vegan in suburbia

hi, just saw your post about your daughter being obsessed with horses, and i was wondering why you think riding schools are unethical?

Hi there. I guess the simple answer is that I don’t believe that any animal is here for our use. They can’t give us their consent and it’s hard to tell whether it’s something they enjoy doing. I think it can get complicated - like, I’m not sure about rescue horses that may already have come from a life of riding - whether it’s something they then enjoy/require for wellbeing. 

I don’t know enough about horses, their training procedures or the gear required to get them to do what the rider wants to be able to give a cemented answer but for me, riding a horse my personal pleasure isn’t something I’m comfortable with and I definitely balk at the use of horses for racing or competitive purposes. 

Also, my daughter doesn’t need to ride a horse - she can enjoy it’s beauty without clambering onto it. Taking her to see horses at a riding school would be supporting a practise I don’t believe in. x