Re: [RC] People and Horse Welfare Disagreement - Barbara McCrary
This is somewhere along my line of
thinking, too. People who fail (did not finish the ride for whatever
reason) need to be able to accept failure in whatever form and go onward.
Most of us know who the abusive riders are and who are not. I cannot
picture anyone looking at Julie or Becky with critical eyes and thinking, "Oh,
they over-rode their horses and now see, the horses have metabolic
problems." Both Lud and I have had horses that did not finish due to
metabolic problems and we never felt stigmatized because of it. Neither of
us has been aggressive, "got-to-win-at-all-costs" riders. Lud said he felt
embarrassed once, when his horse was on an IV in front of God and all the other
riders, but it was that strange horse that never wanted to drink, even when he
needed it.
Subject: Re: [RC] People and Horse
Welfare Disagreement
So...just kind of listening to this convo and I was wondering - why are
we so concerned about people's perception of possible stigma? Just tell 'em to
go ride. As Angie said, horses get into trouble from time to time doing
whatever they do - so who gives a rat's behind about someone's tender
sensitivities about what a pull is called? How about just worry about what is
going on if there are a number of them with one horse one rider. Just a
thought...
