RIDERS: Do you think horse riding is vegan?

Of course it's not vegan! Even most synthetic saddles have leather in them, and yes, we're using an animal.

Asking this question here is like going into a mosque and asking them if Islam is Christian, then quoting bible at them. Of course not, and so what?

We aren't interested in being vegan. Hello! Personally, I really enjoy sucking the vital gore from mortal wounds of foods with a face. They're delicious.

I'm happy for you, that you've found your passion. Now please keep it to yourself and your like-minded folks. We have our passion here, too. It's called the art of horsemanship, and it involves asking a horse to do our bidding, sometimes to chase or rope a cow, whose hide is used in most of our tack and whose flesh nourishes us for a long day of riding. We're not interested in being vegan. Deal with it.

Go start fights in some other section, please.

I haven't read the article and, though vegan for a long time, have never heard this issue mentioned before. While I can't speak for all vegans, I can tell you what I think. You are certainly right that the ways in which these animals have been bred and trained is not "vegan" in that is the systematic exploitation of animals for human gain. I imagine most vegans see riding a horse as an unspoken endorsement of that process. Also, most of the time when people are riding horses, they either purchased them or are paying someone who did purchase the animals. This is no longer turning a blind eye to the industry, but actively paying for it. I don't think most vegans have your hypothetical of rescuing a horse from an animal sacntuary in mind when thinking of riding, as it is a very small percentage of the people riding horses. In the unlikely case that a vegan happens to now own a formerly abused horse and would like to give it exercise, they might ride it, or they might find other ways of exercising, still seeing riding the animal as using it, even if the animal has been bred not to feel that way. This is such an isolated case that it's hard to say what vegans would do. It should be mentioned that the most widely accepted idea of veganism includes not only not consuming animal products, but also the notion of not using, exploiting, or imprisoning animals for our tastes or gain. With that, I think that most vegans would have a problem participating in any sort of horse industry, but that is only my opinion.

While I guess I can't really explain WHY i believe this, I am a vegan and I do ride horses and don't have a problem with it. I think a lot of it depends on what you're doing with your horse. Is a horse that's locked up in a stall 24/7 and forced to do everything being treated well? No, and that I wouldn't consider vegan. However, when a horse is being treated well, allowed to spend time out in the field and eats well, and also spends time with a person that, generally, they get along with quite well, and yes, fine, are ridden 1 hour out of 24, I would consider that vegan. some horses don't enjoy what they do. But my horse at least LOVES what he does. I go to the pasture and he comes running up to me, nickering with his ears pricked. I tack him up and he wants to GO. He loves jumping, honestly. So my answer to the question is that it depends, but generally I would say yes.

Hmm, you are trying to humanise an animal. You cannot ask me what I would like as my instincts are different. Horses are herd animals (walking food actually) and so it is in their nature to want to bond and work as a team. Fighting dogs are forced to fight...but 2 wild dogs will go at it with no encouragement...it is their nature. We do not force the horse to do anything, we take advantage of their natural behavior.

If you have ever ridden....you would know that if a horse does not want to do something...it doesn't do it. I suggest learning how to actually read animal behavior before sprouting (get it?!) any more rubbish. Being vegan may make you feel all warm and fluffy inside but it against the way of nature. My horse is very happy that I am a carniverous animal that doesn't eat him and doesn't let anyone else eat him. That is all prey animals care about. Eating, shagging, surviving.

And thank goodness we are not Vegan. It seems you wouldn't be happy until we set every horse free to starve and die on the plains.

LONG LIVE THE CARNIVORE!

I think someone got bucked off when they were little.

I'm pretty sure horses love being ridden, most do anyway, my mare loves it! Indeed, a great deal of horses will walk up to you when you have a bridle or saddle in your hand, because they know they get to go for a ride, I bet your response to this would be something along the lines of - they don't know what your going to do to them. Well indeed, they do. Horses aren't stupid.

If a horse didn't want to carry people around, I somehow doubt that it would take a great deal to get said person off. It's called a buck. Also, neither of my horses are ever locked up, they can walk in and out of the shelter as they please, I'm willing to bet that if I said, I leave my horses in the paddock with no rug during the freezing cold of winter, you would have something to say about that too, which is it? Do you want them nice and warm in a stall? Or freezing in a paddock? I have a mixture of the two, which part of my system is flawed? should I not have a shelter at all? Or should I not rug them?

Yes, horses are used, I would like to point out, that they are used for meat. Just because a small percentage of the world doesn't eat meat, doesn't mean that everyone refrains from it. Some people eat horses meat, without us horse riders, our horses wouldn't have any use, do you think anyone would be interested in having a 700kg animal that is insanely expensive sitting in a paddock for no reason? NO. We keep horses because we get pleasure from them, and we enjoy having them around, but I would also be willing to bet that a lot of people who own horses now would give up their horses if they could no longer be ridden due to the financial cost of keeping horses. And do you know what would happen to all those horses? They would be slaughtered for meat. Believe it or not, we save a lot of animals from this fate and give them another chance, many horses who go to slaughter are young fit and healthy.

So to you, which is a lesser evil? A horse being ridden, or a horses spine being hacked at while it is still concious and then going through a mincing machine, look up horse slaughter on youtube, you will get a pretty good look at what we save them from.

Jackass.

Hi

this sounds like a person who simply does not like horses, but has been forced to ride at some stage.

Having grown up with these herbivores and enjoyed there company for many years,

yes i understand if you have an opinion in the opposite direction and point of view but if man had not ridden a horse may be a camel, then or are you going to take on over that as well. what about donkey's and mules, cows and pigs and even an ostrich.

All the beasts of burden then and man would still be back in the dark ages..

you could argue he invented the motor car to set the horse free. no he invented the motor car because he found the old horse, had to be fed and watered and a mechanical machine does not,so is the motor car a Vegan no because it had leather seats and horse hair stuffing in the seats.

not to mention other animal products in the modern motor car...man has to progress or go back to living caves and eating berries so when are you going back to the cave...

I think you better come out to my house! My horse tries to put her bridle on. I know she's a little fat, from me spending all my money on her, making sure she has all her vaccinations and worming every month. Vet bills, the best of Hay, and Grain. I don't have to go out and get her. She screams for me! Sometimes I actually have to sneak out of the house, so she doesn't see me! I tell her on hot days, we can't ride until evening when it's cooler, plus, I had two of my horses trained with no BRIDLES! That is called pure partnership between Horse and owner and most people on here, love their Horses way more than you could ever dream! By the way... Can you ride???? If not, stay off us for a while. You are cruel! 90 percent of the time, the saddle stays Home. I like bareback and does my horse. Most the time, it is her, that wants to go on a trail ride, instead of staying in a paddock or box stall all day. Horses love an excursion, and also to get away. Just like you do. Or would you rather be locked up all day!

So, to answer your question. Get off our back and quit being so cruel, and learn to ride!

Plus... Your a little to heavy.

You are clearly not a horse person. So f*** off. If horses didn't want to be ridden they wouldnt be, theres nothing a 200 pound man could do to stop a 1000+ pound horse from doing whatever it wanted. Horses are intelligent and willing to do what we tell them to, if they didn't want to, they wouldn't. And don't tell me that the bond between a horse and rider is the same as a dog and a dog fighter, dog fighters dont give a sh!t about thier dogs, horse people devote thier entire lives to thier horses. Try actually getting information about things before saying thier wrong.

ADD: lmfao, I just read some other comments XD your so wrong its not even funny, and by the way, I love meat, the whole reason we have cows is to eat them, not beacause they can do our homework

yes your arguments are very true. But I've never been much for catergorizing anything.

It depends on the horse as well as the rider. When the rider and the horse are working TOGETHER like riding should be then no. Sure you're still technically using them for your pleasure and as property. But they are using you for friendship and stimulation. I know horses that come running to their owners and I know riders who listen to their horses and play games that the horse clearly enjoys. Unforchunatly these relationships are rare and precious.

I also know relationships where the rider forces the horse to do as it's told and mistreats it. I've seen horses clearling communicating that they are unhappy with work and with their life in captivity.

Then there's that "average" partnership where the horse works and somewhat enjoys work because they love their owner/trainer and they may not completely enjoy riding but they enjoy being handled and enjoy other aspects of the relationship. Saying this is cruel is like saying us working or going to school. A lot of the work we don't enjoy but we do it and in the end the rewards are worth it.

Why are you so zoned in on this whole "definition of vegan" to me what's important is that it falls under your personal beliefs. If you think we shouldn't domesticate animals or use them then well, I'm sorry but the modern world is far past that. The important thing now it to work WITH the animals we domesticate instead of making them work for us.

Personally I just try to give as much (or more) as I take from each animal. I have a cat and ride a lot but when i train them or ride them. I listen and stop anything that upsets them. I give them pleasure by spending time with them, grooming them, feeding them. It's too late to allow these animals to be free so we might as well give them great lives in captivity.

Permanahand: haha thanks for the laugh :D

I love the way you talk. You try to sound all intelligent. You fail.

Anyways I have a story to tell you. (A true one) There is an old horse at my barn, his name is patches and he is the beginner lesson horse. he is 26 years old. He has a problem in his hocks so he cant move very well. A few years ago they decided to retire him, he had worked hard his whole life and deserved a break right? So they put him out to pasture. He was given to a place that allowed him free roam of a 3 acre pasture, and two buddies. The idealistic life for a horse right? Like they live in the wild. He became so violent and so UNHAPPY that he was very dangerous and could no longer stay there and the person asked my barn to take him back. The once happy horse was frustrated and violent, he kicked and snapped and charged people. So we put him back to work. A week later he was back to his old self. Happy. Joyously walk/trotting around the ring with little children aboard. He relaxed and became far happier when he was in work.

OBVIOUSLY he loved to work and hated being retired. So is it in any way abuse to make an animal HAPPY?

And how you can even compare the bond between a horse and its owner to a dogfight master and his canines is unbelievable. Do you see those dogs call out in joy and run to the gate at the sight of their owner? Or nicker and nuzzle their shoulders? or stand over them protective when they are hurt or sad? NO you see them cowering in a corner.

Horseback riding is NOT abuse. The horses DO like it. The horses ARE happy. And they wouldn't even EXIST if there wasn't people desiring to dedicate their lives to them.

Im not saying there is no abuse in the horse industry. there most definitely is. But riding as a whole and happy healthy horse being ridden is in NO WAY abuse.

If you are a pathetic troll hoping to get a rise out of people, congratulations, you did.

If you are a pathetic excuse for an animal rights activist, take a look at reality and go try and end real abuse. check into horse slaughter. That IS abuse, and it could be stopped if people tried. But you wouldn't care about that, all you want is to make a lot of noise about something you dont understand.

ok first of all not everyone may want to or choose to be vegan so i dont see how that has anything to do with riding...but it depends on the horse. many horses LOVE to be ridden and some prefer to stay in the field and graze all day. most horses do enjoy being ridden and if they dont it is most likely that something is bothering them. first of all, horses need to be exercised. they enjoy running and cantering and many enjoy jumping and get so excited when they see a jump that they bolt towards it. when horses are not exercised regularly, their muscles basically dissolve and they are unhealthy, unhappy, and unfit. riding enables horses to stay in good shape and be happy and healthy. horses DO bond with their riders as well as their riders bonding with them and to say they dont is being ignorant and if you have never ridden a horse for a long period of time then you have no business declaring something that isnt true and you dont know anything about. many horses get mad if you dont ride them everyday and they rear up at you if they feel you havent seen them in a while. did you know that if you blow into a horses nose they will remember your scent forever and most likely miss you and get mad at you if you dont see them often? well thats a known fact. also in the wild horses are in more danger then they are when being ridden and kept in a barn. in the wild horses fight non-stop over territory, other horses etc...horses are actually safer when kept in a stall and ridden. horses like their stalls and it provides a sense of security for them which they MUST HAVE and need. all good barns have turnout at least 2 times a day where horses get to run around in a field with their friends and eat grass. so before you go off badmouthing riding, get the facts.