The Blog Where I Respond to a Comment About Horse Tripping

Thanks to this blog, I get some interesting comments and emails. The most recent email that really got me thinking was prompted by my rant about the so-called "sport" of horse tripping. It's an event held at some Mexican-style rodeos. Though horse tripping is against the law here in California, it's still legal-- though not enthusiastically supported-- in some other states. In Arizona the noose may soon tighten around those who continue to indulge in horse tripping. To refresh your memory, here's a quick link to the Horse Channel article:

The Article About Banning Horse Tripping in Arizona

And then here's my blog about that article:

Yes, I go Off on a Rant

Pretty much all of the comments and emails I received agreed with me that horse tripping was neither a humane activity nor a particularly admirable one. However, one person broke from the herd and wrote: "I've actually heard that the horses seem to enjoy it, as it is a challenge to them."

Now, I'm not one to quash the opinions of individuals. A difference of opinions is what makes the horse world forever interesting. But since this is, after all, MY blog, I have three points to make in response to this person's comments:

1. Just who is telling this person that the horses being "tripped" (as in having their legs roped while they're on a dead run so that they're literally flipped to the ground) are enjoying it? Hmmmm.... Let me guess. Could it be someone who regularly does the tripping? I mean, what better way to justify your guilty pleasure than by asserting that the poor animals are actually having a blast?

2. Next, how does one measure that the horses are "enjoying" being tripped? I can tell when my horse enjoys having its back scratched or when it enjoys being fed a bucket of carrots. But I'm not sure how one tells that a horse enjoys being flung to the ground.

3. Finally, this person says he's heard that the horses subjected to the tripping enjoy it because it's a "challenge to them." Would that be in the same way that a horse perceives evading a wolf or other predator as a challenge? Because struggling to outwit a predator and survive is indeed a challenge, but that does not automatically imply that it's enjoyable.

I guess you can tell I'm anti-horse tripping.

See? I told you I read all of your emails and comments! You can share your thoughts by clicking on "comments" below or emailing me at: hc-editor@bowtieinc.com