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?

It’s a ridiculous idea and in my mind is sending children mixed messages. Would anyone be happy if children came and painted all over their car ? Surely that’s not a problem , it washes off after all !

There are things in life that are designed for a particular purpose - paper is for drawing and painting , not ponies .

DD did this last year for a friend's birthday.

There were three sensible kids. They brushed the ponies, put clips in their mane, fed them and then they each got a very short ride.

It was really not the horrific animal abuse that's being claimed by some hysterical posters on this thread. They were very closely supervised and it was kept very calm and peaceful.

Interesting. I actually think that all pet ownership is cruel. I can’t see how keeping animals at home in tiny ‘cages/prisons’ is compatible with being an animal lover. Or making a horse carry our heavy weight. I think cat ownership is the only type that can be justified, as the cat can come and go as it pleases. These paint a pony parties just seem appalling.

But then again, I eat meat, and so am not really in a position to judge others as I am a complete hypocrite myself. Willing to have animals killed for me to eat, but not happy to allow a pet be cared for by a loving owner.

I don't get it. I have a horse and he has no sense of humiliation, if he's stood with some hay he couldn't care less if I paint him gold, he'd probably be glad of the attention. People may not like it as an idea or a party but saying it's cruel is pretty ridiculous. Lots of people saying there's other ways to get into riding/being with horses, but surely riding a horse is far more cruel by these standards? Putting lumps of leather on it, metal in its mouth and making it do things it wouldn't naturally do. Where's the outrage and campaigns over horse riding??

Just wondering how many people who are so outraged by this eat meat or animal products, or have even looked into the cruelty across the industry, even in "humane" killings and free range animals. Perhaps the anger should be concentrated on more serious and clear cut animal cruelty rather than on worrying that an animal might have it's feelings hurt or assuming that the owner of the pony would allow abuse, excitement and disrespect.

Shit idea. We have pony days at my yard where the kids are taught how to behave around ponies, tack up, lead, feed, have a lesson. Fucking stupid to be painting the ponies.

I would not be particularly concerned about welfare as I would hope it's tightly controlled and supervised.

However, it's a ludicrous thing to do and my concern is the message and general lack of respect for the animal. To me it's not much different to those fuckwits that dress their dogs in clothes or even dye their coats.

I have had horses all my life this is the most moronic 'trend' that has ever started. No doubt because some moron mother wants their DD to 'play ponies' (whoever invented that stupid term anyway!?!?). You know what, if you are fine with this how about you stand there and get bloody painted!!! This teaches kids NO respect for animals whatsoever. Groom the poor pony, guve it some tlc don't treat it like a bloody piece of paper!

I don’t think it’s cruel to the horse but I think it sends a poor message to kids.

However, it's a ludicrous thing to do and my concern is the message and general lack of respect for the animal. To me it's not much different to those fuckwits that dress their dogs in clothes or even dye their coats.

I think it's important to respect the integrity of the species.

Pet ownership can be a (happy) symbiotic relationship = bot the hymn nd the animal gain a lot from it. The animal doesn't have to worry about finding food and water, is kept warm and is safe from predators and (other than not being allowed to breed indiscriminately) has a good life. The human gets the comfort of a warm and often affectionate creature who doesn't judge and loves (or at least accepts) them.

At worst, the human abuses the animal horribly - there is never an excuse for this.

But teaching children that living, sentient creatures are there purely for their amusement, and that they can do what the effort they like to them, is not a good way to ultimate symbiotic relationships - because there is no respect for the animal, and what it might find unpleasant to upsetting. Horses and other animals form personal relationships with their carers and enjoy their company if they are kind to them.

Ponies/horses trained for riding learn to accept a weight on their backs and enjoy the pleasure of being out and about cantering etc - they don't find it unpleasant on the whole (as far as I am aware - personally I'm scared witless of horses). Animals who are in their "safe place" (stable) need to be sure that that is a place where they are able to rest and eat in peace - not one where they are molested by young humans who are over-excited and mess about with them with impunity.

Whether we keep animals as pets is a very personal thing. At best both the pet and the owner gain a great deal from it - at worst the animal suffers horribly. If we do keep its we have a huge responsibility to treat therewith love and respect, whatever species they are. They aren't here purely for our amusement, or to absorb our negative emotions.

Oh - shit! The autocorrect has had a whale of a time with my post - I should have checked it first - sorry!

Terrible idea. Grooming and learning to tack up and care for a pony is great. Treating the soul as a dot-to-dot is not.

Learning to ride a horse may be a "mutual" process but lets not pretend the horse gets an equal say in the matter. Year of training to make it tolerate being ridden - no bucking, shying, bolting etc

I cant really see why painting a horse is so wrong but making it do jumps, dressage, go round and round in circles etc is ok.

I cant really see why painting a horse is so wrong but making it do jumps, dressage, go round and round in circles etc is ok.

Then you have absolubtely NO idea about how showjumping/dressage etc is a partnership. Trust me, if the horse didn't want to do it, it wouldn't.

I agree that it’s probably no more bothering the pony than having kids sit on them which no-one seems to have an issue with.
Surely no worse than those people who dye their poodles tails etc. Ridiculous but I doubt the animals are overly bothered.

If people stopped riding horses the first time they bucked or shyed, or stopped jumping them when they refused their first jump then there would be precious few horse ridden House. Fact is they're made to do it again and again until they accept it.

I agree that treating it like a passive piece of paper isn’t a good message to send kids though.

My horses would probably love this. Let’s face it it’s easy ‘work’ for them...much more so than being ridden

Fuck, no. It's not ok, in any fucking way imaginable. Utterly fucking horrific.

BarbarianMum I suggest you don't make comments about stuff you know nothing about.

Perhaps you'd like to explain how a horse is perfectly capable of showing it doesnt like to be ridden but entirely incapable of indicating it doesn't like being painted House. Then I'll be a bit less ignorant.

BarbarianMum if it didn't want to go on the but in an outline round a dressage arena it wouldn't. If it didn't want to jump a jump it wouldn't. You are utterly ignorant if you think the majority of partnerships you see in a ring are forced. They take YEARS of training and being in harmony with your horse and respecting it.

I'm not saying a horse is actively against 'being painted' I am saying it is teaching children to treat animals with no more respect than a piece of paper!

I don’t think it’s overly cruel , but just so unnecessary, I know fun things don’t have to have a meaning but for me this seems to say ‘ fuck it , we can do whatever we want to whomever we want ‘

Why don’t the parents have a ‘paint my brand new Mercedes / Fiat / Peugeot ‘ day instead ?

I don't think it's cruel but it is crass. I think it's sad to turn a sentient creature into an object to be decorated by children for entertainment.

I also don't understand why people colour their small white dogs pink or purple. It's not for the animal's welfare, it's purely for their own entertainment.

I asked DS2 for his thoughts and he summed up the pony party concept pretty well: It's for spoiled little brats who only care about things, not animals. They're like, "Oooh! Look at me!". Vom.

Your son sounds a treat