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B-Bog t1_jb57a0k wrote

Anybody else find it weird that we keep those animals locked up so we can sit on their backs from time to time? And even make them compete in tournaments and such? Like, I'm not a PETA activist or anything, but the whole thing just seems weird to me when taking a step back.

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Beer_Bad t1_jb59ipa wrote

As long as we do it humanely I don't see an issue. We see a ton of piggybacking throughout the animal kingdom from parasites to more complex symbiotic relationships. And then from another perspective, the animal world is insanely cruel to each other. It's just the circle of life. Domesticated horses can/do live happy, full lives. I'm completely against any inhumane treatment of animals we use for utility or otherwise, but utilizing the utility of horses, mules, camels, ect doesn't have to be inherently cruel, especially in comparison to how the animal kingdom interacts with itself.

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AthenasChosen t1_jb5ezko wrote

They've been bred for thousands of years to be our companions and be ridden by people. They enjoy the jobs they have, particularly draft horses.

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danielravennest t1_jb5ots6 wrote

If you had lived over a hundred years ago, keeping horses would seem as normal as keeping cars are today. The US horse population fell dramatically after 1920 as cars became common.

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thebeandream t1_jb7au3p wrote

I mean…we also clean them and protect them from predators along with providing clean food and water for them. They also aren’t stuck in a paddock 24/7. Horses usually are given a pasture.

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