The only horse we should ride!!

She, the little girl, was not of the horse community or in the horse community. As an adult with a family of her own, she understands implicitly that those who are part of said community have a unique perspective which many of us may not fully understand. This little girl’s name is Laura and her adult perspective was born of watching and witnessing someone who was of that community.

He was not a good man in so many of the important ways and definitely not a healthy role model for a young, impressionable child whose heart decried the violence and abuse she witnessed. She hoped with that little girl’s heart that  he did not in any way  represent the majority of those who do have horses, who care for them and who love them within the framework of “ownership”. Yet, it is the invisible, dark side of owning someone to use him or her that the adult Laura believed needed to be addressed, for the sake of all the animals who are used and exploited by humans. So, one day she decided  to speak about it.

The man, as you may have guessed, was her father, Dougal.  He is no longer here to defend himself against her declarations, so she relies on her desire to be transparent and honest and hopes that said describes well and truly what she witnessed and why she thinks her father treated horses and other animals and humans the way that he did.

Dougal was a big man in stature and demanded and commanded respect from all those within and without his life. Power, the need to have it, to flaunt it, to exercise it over others was a driving force that burned within him. Laura believes that he equated it with status, physical proof of his value and place in this world of men. The more powerful he felt, the more control he had. And yet, he could be gentle at times and loving and generous. This was a side that she did not see often enough because it was mostly obscured by the violent temper, the bravado, the arrogance and the cruelty which bubbled constantly and ferociously just below the surface of his psyche. It was the gentle side that people in her family loved and for that she of course gives him credit. But the other and more predominant side was to be feared and fear it little Laura did.

Show Jumping – Dougal’s passion
The dark side of domestication

Her father owned horses as a hobby, the goal of which was to breed them, to ride them, to show them. She watched him train them with force, load them into trailers with force, often discipline them with whips and sometimes a board whenever they balked at being used according to his wishes. Dougal did not countenance being disobeyed.

Laura was obliged to attend local horse shows and to watch as Dougal vied for top place. Being first was so very important to him.  Sometimes he rode, sometimes others did.  It was such a miserable experience for Laura that she would try to say no to attending. Occasionally it worked, but more often than not it did not.

When there, she would try to disappear, to exclude herself from watching the events, but he would notice and admonish her. Reaching the age of sixteen or so provided a modicum of freedom for Laura because she would stand shakily and defiantly in front of her father and say, ”No, I am just not going!”. He would stomp away in anger, calling the girl an ingrate, the meaning of which she did not even get the first time he laid it on her. Being insulted and bullied was far less traumatic for Laura than having to watch the rampant exploitation present at all of these shows. So, she felt free as a bird and powerful in her own right. She had stood up for herself and won!!

Jingle Bells

Apart from forcing her to witness the cruelty and obliging her to attend shows, Laura’s father would also try from time to time to “make her learn” how to ride. She can’t really say whether her fear of horses and most animals comes from being forced onto the backs of some, despite her repeated entreaties to be spared, or whether she was just a fearful kid. Laura says that she does remember with great clarity, protesting and sobbing and shaking so much that she could not access the stirrup easily and she would have to be hoisted up, very roughly into the saddle. The sobbing never stopped and the poor girl could not get the hang of matching the horse’s gate. So, Laura would bounce awkwardly up and down, each slap of the saddle a jarring reminder of how much she did not want to be on top of this horse’s back.  Laura never did learn how to ride, but became quite adept at making herself scarce when the threat of riding loomed on the horizon.

And yet, despite knowing all that she did of her father’s lack of respect for  and exploitation of  the animal dependents in his care, she reluctantly admits to enjoying family sleigh rides in the dead of winter in a pertly painted little sleigh. The gold bells attached to the side of the sleigh would ring in time with the rhythmic crunching sound of the horses’ hooves as they met with the hardened snow of the streets they traveled in her small hometown.

Sulky Racing

Going to the Sulky Races became another family favorite when grown up Laura would visit her parents, kids in tow. They would have an early supper, pile in to the car and head out to the local horse track. It was exciting to watch the horses run, to watch them compete, to celebrate when the horses on whom they had bet did indeed prevail. Win, Place or Show was thrilling for those who had guessed correctly. They would laugh, high five, collect their winnings and place yet another bet.

Why the disconnect she asks herself?  Had she distanced herself from the use in order to enjoy family time? Did she not grasp that horses and other animals are not commodities? Did she believe that her father’s casual and often brutal treatment of them was solely about him and not about the accepted and age old culture of domesticating and breaking horses in order to use them? Laura does not have the answer. With a sad shake of her head, she admits to herself and those to whom she is speaking that maybe it is a little bit of everything.

Using is not Loving

Dougal’s history with horses may be an exception. It may not. But, after hearing Laura’s story, I am not sure it really matters. When we domesticate living and sentient beings, we do so in order to use them for profit, whether financial, emotional or psychological. I have learned from Ren Hurst, author and former horsewoman that these animals, whatever our reason for “owning” them, are captive dependents.  “They rely on us for their very survival: quite simply, they are not in a position of power to say yes to their use, and most have forgotten how to say no.” And so, we should not use them. If we do, we should not call that love, no matter how lovingly we treat them.

 

I climbed on board, and I placed my hands palm down across your back, withers, gently and lovingly. I asked, “Cisco, is it OK with you for me to be on your back and training you?” I felt your body stiffen. Then you let out a deep sigh and dropped your head, and your body relaxed. I had your permission. My eyes welled up, I slid off your back, and I never climbed on top of another horse again.
~ Ren Hurst: Riding on the Power of Others, page 116

 

Annie’s Vegan View

When we believe that it is okay and even desirable to use other species of animals for our own purposes, we open the door to all manner of abuse.

History and culture do not denote permission to continue using others for personal profit, whatever form that profit takes.

As a species, it is incumbent upon humans to look inward for the triggers and emotional trauma which lead us to seek validation and safety through the use of others, especially dependents in our care.

Veganism……for the liberation of all animals, even those who will forever be in our care, for the planet, for humans.

May all beings be happy and free.

Anne

 

Laura’s Childhood Memories of Her Father & His Horses – a Vegan Perspective

2 thoughts on “Laura’s Childhood Memories of Her Father & His Horses – a Vegan Perspective

  • April 3, 2019 at 10:01 am
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    Hi Anne,

    First, great to see another post and also thank you to Laura for sharing her story with you! … I’m going to try not to leave a comment longer than your post. And I almost don’t even know where to begin.

    When I was a kid, I loved horses the same way that it seems like almost all little girls do. I had no idea that riding was wrong and took riding lessons one weekend (at least it was only that short a time) when I was in 4th grade. I still remember “my” pony’s name, Tony. And I remember exactly what he looked like.

    My mother’s side of the family have farm folk in them so I also got to be around horses a few times with them. I’m happy to say I didn’t ride then, but they didn’t ride around me a lot and when they did it was just one of the horses and they didn’t put a saddle on so maybe that was at least a little less horrible for the horse? I never saw them beaten, but I know that if one is able to ride a horse….

    Over the past 15 years or so of my life, I’ve lived in cities with horses forced to pull those awful carriages and I’ve always hated that. One year when I walked with the group demonstrating against animal testing (worldwide day to protest animals tested on in laboratories is coming up in a couple weeks!), we gathered at the Brandenburg Gate here in Berlin. I was early and there were so many people around, some tourists not knowing what was going on…and of course the standard line of horse drawn carriages trying to get customers. I remember looking into the eyes of every one of the horses I had to time talk to. And I did talk quietly to them and as stupid as it will sound to people who don’t understand, I know they understood me. Probably even if I hadn’t said a word they would have understood. But their plight was just as sad as having to walk for animals being tortured in laboratories. One of the horses in particular leaned her head into mine and on my shoulder and we just sat there like that for such a long time. At least her “owner” didn’t object and didn’t bother us. But sadly, they probably thought it was a good selling image.

    I have so many other stories and each one would be as long so I’ll try to wrap it up, but it’s very scary to realize that basically, overall in the modern world, horses are considered so beloved and cherished and yet even when they’re in the best of circumstances they can be when they’re ‘property’, they are most often not understood or respected. There’s a reason that in order to ride a horse they go through the term called “breaking”. And we as a whole still don’t even stop and tell ourselves, ok, this is wrong. Not to mention racing, showing, etc…

    The abuse of horses throughout history is shocking. The only reason I think it’s been maybe worse for the horses in cities is because they never even have the right to step on grass or be left alone for at least a few minutes. Although of course in under/undeveloped countries, the horses that do get to step on grass are never left alone unbothered and un-worked. 🙁

    This comment is already probably too long so I’ll send it now. I hope you and your family are well. And maybe have even been able to visit Esther and her family again? 😃 ..

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  • April 7, 2019 at 10:36 am
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    Hi Krissa,

    Good to hear from you. Your thoughtful comments are always welcome, long or not. Thank you for sharing your experiences with horses and I do absolutely know that the horses with whom you interacted did understand you. There is something about an energetic exchange that cannot be denied.

    Thankfully the carriage trade in Montreal is going to end on December 31st, 2019. I wish it were yesterday for the sake of the horses, and I am so proud of the activists who have worked so tirelessly over the years to make this a reality.

    We are all well. We took 2 of our grandchildren to visit Esther last summer. She was not feeling well at the time, so she was out only for a very short time. But we enjoyed all the other residents who were out and about.

    Take care,
    Anne

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