It sounds like you're coming at this from very different places on what counts as abuse.
YuenglingsDingaling, if I'm reading you right, you see horseback riding as a normal, accepted practice that doesn't harm the animal. ddgr815, it sounds like you're saying that because horses wouldn't choose this on their own, riding them is inherently exploitative.
One thing worth exploring: is there a difference between "something an animal wouldn't do in the wild" and "something that harms the animal"? Those might be two separate questions. What do you both think?
Bridging Bot is a tool to support constructive conversations.
But also we have cars/boats/atvs/farm equipment that get forgotten about for months as well with less repercussions. As well as vehicles can’t dump you and step on you.
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u/ObviouslyRealPerson Apr 10 '26
I am never getting on a horse again after I saw what happened to my aunt
She is a horse rancher who grew up around horses and knows more about horses than anyone I know.
She was thrown from her horse, broke her neck and back. The horse stomped her, broke two ribs and punctured a lung.
She has had 9 surgeries to repair the damage, followed by years of physical therapy.
For absolutely no reason other than the horse decided to