“You catch more flies with honey than vinegar,” “People want to know how much you care before they’ll care how much you know.” The fly one needs improvement but I’m sure you get the idea. I think you are on the right track and there must be a balance struck with the need of the moment and certainly with tact. Understanding the audience comes into play too. I’m not as good with any of that as I’d like to be. I admire your questioning and attempt to view something from all angles.
One question that is always active subliminally for me is, “Is this causing the horse pain?”
An element tied into understanding what is abusive and what is not is knowledge of what a horse is as an animal and an individual, even their functional anatomy. This information can shed light on some things that horse may experience which could fall under the umbrella of abuse. Perception of harm…is a challenging factor in dealing with other people and abuse cases. (Could tell a story about that and an emaciated horse….)
Betty, you hit the nail on the head. A person’s perception of harm is where a conversation can begin. On the Facebook post where I saw the meme on the Tamarack Hill Farm page, the original poster wrote at the end: I guess the first question is the horseman’s question—“Does this activity hurt or scare the horse?” If not, one’s as valid as another, just a difference in taste.
One of the comments was:
Does it hurt or scare the horse? Who decides?
I replied: Exactly. Would the horse say it hurts if you pull on the halter?
Another person replied to me: Well, not thinking in extremes. going on the premise that humanely “using” “keeping” domesticated horses is OK. If one disagrees then, with respect, we won’t likely see things at all the same way!
xxx
I love the feeling of this person’s “respectful” disagreement. It shows me that she likely believes that not all human-inflicted pain is harmful in the bigger picture of domestic horsekeeping.
Here is another point of view written on my Facebook page.
“I don’t agree with the my truth and your truth being equally valid idea. If my truth is that the earth is flat and yours is that it is spherical, my truth is not in accordance with relative reality and yours is. If my truth is that my horse likes to be stabled 24 / 7 and schooled in draw reins and your truth is that your horse likes to be outside with his friends and ridden, if at all, with sensitivity, my truth is not in accordance with relative reality and yours is. And it would be correct to say that my treatment of my horse is abusive, because it is. I am not doing it because I think it’s best for the horse, but because I think it’s best for me – it’s more convenient and I get to win prizes; I am not interested in what the horse thinks because the horse is there for my use: I paid a lot for it, I pay a lot to keep it, and I intend to get my money’s worth; and if that means strap its mouth shut, tie its head down and give it a damn good hiding, then that’s OK with me. Naming abuse is an important step in identifying it and stopping it. The same applies to bullying: name it for what it is. Moral relativism is a tricky thing that can be used – and is used – to justify all sorts of horrors.”
“You catch more flies with honey than vinegar,” “People want to know how much you care before they’ll care how much you know.” The fly one needs improvement but I’m sure you get the idea. I think you are on the right track and there must be a balance struck with the need of the moment and certainly with tact. Understanding the audience comes into play too. I’m not as good with any of that as I’d like to be. I admire your questioning and attempt to view something from all angles.
One question that is always active subliminally for me is, “Is this causing the horse pain?”
An element tied into understanding what is abusive and what is not is knowledge of what a horse is as an animal and an individual, even their functional anatomy. This information can shed light on some things that horse may experience which could fall under the umbrella of abuse. Perception of harm…is a challenging factor in dealing with other people and abuse cases. (Could tell a story about that and an emaciated horse….)
Betty, you hit the nail on the head. A person’s perception of harm is where a conversation can begin. On the Facebook post where I saw the meme on the Tamarack Hill Farm page, the original poster wrote at the end: I guess the first question is the horseman’s question—“Does this activity hurt or scare the horse?” If not, one’s as valid as another, just a difference in taste.
One of the comments was:
Does it hurt or scare the horse? Who decides?
I replied: Exactly. Would the horse say it hurts if you pull on the halter?
Another person replied to me: Well, not thinking in extremes. going on the premise that humanely “using” “keeping” domesticated horses is OK. If one disagrees then, with respect, we won’t likely see things at all the same way!
xxx
I love the feeling of this person’s “respectful” disagreement. It shows me that she likely believes that not all human-inflicted pain is harmful in the bigger picture of domestic horsekeeping.
Here is another point of view written on my Facebook page.
“I don’t agree with the my truth and your truth being equally valid idea. If my truth is that the earth is flat and yours is that it is spherical, my truth is not in accordance with relative reality and yours is. If my truth is that my horse likes to be stabled 24 / 7 and schooled in draw reins and your truth is that your horse likes to be outside with his friends and ridden, if at all, with sensitivity, my truth is not in accordance with relative reality and yours is. And it would be correct to say that my treatment of my horse is abusive, because it is. I am not doing it because I think it’s best for the horse, but because I think it’s best for me – it’s more convenient and I get to win prizes; I am not interested in what the horse thinks because the horse is there for my use: I paid a lot for it, I pay a lot to keep it, and I intend to get my money’s worth; and if that means strap its mouth shut, tie its head down and give it a damn good hiding, then that’s OK with me. Naming abuse is an important step in identifying it and stopping it. The same applies to bullying: name it for what it is. Moral relativism is a tricky thing that can be used – and is used – to justify all sorts of horrors.”