Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

> From: Jody Rogers-Buttram <dragnin100@xxxxxxxxx>
..  But, what is fun to a horse?
>   Fun ( I would think) is eating, sleeping and doing much of nothing with 
> their buddies.
>   Fun ( I would think) is running in the pasture, kicking up at one 
> another.
>   Fun ( I would think) is never having a person sit on their back, never 
> being shod,
>   never having to have their teeth floated, or never getting stuck with a 
> needle.


I won't argue the issue of whether or not horses enjoy the things we ask 
them to do... I like to think that sometimes they do, although I may be 
mistaken.

I would point out that too much "fun" is not healthy for horses (or humans). 
In the wild, horses don't spend all their time eating, sleeping, and 
playing. They spend a great deal of time browsing rugged areas for a few 
choice bites and wandering occasionally significant distances to find water. 
They must run from predators and find shelters in storms. Life is not fun 
and easy.

When we take these horses or raise horses in a domestic setting, providing 
easy access to all they can eat and offering comfortable shelter and simply 
letting them eat and sleep and play may not be enough to keep them mentally 
or physically sound. I think - call me crazy - that some horses get bored if 
they don't have something to do. And I know we've all seen horses with too 
much easy living and not enough exercise. Perhaps our training and riding is 
not "fun" for the horse - but that does not mean that it isn't in his best 
interest, provided it is done with respect and care. And I like to think 
that taking my mustangs out on the trail is the next best thing to giving 
them back their freedom - at least they get to see more of the world than 
four fences.

A girl down the road from me just called in tears to tell me her horse has 
foundered and will most likely be put down. He's a gorgeous 7 year old 1/2 
Arab 1/2 tri-color Paint. He has had a "fun" life - wandering around in a 
green pasture. He's never worn shoes, rarely been trimmed, never been 
wormed, rarely had shots. She's ridden him three times in the four years 
she's owned him. He's done nothing but eat, sleep, and play - and now he's 
facing the end of his short life.

my very humble opinion -
Jen Adam

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