Painting pony parties - yay or neigh?

[Paintedponio]

I have just seen a post on Facebook, shared from a national news station, about pony painting parties and some people that are protesting them and trying to get them stopped on the grounds that they are animal cruelty.

The responses were largely agreeing that it is cruel, and should be banned, that it teaches children not to respect animals, though there were some saying the opposite. Many replies were angry, saying it's exploitation, cruel, abuse and all in the name of making money for the owners.

The organiser of one of the companies that runs these parties has stated that the children are supervised, and wear protective equipment, the ponies are not overloaded, one party a day, and the paints are not harmful to animals, and washed off afterwards, and applied with soft brushes, much like grooming the pony.

Personally, I really don't see the problem. I think it's a great way for a retired, older or unridable pony to have interaction with people, and many ponies love the attention of children fussing over them. I think it is a lovely way to introduce children to horses, without them having to ride, which they could be too scared to do, and they are supervised and wearing the right equipment. Some comments said it wasn't fair on the pony because it doesn't have a choice, and some people were furious about it, but I don't understand why, horses have no sense of self, show them a mirror and they think it's another horse, and as long as the paint doesn't irritate them then it is probably easier to get off than stable stains or mud!

The ponies feel the brushes, but much like they are being groomed, which just about anyone who's ever had anything to do with horses will tell you is an activity that is essential to a horses well being.

When I trained with horses, the college used to paint the skeletal structure on one side and the muscle structure on the other side of a grey horse and lunge him (long line so the horse goes around you in a circle while you stand in the the middle) to demonstrate how the muscles and bones work while walking/trotting/cantering and jumping, it was amazing and such a good teaching tool and the horse was happy and healthy.

So what does the MN jury think? What is your opinion of pony painting parties and do you think they should be banned?

And I agree that horses are used for entertainment and don't personally have a problem with horses doing what they are bred for. In general though, thoroughbreds and warmbloods are handled by people who know what they are doing; they're not transported to the back gardens of people who have no horse knowledge.

It makes me feel sick.

Animals are not for human entertainment. Especially small children who have no concept of how to act around an animal, one which will be stressed and could act out at any moment.

It astounds me that the parents of these children think it's acceptable.

How did it begin? Whose bright idea was this?

Parent: What would you like to do for your birthday poppet?

"I was to paint on a horse"

Parent: Anything you want diddums!

Odd children, odd parents.

Want*

Whoops.

If someone doesn’t come and paint my pony I will have to send it to Europe to be eaten! Form a queue please, she’s an absolute nut job so top up the insurance on your offspring first.
Shock, horror 90 horse containers left Dover over 48 hours, I’m guessing no one was counting the numbers of sheep and cattle because it’s ok to eat them?

What life said.

I really struggle to see how anyone actually thinks this is ok. It does make me shudder.
Get a clown, an entertainer or heaven forbid provide some games or entertainment yourselves do anything ffs, but leave the animals out of it.

No fucking way should ponies be allowed to be painted. Wrong on so many levels

I’m not a nut job I’m regularly helping rescue horses from slaughter. I’m not saying it will happen but every time a horse goes to the sales it could be bought by the knacker man who buys horses for slaughter

And slaughter is very often much kinder. Horses are very expensive to keep, mine lack nothing (running joke that they get new shoes and a manicure every 8 weeks and I have had one new pair of shoes in the last 3 and a manicure 6 years ago) Horses are livestock not pets. If people chose to eat more horse in the U.K. there would be less of them starving (horses and maybe people)

Never heard of these. Of course it’s not ok. Children should learn that an animal is a living breathing thing whose needs come first. Painting a pony? You’re essentially telling a kid it’s ok to use an animal like an chalkboard. I’m against any sort of party involving an animal and a load of over excited 5year olds tbh. Yes it might give an old horse interaction with people but surely the owner should be fulfilling that job. Or would you recommend a paint an oap party so some lonely old people can get some interaction???

I think paint a lonely old person could be the next big thing
I’m sure they would love it and actually could consent