Anyone Else Think That Riding Horses Is Morally Wrong After Becoming A Brony?

[GXPBlast 597]

I understand this topic may be abit controversial so when responding respect everyone's opinion. Lets avoid drama so this thread remains open and creates great discussions between each other.

I have always been against riding horses as I think its a form of animal cruelty and slavery. I know I would not want somebody riding on my back and hitting me to go faster.

If I owned a horse I would never ride it or keep a saddle on it. I would enjoy it for what is and love it like any other pet while letting it be free on my ranch if I had one.

 

I remember when I was younger and my parents had me ride a horse around the pen at an apple picking event where there was horseback riding. I felt very bad for the horse having to have me ride it and have somebody pull it by the leash like a dog.

 

Plus the horse I rode probably is forced to ride kids all day and I felt horrible and did not enjoy it.

 

Since then I never rode a horse and never plan on doing so as I am morally against it.

 

I am not against other people riding horses as its their preference. But for me personally I would not do it.

 

Plus if somehow the ponies became real (I know this will probably never happen lol) from the show came to earth for some random reason and saw me or other humans riding horses they would think of it as abuse and would not have a good first impression of humans. Plus if I wanted to befriend a pony from the show I would not want them thinking as me as some sort of pony abuser that uses them for slave labor such as riding them or pull things for me.

Edited July 7, 2014 by GXPBlast

[Arctic Night 884]

Horses and other animals have been used for centuries to transport people and goods. Civilization would not be where it is today without horseback riding.

[Stellafera 3,835]

If you saw a show centered around talking termites, would you be opposed to exterminating them in your house?

 

Nah.

 

Riding horses is nothing, and, as Star Stripe mentioned, historically fantastic.

[Hurricane 159]

I ride horses on a regular bases. I always do what they can handle and never work them too hard. One horse I ride can't wait to run around. She's always impatient as I tack her up and likes to go fast when I ride her around. After that, she gets a nice cool bath if it was warm out. All the horses are cleaned and fed regularly as well as given treats. I am against animal abusers who don't feed their horses and/or work them too hard.

Edited July 7, 2014 by Vitani

[GXPBlast 597]

If you saw a show centered around talking termites, would you be opposed to exterminating them in your house?

 

Nah.

 

Riding horses is nothing, and, as Star Stripe mentioned, historically fantastic.

 

No lol.

 

I understand there was historical uses for them, but in our modern society I dont think horses should be rode like slaves. I am not advocating for any law to prevent people from enjoying horses in form of riding them and doing work. Its just a personal preference of mine. 

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,809]

Not really. Although they come from the same order, there's still a big difference. Riding horses is for recreational purposes I believe. I'm a brony and ride horses whenever I get the chance. 

[Virgil 685]

To answer, how the ponies themselves might feel about the basic concept of riding a horse...

Twi let's Spike ride on her back all the time, so it doesn't seem to be a foreign concept to them.

 

But to the general question, given the size of the average horse; the average human is at most like having a backpack on your back. So for me it is only a problem when the rider is in fact mistreating the animal.

[caramba2654 602]

Well, horses aren't ridden like slaves. Most horse owners take really good care of their horses and give them plenty of food and water. The saddle and all the other stuff also protects the horse from anything that could hurt him (as well as the rider).

 

Besides, there are some horses that just love to be ridden. There are the ones that don't let anyone ride them too, but, in general, most horses don't mind being ridden, as long as the riding conditions don't cause any harm.

 

 

(And that's how you make a post with all possible variations of the word "ride")

[RrVPfX9cPtw59FpC 1,296]

You have an interesting point on comparing it to slavery and cruelty. When I read it, it seemed pretty stupid and illogical, but I dunno. Just because something is widely accepted as being right does not make it right. I dunno o_o

[Twilight Dirac 720]

It is also worth pointing out that if people didn't ride horses they would probably find other uses for them, such as livestock.  They are after all quite edible.

[OG Blaze 269]

It's survival of the fittest friend. If horses could use machine guns and speak then by all means we would leave them alone (probably). But they can't see we use them for ourselves as beneficial beings. If they had anything wrong with us riding them (huehuehuehue) I'm sure they wouldn't let us anywhere near them. But the practically let us on top of them.

 

That's my take on it at least.

[Twilight Dirac 720]

 

 

If they had anything wrong with us riding them (huehuehuehue) I'm sure they wouldn't let us anywhere near them.

 

Actually wild horses wouldn't let you anywhere near them if you attempted to ride them.  They have to be "broken" before they willingly let you ride them. 

[Jeric 46,836]

Actually wild horses wouldn't let you anywhere near them if you attempted to ride them. They have to be "broken" before they willingly let you ride them.

Does not entail cruelty. Like any artificial selection (canines are the perfect example) humans have effectively reprogrammed the genetic behavior of equines (epigenetic changes).

 

Now if the argument focused on the raving that would be an interesting argument.

 

Not horseback riding though. It's not slavery.

[Twilight Dirac 720]

Does not entail cruelty. 

 

Never said it was.  I was just pointing out an important fact. 

[Jeric 46,836]

Never said it was. I was just pointing out an important fact.

I figured, I was afraid that it might lead to some confusion. I wanted to post a NatGeo video but I was briefly on mobile.

[Banul 3,831]

I think the horses we ride are a little like dogs. They are bred specifically to be with humans, and they accept them easily. So, I wouldn't worry about riding one. The horse doesn't care.

Edited July 7, 2014 by Banul

[baltoist 303]

No because it's still normal.

[Pastel 7,627]

Even before I started to watch the show I thought it was bad and immoral.

[Ashley 2,427]

I personally do not agree with the horses at fairs and carnivals that are forced to walk in circles all day. I feel awful every time I walk by those horses, especially when it's hot.

 

However, I find nothing wrong with horses being kept in stables. They are given food, water, and are even allowed to roam free in big fields most of the time. They are treated well, unlike the horses at the carnivals. At my current stable (I ride horseback once a week,) a horse or pony only has to do about 3 rides a day which is about 1 hour and a half of riding. However, this is spaced out and the horses and ponies are usually given breaks in between. Rarely will they have to do back to back lessons.

 

Since the horses and ponies are treated well at my stable, I see nothing wrong with riding a horse.

[Justin_Case001 4,858]

Very interesting topic.  I have thought about this on a number of occasions.  I love horses, and I love riding them.  I ride regularly.  I have developed friendships with the horses at my stables.  I tend to bond with them naturally.  But I have often been troubled by the nagging feeling that perhaps riding them is not right.  Sometimes I feel like the domestication of horses is ethically wrong.  They were a necessary part of human history, and we would not be where we are today if not for their uses for transportation, as was already pointed out in this thread.  However, I often think that perhaps once cars were invented, we should not have continued to breed and domesticate horses.  I flip flop on this subject.  There are multiple viewpoints.

 

Obviously, it's wrong to overwork animals.  Like @Ashley, I am very opposed to using horses in carnivals and fairs where they have to walk in circles all day.  I am opposed to any instance of animals being used purely for human amusement, with little or no thought as to how the animal feels.  However, this is typically not the case in a private stable setting.  At the stables where I ride, the animals are well treated and well cared for.  They are not overworked.  They get to do a variety of stimulating activities.  Their lives and their riding routines are not overly monotonous.  The stable owners and everyone who rides there truly love and care about the horses and their feelings and well being.  Each and every rider developes bonds and friendships with the horses.  The horses genuinely seem to enjoy the rides and look forward to them.  I have easily enough experience in equine behavior to be able to read their emotions, and many of the horses I ride, one in particular, have an absolute blast when we start to run in the big arena.  They can be very playful.  As long as they pay attention and listen to their rider, a little playfulness is not discouraged.  We want them enjoy the ride.  If I feel that the horse I'm riding really doesn't like it, I won't ride him/her.  I don't feel right about forcing them.  There are enough horses that genuinely enjoy it.  There's no need to force those who don't.

 

Furthermore, the weight of the tack and a rider is insignificant to a horse, so that part of it isn't really an issue.  Only if the tack is ill-fitting does it become a problem.  Good, responsible, horse owners will take great care to ensure the proper fit of tack.  A good horseman will learn to read body language and emotions so as to be able to tell if the horse isn't feeling well.  Ill-fitting tack is usually the first thing to check.  Here's an example.  If a horse starts to buck while being ridden, a bad horse owner will get angry and attempt to force the horse into submission.  A good horse owner will seek to understand why their horse is behaving this way.  Did something frighten him?  Is there a rock under the saddle, causing a painful spot?  Is the cinch causing a rash because it doesn't fit right?  A good horse owner understands the horse, and from understanding comes mutual trust and respect.  There have been times when my horse would behave badly, seemingly for no reason.  I quickly learned that this was simply because he needed to take a leak.  I would dismount, walk him back to his stall where he feels comfortable going, then go back to the arena and finish the ride.  He would then perform like a dream and we would both have a blast.  Being attuned to their feelings is what creates and strengthens bonds of friendship.

 

Also, when horses are schooled and ridden properly, it doesn't take much to get them moving.  They respond to the most subtle of cues.  Any horse can learn to walk and trot with just a gentle squeeze, no more pressure than a gentle hug to a person.  When I ask my horse for a lope/canter, it takes nothing more than the weight of my outside leg gently rubbing up against his side.  Any horse can learn to respond like this, provided they are well suited for riding to begin with.  Kicking repeatedly only becomes necessary when horses are ridden improperly.  If a horse is kicked too hard repeatedly, then over time they will begin to tune out subtle signals.  Sort of a boy-who-cried-wolf sydrome.  If you keep a horse light, you will never need to kick him.  Also, it's worthing noting that if a rider kicks a horse nearly as hard as he can, it really doesn't hurt the horse at all.  Take your hands, palms open, and just tap your sides, not hard enough to hurt.  That's about what a horse feels if you kick as hard as you can.  Now, spurs are a different ball game.  They can be used properly, but it takes an amazing degree of control.  Generally speaking, spurs are unnecessary and usually cruel.

 

When handled properly, I tend to equate the relationship between human and equine to that between human and canine or feline.  When a good dog owner walks his dog in the park, play fetch with him, rubs his tummy, we wouldn't question for an instant if it's ethically right to keep a dog as a pet.  The dog wags his tail and jumps for joy to see his owner.  It's a beautiful relationship of mutual love.  The same can be true of a horse, though the emotions are much more difficult to read.  Horses don't wag their talks or lick your face.  Most tend not to prance and jump at the sight of their owner.  But if we learn to read equine emotions, we can tell that many horses love the interaction and stimulation they get from their owners, including riding.  When horses are challenged to learn new things, riding becomes a stimulating activity.  One can play mentally stimulating games with the horse.  It's not work, and it's not drudgery.

 

I think I've outlined a pretty good pro-riding argument, but I opened by saying that I'm am still troubled by this dilema.  The reason is because horses in captivity can never live like us.  Many are generally confined to small stalls or pens most of the time.  They don't have the freedom that I often think they should.  Dogs and cats, on the other hand, usually live like us.  They have much more room, proportionally, and much more freedom.  Many dogs live indoors and have free run of the house.  Many dogs will curl up with their owners to watch TV, sleep in the master bedroom, often on the bed with their owner.  They do not seem deprived in any way.  I do not look at well cared for dogs and think that perhaps it would be better to turn them loose in the wild.  The same is not true of horses.  I often look at them and wonder if we are doing the right thing.  Would it be better for them to just turn them loose in the open prarie?  Well, no, because domesticated horses would die.  They do not know how to take care of themselves.  But perhaps it would be better to stop breeding them in captivity.  Dogs and cats have more of a natural capacity to live like humans.  Horses were never really meant to live like us.  Horses can't curl up and watch TV on the couch with us.  They can't sleep in our beds.  Ultimately, I continue to go to the stables because I feel like I'm bringing a little happiness to their lives.  But often times I can't shake the feeling that they all belong in the wild.

 

Sorry for always making such insanely long posts.  Don't ask me a heavy question unless you want a proper answer.  I simply can't do any less.

[Bendy 1,819]

Horses are no where near as intelligent as MLP FIM Ponies nor aren't sapient minded.

 

Horses have been a great transport for mankind for a very long time, source of food and tools of war. I'm not saying a MLP FIM should be used like this, but the fact ours horses and ponies are often a domesticated animal, which we use to make our lives easier.

 

 

You could say it's wrong to domesticate animals, but we kind of had to do in order to raise ourselves higher in the food chain. We have domesticate animals for a very long time and it's not something that's going to change, no matter hard you campaign to stop it.

Edited July 8, 2014 by Rush

[ShadowPirateX 600]

Only if JonTron is the rider.

(Reasons to why happens at 10:17)

 

Otherwise I'm not against it. Like many here have already said, many horses enjoy being ridden. After all, would you like to sit in a stable all day?

[LZRD WZRD 1,929]

Well it would seem to be a mutually beneficial relationship (as long as the owners take good care of the horses). Horses get meals, water, cleaned, and shelter and in return they let people ride around on their backs (which is good excercise for them).

 

It is essentially slavery, but being that horses don't seem to posses exceptional intelligence, I'm not sure it could be considered morally wrong

Edited July 8, 2014 by LZRD WZRD

[#1FluttershyFan 206]

I don't think it would be wrong. It can be compared to if your favorite animal was a horse but you still rode them. If you really really really loved horses, you could still ride them.

[Monochrome Gray 7]

.....I love horses....I don't see anything wrong with riding horses while being a fan of this show...I believe there is a mutual relationship between us and horses so long as we treat them right ya know?....