Wet and Wild Riding - Page 3

Stop saying stuff like I begrudge you your horses, I agree, it is asinine. I'm long gone, don't you get it? 

I remember reading the biography of the lady who dived with those horses. It was an incredible story, and she had a very strong bond with them. What makes it even more incredible was SHE WAS BLIND!

It's been many years since I read the book, but I think it might have had something to do with the water smacking her in the face, and causing her retinas to detach. I can't swear to that, though.

I am not going to spoil this thread any further by passing judgement on this activity. But from what I remember, the horses were willing participants, and no cruelty was involved.

Sunsilver, I believe you are right about the water smacking her in the face and detaching her retinas.  I read the book about a year and a half ago and also got the impression that the horses were willing to dive and were treated well.

Here is video footage of Sonora Webster Carver and her horse Red Lips:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEkPQ6xDWMc

Here's what Wikipedia has to say:

Arnette explained Sonora’s decision to continue riding after her accident in this way: "The movie made a big deal about having the courage to go on riding after she lost her sight. But, the truth was riding the horse was the most fun you could have and we just loved it so. We didn't want to give it up. Once you were on the horse, there really wasn't much to do but hold on. The horse was in charge."^[2]

Arnette, who was 15 when she took her first horse dive, remarked in an interview that "Wherever we went, the S.P.C.A. (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) was always snooping around, trying to find if we were doing anything that was cruel to animals. They never found anything because those horses lived the life of Riley. In all the years of the act, there was never a horse that was injured."^[2] 

My computer went crazy on me for awhile, and I lost a previous post, and can no longer find the link I got the information from, but it said horses that could not be taught to dive willingly, and which showed fear, were sold. I also saw a picture of a white horse diving without a rider.

I remember Sonora saying how one of the horses waited for her when she missed her leap onto its back. I can't see this happening without a very close bond between her and the horse.

Horses are true beasts of burden.  They will literally work/run themselves to death if asked to.  They will also run until they are severely lame or break a bone.  It has nothing to do with being willing.  Imagine the horses retina's when hitting the water, and the smack on the nostrils.  The force of the water hitting the horse in the face.

That must be very painful, and it is cruel IMO.

Did you watch the YouTube video posted? Nothing about that horse's actions spoke of cruelty, IMHO.  And the girl is the only one who became blind when she failed to close her eyes (bad timing) in the stunt. If you notice, Red, the horse does not go in head first, but rather legs first.

Really that is what this is, a stunt. Fearless, that is what Sonora was. 

How is a HORSE a willing participant? What happened, someone walked through a barn one day and distributed a survey or asked for a show of hooves as to who wanted to go diving?!  

As I said before they are PREY animals. They are not dogs, they are not predators, and they don't think that way. They do what they're told, what they're trained to do, and you will not convince me that free falling is a horse's idea of fun, or that they had any choice in the matter. Where does "free will" come into this?

I think many many equestrian activities are laced with cruelty, even if they're not outright cruel, which is why I choose to do my own thing with mine. One of mine did a bunch of years in the Big Lick arena- speaking of cruel! I refuse to get into that competitive mindset that I see so many riders/owners/trainers having that clouds their vision as to what is crossing the line into cruelty. I don't get this "end justifies the means" mentality when it comes to animal cruelty. 

Oh wait...I bet it makes all the difference to them which way they land.  

Beetree, maybe re-reading your posts with a new set of eyes or an open mind would be an enlightening experience.  You're carrying one thread into another to continue sniping about my horses or number of horses or price of them or whatever. Every chance you get, you make some monetary or other judgmental comment and it just comes off...sad. Bitter. I hope you are long gone and I will gladly get over it, but it might take more than one post saying so. LOL. Actions, Beetree. Actions. 

What about a horse's actions, speaking of which, would speak cruelty that you can say in this activity, they don't?

Jenni, go away. Can I be more clear? I didn't even read your post except to see my name. Leave me alone, I don't give a rat's ass about you or any menagerie you care to cultivate. Have a nice day.

Jenni, what's the Big Lick? And what sort of equine sports were involved?

Never mind: I found it on my own! {Shudder!}

http://www.hphoofcare.com/lick.html 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZH-X6nu5grI

http://www.hphoofcare.com/lick.html

http://bridlepath.wordpress.com/2006/09/24/bridlepath-hall-of-shame-the-big-lick-twh-industry/



This is my horse, very young. I googled some of his show records and found 23 wins before age 3! Since those are only shows he won 1st-3rd, that's an awful lot of showing for a 3yr old. He was very successful in both Big Lick (Padded Performance) and Park Pleasure (which is also shown in the video). He was VERY fortunate to be owned and shown by someone on the board of TWHBEA (who obviously was going to be more likely to comply with anti-soring laws), and he had natural ability that made soring unnecessary to win. But STILL..................................