sports like climbing, walking, outdoor swimming. So instead I'd do those sports more and maybe get a dog!

 

[skint1]

I haven't ridden my horse for 2 years, partly her health/soundness, partly my health and confidnece- right now it's mainly her health- so this would make no difference to me. We do in hand, long lining and I keep meaning to start agility but I never have all the right stuff to hand to build the obstacles

 

[awelshandawarmblood]

I've spent most of my ownership waiting for my pair to grow & mature enough to ride so I'm used to just enjoying time on the ground. I'd keep mine as pets no matter what, I get enjoyment just being around them.

 

[ycbm]

She is technically in charge of the government it is indeed her majesty’s government

I think the fact fox hunting was banned when our future king was a regular shows that she isn't.

We'd probably become a Republic overnight if the Queen tried to actually use any of her constitutional powers.