horeback riding is inhumane?

Question

does anyone think this or could someone explain why some people think harseback-riding is abuse to the horses? i have ridden my whole life and i know that most horses enjoy riding...but please could someone explain this to me? they weigh much more than the humans riding them and definitely don't midn the weight or the work, unless they havea bad attitude...but i don't understand how it could be mistaken as a mean thing to do?

i put this under general sports but had few responses, both which didn't help me leanr about it

if you weigh a normal weight...about 250 lbs or less

Answer 1

absolutely not and that's completely ridiculous. It would be inhumane to lock the horse in some small muddy paddock where it would get sick, probably be half starving, and it would certainly be lame from thrush or something.

I'm pretty sure the people who say it's inhumane are those people who think we shouldn't interfere with animals at all and let them do what they want to do and things like that. But the fact is there's no way that we can leave animals alone because we've affected them just by building our civilization. The number of horses that we have in the US would not have good safe healthy lives if we just let them go to run free. They're much happier being with their owners (well most owners are caring and not abusive) and horses love exercise... they're happy to be fit instead of fat lumps because they can escape enemies if they're fit and they'll get caught and hurt or killed if they're too fat to run.

Physically getting on a horse is not abuse because they don't mind having a rider. I suppose someone could argue that it is abuse because you put metal in the horses mouth and a tight thing across their chest, then you kick them and hit them with whips and stab them with spurs. And it's true... if you don't know how to use those things, they can be abusive. If you put too strong a bit on your horse and then you pull really hard or really suddenly, it is abusive... and the horse will probably throw you off and you'll get what you deserve. If you have those big roller spurs you see cowboys wear, then you ride with them permanently in the horses side and it leaves bruises or cuts the horse, it is abusive. If you have a crop and contsantly hit the horse for no reason, it's abusive. But if you know how to use the things and use them properly, none of this is abusive. Usually people ride with a snaffle bit which can be abusive if the person is pulling on it all the time, but it's not abusive if you are just asking the horse to go somewhere. as long as you don't use more pressure than necessary, it's fine. you can ride with spurs and tap them against the horse's side without it being abusive. You can hit the horse with the crop once in a while as a reminder to go forward without it being abusive.

The fact is, if you were abusing a horse by doing any or all of those things, or by not feeding it or whatever, the horse would let you know. horses aren't going to put up with the rider stabbing things into their sides or yanking on a piece of metal so that it jabs the roof of their mouth. if you do those things, the horse is going to be angry and throw you off or rear and buck or charge at you if it's in the paddock or whatever.

But simple riding is not abusive. Horses like it! My horse is happiest if we've just done something in the riding ring and she understands that she did well and that I'm pleased with her. she's least happy when I come in her stall even if it's to take care of her by putting her blanket on her or to feed her or clean the stall or whatever. And that's just because she's really protective of her space.

So I think those people who say it's inhumane think that we should leave the animals alone completely, but that's impossible. and we also can't leave them in their stalls all the time because that's inhumane too because the large animal can't live in that small space without exercise all the time. Anything you do while riding can be inhumane if taken to an extreme. But normal riders don't do that... normal people love their horses and are sure to be as gentle as they can with the horses.

Answer 2

Well I think they are not seeing the whole picture they only see it as mean old humans picking on poor defenseless animals. They don't realize how fulfilling horseback riding can be for horse and rider. Wild horses don't exactly fare well in this day and age, which means they are better off in good domestic homes. Having said that, if they are going to be tame they need to be ridden. It helps them exercise and maintain healthy weight, and it gives them purpose. Horses like having activity. In the same way many types of dogs like having jobs, or at least play time that resembles a job.

Answer 3

Lack of education on the topic I am sure. For the horse was designed for a passenger, just look at how well a human fits on one bareback.

Plus many see a 200 lb man on a horse and think the horse must be in pain. Never realizing this is nothing in weight for the horse to carry.

And just like cats, dogs and other animals, they do enjoy the human interaction. If horses didn't like it or were in pain, they would of stop man from riding them long ago, for they would of bucked off every man that tried.

And if they are Christians ask them to read Genesis, for GOD himself said man is the ruler over the animals and fish of earth.

Answer 4

I think horses should be running in the wild freely. Riding them in any way is inhuman. You don't feel it because you are not the one who was being ride.

A normal horse is around 850 lbs to1500 lbs, some of the can be up to 2000lbs, which is around 10 times of a human... just imagine some one put around 1/10 or 2/10 of your own body weight on you shoulder with the riding gears, pull your head to the left; right, etc. How does it feel?

Answer 5

There are a lot of nuts out there. Some people happen to like animals more than people. I could imagine they would have the feelings you described. The same people that don't eat meat, wear furs or leather, condone milking cows or any dairy products, or condone hunting or fishing probably don't think horseback riding is humane. They probably also sink fishing ships in the pacific and are card carrying Communists and PETA members.

Answer 6

that is exceptionally ignorant to declare that. Duh. If the crop is getting used to punish and whip the pony, then isn't it needless to say incorrect to apply it that way? If a rider is being in charge and utilising a crop to motivate the pony in a fashion that's no longer abusive, then why might you think of it could be incorrect or inhumane? that's basically stupid. attempt to no longer use this style of blanket fact next time. rather say.."do you think of utilising the using crop to triumph over a horse is misguided?" that makes it greater glaring that anybody with a shred of decency will say, yeah, that is incorrect. i don't get what you're attempting to instruct with this.

Answer 7

Man I thought you were talking about Pony play when I read your question. :D

I think the problem stems from animal lovers who find it appalling to use animals as tools. One of the claims seems to be either animals are people too (therefore should not be slaves) or animals have feelings too. This leads to the debate of "are certain animals sentient, eg can think and recognise themselves, and if they are how can we use them?"

You will have to draw your own conclusions about horses feelings yourself but if you aren’t abusing your horse or riding it too hard then IMHO it’s not inhumane.

Also, personally I think it’s silly to assume that after thousands of years of domesticating animals we can suddenly stop using animals for their bred purposes. Animals like cows, horses, and chickens are not wild animals and so their humane treatments have to be considered in different veins.

Of course this is just my own two cents. ;)

Answer 8

Because some people view them as human instead of animals. You're talking about a group of individuals who value animals equal if not greater than their fellow human beings. Dont waste your time trying to understand them, they're just loons. You have as much luck of getting a logical reply as having the KKK wizard and Jesse Jackson share a sloppy kiss.

Answer 9

Those people you are talking about....the thing is they dont know anything. Most of those people say that because they are afraid of horses and dont want to get on one so they use that as an excuse bcuz theyve never tried it b4 which is gay bcuz riding is OSM!! My sister always sais that riding is gay, but shes never ridden and she afraid of horses (which makes me laugh bcuz most horses are gentle creatures that are SO majestic...), when people say stuff like that just say nothing and walk away. Its that simple...hope that helps

Answer 10

In some ways it could be...take that scene from Gone in the Wind, when Scarlet rode that horse to death....okay bad example.