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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to be furious at suggestions that show jumping/x country is cruel?

86 replies

MitchyInge · 14/07/2009 19:57

grrrrrr! put up some pictures on another forum to celebrate the launch of my international show jumping career (starting at a small village show, haha) and someone said 'poor horses, that makes me feel very uncomfortable'

my horse LOVES to jump, he is much more competitive than me!

aibu to want to stab her in the face with a hoof pick?

OP posts:
JohnDory · 14/07/2009 19:58

YABU

JohnDory · 14/07/2009 19:58

any ful no horses like macrame

bigchris · 14/07/2009 19:59

are you katie price?

Issy2008 · 14/07/2009 20:00

That is so funny! Must have been someone with 'loads' of experience of horses, right?!

Original poster
MitchyInge · 14/07/2009 20:01

thought she fancied herself as a dressage superstar, no

forgot to say 'hoof pick dipped in POO'

OP posts:
Original poster
MitchyInge · 14/07/2009 20:03

human poo

OP posts:
Podrick · 14/07/2009 20:04

Exploitation of horses, sorry but that is a reasonable pov. They don't choose to do that stuff after all.

ABetaDad · 14/07/2009 20:04

Horses jump and run. Its what they do. Its cruel to make an elephant balance on a ball -elephants do not do that in the wild or indeed anythng like it.

melpomene · 14/07/2009 20:05

Yes, I can see from your posts that you are not cruel at all, but in fact very sensitive and gentle

saintlydamemrsturnip · 14/07/2009 20:07

It does sound like someone with limited experience of horses. Ignore.

Did you get a clear round?

Issy2008 · 14/07/2009 20:08

Oh lordy. Horses love jumping and running about. If they didn't want to do it, they wouldn't.

Thistledew · 14/07/2009 20:08

Podrick- you have obviously never tried to persuade a horse to do something it does not want to do. Bloody impossible, I can tell you. You might as well say that taking a dog out for walkies is exploiting it too.

KingCanuteIAm · 14/07/2009 20:09

Well it is hardly a new accusation is it? If you are going to ride horses you have to expect to be accused of cruelty at some stage.

It is a little odd if it comes from the dressage quater though, I mean that is not far from the old horse dancing which is currently getting accused of cruelty...

Anyway, rise above idiocy and ignorance - your energys are best directed elsewhere. Now, when do we get to see the photos?

JohnDory · 14/07/2009 20:09

lol @ persuadeing a horse.

"now there are two ways of doing this.."

Original poster
MitchyInge · 14/07/2009 20:09

ah, our debut is not until next month saintly

melpomene - wanting to stab someone in the face and actually doing it are quite different things you know?

and I really don't think the horses would do it if they didn't like it, you can tell that some are insanely enthusiastic about it and others are just not into it at all

OP posts:
booyhoo · 14/07/2009 20:10

thats like saying you shouldnt train a dog to fetch a ball!!! horses run and jump in even without being encouraged to. its in their nature. silly person. (not OP)

JohnDory · 14/07/2009 20:10

are some sulky?
do they pick their hooves andlean against the fence looking at you sideways?

Original poster
MitchyInge · 14/07/2009 20:11

no no I meant katie price fancied herself as a dressage superstar

comment about cruelty was from recently converted vegan who has never ridden a horse

the photos were not of me! they were wishful thinking, here is one: caution, contains animal cruelty

OP posts:
booyhoo · 14/07/2009 20:13

tbh the rider looks under more pressure than the horse in that pic

Thistledew · 14/07/2009 20:15

JohnDory- the usual practice is for them to slam on the brakes at the last moment: "If you want to jump the fence so much you are welcome to do it on your own"!

UnquietDad · 14/07/2009 20:16

I don't have much of an opinion on showjumping.

But cross-country, that's an abomination. I remember hating it at school when we had to go out in the wind and the rain to the local park to slog through the mud, while the evil PE teacher rode on his bike goading us with his stopwatch. Yep, should be banned.

Original poster
MitchyInge · 14/07/2009 20:18

also put up this as illustration of my average jumping lesson

OP posts:
redclover79 · 14/07/2009 20:19

Not cruel when the horse is enjoying it but I have seen and heard of some awful cruelty when I was a lot younger involving whips and cattle prods - 4 year old mare refused a jump and was beaten horribly
A lot of horrible things happened one this one yard, riding school that bred/broke (literally)/schooled show jumpers as a sideline.

MrsBadger · 14/07/2009 20:19

dressage is crueller to riders than horses

and worse for spectators

saintlydamemrsturnip · 14/07/2009 20:20

ha ha, that is me jumping. I actually refuse to jump now because at 38 I feel too old to fall off.

That showjumping photo is AMAZING!