To think animals shouldn't be dressed up and hired out for parties?

[athingthateveryoneneeds]

Recently I saw a miniature horse being taken out for a walk on a lead. She was adorable! So friendly and sweet.

But her maybe and tail were dyed rainbow stripes and her owner(?) showed me a picture of her dressed as a unicorn for parties she gets hired out to attend.

AIBU to think this isn't the way an animal should spend its life? I was quite excited to meet this horse bit now just feel sad when I think about it.

*mane, not maybe

If the animal is getting petted they might like it. My dog probably would although I've never dressed him.up !

In general I hate that sort of thing. In particular mobile petting zoos can be awful for the animals, really stressful to spend time in a cage travelling around to be mauled by little kids, and many of them are not kept in great conditions. Animals shouldn’t be used for our entertainment if it compromises them in any way.

But I think it can be ok if the animal is loved and well cared for, enjoys human interaction and doesn’t suffer ill effects from hair dye etc. Unless it is being made to give rides to kids for hours in the hot sun which I find really disgusting.

dont mind them dyeing her hair but i dont think they should go to parties unless the animals clearly enjoy it.

Depends on the animal, really. I have 2 horses and one of them is not happy with people he doesn’t know touching him (although he’ll let anyone scratch him!). The other would like nothing better than attention from anyone and everyone all day long. The dye would be stuff that’s perfectly safe for the skin, I would think. As long as the horse is healthy and likes attention I see no problem

Presumably this pony spends her life in a field and her job is to do the parties every other weekend. Luckier than all those sport horses who have to run and jump for a living, that’s much harder work than carting little kids at a slow walk for an afternnon.
The horse is fine as long as his needs are met (food, water, movement, interaction with other horses...). They don’t care wether they are dressed up or not.

I don't know much about this horse, though she said it is house trained and lives indoors.

I hate it when people exploit animals in any way, and making money out of them is no exception.

I know someone who owns a handful of small ponies that are hired out for kids’ parties and carnivals. The ponies
live in a large field during the week, and go to events at weekends, to do pony rides. I can’t get worked up about it—they seem to have a nice existence.

Who the fuck keeps a horse indoors?! The woman is clearly off her rocker. I quite like the sound of a rainbow dyed horse though.

I live in South Devon and the soil is very red. My grey horse used to turn pinky orange in the summer from rolling in the dust. I was once told I was cruel for dyeing my horse a ridiculous colour .

I think some horses/ ponies would be ok with being pampered, as long as the kids were very closely supervised. The mobile petting zoos with rabbits/ snakes etc must be hugely stressful for the animals though.

Can’t get excited about it. Clearly it’s a loved family pet if she keeps it in her house.

I don’t agree with the pony living indoors, that’s not right. As far the attention is concerned, depends on the horse

I don’t agree with ponies being kept in the house but can’t say I’ve never put reindeer antlers and tinsel on mine. As far as being a party pony is concerned, depends on the horse. This idiot would love it

bet the horse loves it, sounds like a brilliant life for a friendly, sociable little horse.