Sunday Soapbox: Horses don't need jobs

If your social media feed is anything like mine, the last several weeks have been filled with posts about the proposed ban on New York City carriage horses.

I've never gone for a carriage ride in Central Park. I've never even visited New York City. I have, however, paid for similar rides in Bruges,

Amsterdam,

Hohenschwangau...

and New Orleans.

Additionally, I am acquainted with the owner of a local carriage company, whose horses work in downtown Denver.

Her horses used to be boarded at the same stable as mine. I saw them every day for years. They lived together in a field, worked a reasonable number of hours and were extremely well cared for. 

Honestly, they had a better life than most of the privately owned competition horses I know.

All this is to say, I don't have an inherent problem with the carriage horse industry. Assuming reasonable and enforced guidelines and kind owners and handlers, this is absolutely a job horses can do ethically. 

As for the Central Park carriage horses, I'm not familiar enough with their circumstances to speak with authority. However, it does seem like there are significant welfare issues, particularly in regards to housing. 

I've read a lot of the arguments, both for and against, and there's one that really bothers me: the oft-repeated claim that horses need jobs.

According to this argument, the carriage industry is the only thing standing between these horses and the slaughter pipeline.

So many people - most of whom claim to be horse lovers - hold this position. 

Because if horses can't work, why would anyone keep them?

Well. I have thoughts about that.

Having horses is a choice, ours not theirs.

We choose horses with specific jobs in mind. We want them to run in races, jump over jumps, win ribbons in the show ring, carry us safely down the trail and yes, pull carriages through cities. 

At least in theory, these jobs can be done kindly and ethically.

But what happens when horses are no longer fit for work?

We don't like to admit it, but all horses - even the big sturdy ones - are fragile. Just one bad step can turn a working horse into a pasture ornament. It behooves us to plan for this eventuality.

If an equine business is truly ethical, retirement care should be a given. When Ernie was diagnosed with cancer, JoAnna threw a party to celebrate the end of his long and happy career. After that, she continued to love and care for him until he was no longer comfortable. He deserved nothing less.

If you think only useful horses deserve life, I guess slaughter is an option. In that case, all the carriage horses are on borrowed time. It's less a matter of if than when, and saving the industry will not save the horses. It just gives them a little more time.

Friends, our horses deserve better than that.

Having horses is a choice, ours not theirs.

If we really love them, we need to plan for all eventualities. We need to make better choices.

Buddy

October is usually my favorite month, but not this year. 

Instead, this has been a long, hard month that ended with a full week of animal trauma. Two of the affected animals should be fine - Sage already is - but my father-in-law's sweet parrot, Buddy, succumbed to the infirmities of old age yesterday afternoon. Purchased by Seth's mom in the late 1980's, Buddy has been a been a Buxton for nearly forty years. Although not particularly fond of me - or anyone other than Tom and Chloe - Buddy was an important part of our family. We're all going to miss her.

Dog and Pony odds and ends

I know it wasn't obvious from my reporting, but Karin Hullatti's Dog and Pony Show actually have conventional divisions, including Original Finish Mini Halter, Custom Mini Halter and Resin Mini Halter.

I don't collect minis, and I don't really show halter anymore. 

So basically, that side of the show hall was dead to me. Sorry.

I did participate, briefly, in the Dog Division.

This was held concurrently with the Performance and Fun divisions and after just one class, I realized I could not keep up. From what I could tell, it seemed well supported and very competitive.

After the Dog Division wrapped up, that table moved on to Medallions. 

Olive medallion not owned by me

Since Performance and Fun were also done, I was able to participate with the handful of painted medallions I'd brought. These included four chestnut Olives, one green Olive and Goodnight Moon. To my great delight, Jenn's Olive, Kristen's Olive and Goodnight Moon all won their classes. Here they are on the callbacks table.

The rest of the callbacks.

Goodnight Moon won the Reserve Championship! Hurray!

This concludes - I think - coverage of the Dog and Pony Show. Thank you, Karin Hullatti, for hosting and judging. I had a great time!

Performancing

Later this week, Alexey and Tori will celebrate their tenth anniversary.

That's ten years of marriage, ten years of living in the United States and, also, ten years of model horse shows.

There have been so many model horse shows.

And yet, Alexey almost never shows. He's usually there to help, support and socialize.

In fact, I can only remember one time - Candyland 2024 - that he actually put his own horses on the table.

So I was really surprised when Alexey told me he was going to set-up some entries for the Ridiculous Performance division at Karin Hullatti's Dog and Pony Show. To be honest, I didn't really believe him. But then, on Saturday, when I was doing everything but prepare for the show, Alexey started sending me videos.

He was really going for it!

On Sunday, Alexey arrived at the show hall with a whole bunch of really good performance and fun class entries.

I lent him a little bit of tack,

one Halloween costume...

and one doll, but the ideas for the entries and the execution was all Alexey.

Here's his entry for Where's Timmy?

He's in the chicken coop, and those hens want him out.

And who is Timmy?

This little Miniverse Chihuahua, of course!

Alexey's Donkey Hotee entry was Overall Reserve Champion of the Ridiculous Performance Division...

and his Is it Cake? set-up was the Overall Champion of the Fun Division.

He made all these cakes himself.

Amazing!

It was so fun watching Alexey throw down in the performance ring...

With a little help from Tori, of course!