Welcome to Gaia! ::

I guess its alright if they like it.

Generally, horseback riding and some stunt riding is pretty safe for the horses. So why not?

However, I do get nervous... A poorly trained horse or an inexperienced rider are both put at risk in some situations.

I agree with all4slytherin. I've seen people that love their horses and go to every precaution to make sure nothing could happen to them.

However, I've also seen people that wouldn't give a damn if their horses were beign treated unfairly. I once volunteered at a therapeutic horse riding program. What they were doing was great, but they treated their horses poorly. I remember that I had this somewhat stubborn mare I had to brush. She would n** me every once in a while, so I pulled her out and hooked her up to cross lines (Is that what they're called? The leads that come from both sides of stable that keep a horse from running around when you saddle them up? It's been to long.). Anyway, I finished brushing her and put her back.

Later, the head volunteer asked how I did it. When I asked what she meant, she said that Chessie, the mare, always reared when someone tried to lead her out. In reality, Rachel wouldn't respect Chessie. She would drag her out, brush her hastily, and spacked her face with a crop when she tried to move. It angered me, but I was only 13 at the time, and Rachel was 20. I didn't 'have as much experience'. At least I knew how to respect another living creature. stare

What pisses me off is horses who are "put down" when they are no longer able to race, but are still relatively healthy and can live a healthy life. I do not support the euthanasia of animals if they can still live a happy healthy life.

I used to ride and show (hunt-seat) when I was younger - man I'm getting old.

Horses are amazing intelligent and usually seem to sincerely enjoy quality time spent with their human friends. I always thought the horses I rode and I had very balanced friendships. I would treat them kindly and respectfully, and they would be very nice and corporative in return.

There was one horse in particular that I loved - a tall grey gelding name Beau. He definitely had an attitude (we think he had been gelded too late). But was very sweet all the same.

My instructor at the time (and his owner) thought that he was a difficult horse to ride and fairly uncooperative. Yet, when I rode him he wasn't that way at all.

Then one day I came to the arena as saw my instructor riding him. He was being quite difficult and uncooperative. Her response was the riding crop and spurs. (I HATE SPURS.) His sides were bleeding from the abuse. I was very saddened/angered upon seeing this.

Such an intelligent, kind, and powerful living being was suffering because he wasn't behaving exactly how my instructor wanted him to behave. She could have chosen not to ride him. She probably could have had a wonderful relationship with Beau if she hadn't behaved like a anger-prone control freak from the beginning.

I often think about Beau and hope his situation improved. He was a wonderful horse and deserved to have someone love him.



I think it's important to remember that some horses are not suited (whether physically or mentally) for some equestrian sport activities. Not all horses enjoy high jumping. Not all horses enjoy dressage. Not all horse enjoy barrel racing. And it's very easy to tell.

I think it's fine as long as the horse doesn't mind, and if it does, they shouldn't be forced to do anything