[Script Info]
Title: 
[Events]
Format: Layer, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: 0,0:00:00.08,0:00:04.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Of all of the controversial topics I've covered,\Nnothing has drawn the ire of the internet
Dialogue: 0,0:00:04.60,0:00:07.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,as much as questioning the ethics of horseback riding.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:07.25,0:00:10.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In the years since my first video on this\Ntopic, I've realized a few things.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:10.53,0:00:11.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,One:
Dialogue: 0,0:00:11.03,0:00:11.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,horse
Dialogue: 0,0:00:11.53,0:00:12.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,people
Dialogue: 0,0:00:12.10,0:00:12.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,are
Dialogue: 0,0:00:12.60,0:00:13.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,passionate.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:13.96,0:00:16.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And two: there’s a lot I failed to address.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:16.78,0:00:20.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In fact, I've been rethinking my approach\Nto this debate entirely.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:20.44,0:00:22.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So, is horse riding cruel?
Dialogue: 0,0:00:22.33,0:00:23.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It is vegan?
Dialogue: 0,0:00:23.35,0:00:26.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And is there any ethical way to ride a horse?
Dialogue: 0,0:00:26.16,0:00:27.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(cracks neck)
Dialogue: 0,0:00:28.53,0:00:29.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Let's do this
Dialogue: 0,0:00:36.00,0:00:39.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Hi, it's Emily from BiteSizeVegan.org, where\Nyou can find all the sources for this video,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:39.71,0:00:42.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and my entire Horse Riding Ethics series.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:42.31,0:00:47.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Before we discuss whether horse riding is\Ncruel, I want you to think about another question entirely:
Dialogue: 0,0:00:47.07,0:00:49.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Are horses meant to be ridden?
Dialogue: 0,0:00:49.24,0:00:53.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You see, the question of whether horse riding\Nis cruel tends to result in heated debate
Dialogue: 0,0:00:53.50,0:00:58.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,over which methods or schools of riding are\Nbest, with riders insisting that horse riding
Dialogue: 0,0:00:58.11,0:01:00.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is not harmful if done "correctly."
Dialogue: 0,0:01:00.76,0:01:05.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Any physical or emotional harm caused by riding\Nhorses is due to inexperienced riders, poor
Dialogue: 0,0:01:05.47,0:01:08.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,use of equipment, or any other number of factors.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:08.27,0:01:15.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But all of this debate over how to ride horses\N"properly" presupposes that there is an acceptable
Dialogue: 0,0:01:15.03,0:01:18.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,way to use another being for our own purposes.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:18.92,0:01:24.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Even the very question of whether horse riding\Nis cruel risks implying that the only problem
Dialogue: 0,0:01:24.51,0:01:27.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,with riding horses is whether they suffer.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:27.26,0:01:31.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The foundational ethical issue with horseback\Nriding isn't whether it hurts horses
Dialogue: 0,0:01:31.70,0:01:35.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,—it's the presumption that they are ours to use in the first place.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:35.35,0:01:38.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That horses are meant to be ridden.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:38.02,0:01:41.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We'll explore this further throughout this\Nvideo, but I wanted to plant this seed before
Dialogue: 0,0:01:41.70,0:01:46.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we get too lost in the weeds—and before\Nthe vast majority of YouTube viewers leave
Dialogue: 0,0:01:46.03,0:01:47.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the video entirely.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:47.50,0:01:49.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(And they're gone...)
Dialogue: 0,0:01:49.30,0:01:53.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Let's start by addressing head-on four common\Narguments in defense of riding horses.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:53.98,0:01:58.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The most basic argument in the defence of riding horses is that \Nhorses need exercise.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:58.32,0:02:03.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This also comes with the most basic refutation:\Nso do dogs, cats, and human children—yet
Dialogue: 0,0:02:03.08,0:02:06.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we've somehow found a way to provide such\Nnecessary physical activity
Dialogue: 0,0:02:06.60,0:02:09.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,without mounting any of them.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:09.63,0:02:12.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Yes, horses—like all animals—need exercise.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:12.75,0:02:18.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And if riding them is the only way they are\Nallowed to receive that exercise, then yes—it's
Dialogue: 0,0:02:18.63,0:02:23.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,more beneficial than being stuck in a stall\N24/7 But the choice of being ridden or receiving
Dialogue: 0,0:02:23.91,0:02:27.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,no exercise at all is a human-created false dichotomy.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:27.31,0:02:31.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The reason horses even need humans to provide them with exercise
Dialogue: 0,0:02:31.34,0:02:34.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is that we have confined them in the first place.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:34.94,0:02:39.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,A second argument is that riding provides\Nhorses with an enriched environment and stimulation.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:39.34,0:02:45.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,As with exercise, these are valid needs of\Nany living being—and fully achievable without
Dialogue: 0,0:02:45.39,0:02:47.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,being mounted by a human.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:47.32,0:02:53.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Again, if horses weren’t deprived of enrichment\Nand stimulation by humans in the first place,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:53.50,0:02:57.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they wouldn’t need to be given enrichment\Nand stimulation by humans.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:57.35,0:03:01.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, I know I've been a bit flippant in my\Nresponses to the first two arguments, but
Dialogue: 0,0:03:01.55,0:03:05.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I'm going to take some time on the final two\Nbecause they speak to profoundly important
Dialogue: 0,0:03:05.50,0:03:09.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,dynamics in how we conceptualize our relationships with horses.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:09.53,0:03:14.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The assertion that horses enjoy being ridden\Ncomes in many forms, but almost always starts
Dialogue: 0,0:03:14.46,0:03:19.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,with "but my horse loves..." and insert: being\Nridden, going to shows, wearing a bridle,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:19.94,0:03:22.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,having a bit, running the barrels, and what have you.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:22.50,0:03:26.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Horse riding advocates describe how excited\Ntheir horses are when they see it's time to
Dialogue: 0,0:03:26.08,0:03:31.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,go for a ride, listing behavioral signs of\Nenjoyment versus those indicating distress.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:31.16,0:03:34.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Rather than debate the meaning of equine body\Nlanguage, let's assume—for a moment—that
Dialogue: 0,0:03:34.53,0:03:37.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a horse does show excitement about being ridden.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:37.27,0:03:42.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This excitement has to be viewed within the\Ncontext of the limitations we've placed upon the horse
Dialogue: 0,0:03:42.73,0:03:44.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,What else do they have to look forward to?
Dialogue: 0,0:03:44.77,0:03:49.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,When your options are staying in a stall or\Ngetting to go outside—albeit while being
Dialogue: 0,0:03:49.55,0:03:51.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,ridden—which would you choose?
Dialogue: 0,0:03:51.98,0:03:56.100,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Adapting to the limits of confinement is a\Nsurvival mechanism in all animals—humans included
Dialogue: 0,0:03:56.100,0:04:01.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Think of how imprisoned people find ingenious\Nways to fulfill the need for social and communal
Dialogue: 0,0:04:01.74,0:04:04.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,interaction, intellectual stimulation, and physical activity.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:04.63,0:04:09.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They may very well come to enjoy any time\Nthey have outside their cell and excitedly
Dialogue: 0,0:04:09.10,0:04:14.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,anticipate things that, to non-imprisoned people, seem trivial \Nor even unappealing.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:14.08,0:04:18.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But within the limited framework of confinement,\Nthey adapt to stay sane.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:18.47,0:04:23.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This re-frames the issue entirely to the ethics\Nof domestication itself—something explored
Dialogue: 0,0:04:23.09,0:04:27.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,by former horse trainer, trader, and rider\NRen Hurst in my interview with her:
Dialogue: 0,0:04:27.28,0:04:32.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Most people have no idea that the animals\Nthey are spending time with are in an absolute
Dialogue: 0,0:04:32.57,0:04:37.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,state of learned helplessness, of conditioning,\Nthat doesn’t even allow you to experience their true nature.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:37.76,0:04:43.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,What you are experiencing is like this empty shell version...\Nof the animal in front of you
Dialogue: 0,0:04:43.25,0:04:48.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Even if we could accurately determine consent \Nfrom other species, true consent cannot be
Dialogue: 0,0:04:48.80,0:04:52.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,freely given under unequal \Npower dynamics and constraints.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:52.72,0:04:57.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This leads us to what I think may be the most\Npainful defense for riders to confront:
Dialogue: 0,0:04:57.43,0:05:01.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the love they feel for their horses, and the deep\Nemotional bond formed through riding.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:01.84,0:05:06.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,To those of you who ride horses: \NI do believe that you love them.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:06.03,0:05:10.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I do believe that you feel a deep emotional\Nconnection to them.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:10.27,0:05:17.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And I believe that the depth of that love\Nis precisely what makes it so profoundly painful
Dialogue: 0,0:05:17.23,0:05:20.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to question the true nature of your relationship with them.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:20.42,0:05:24.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I also understand the resistance to having\Nthat bond questioned by me—someone with
Dialogue: 0,0:05:24.79,0:05:26.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,no background in horse riding.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:26.54,0:05:28.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So, I’ll again defer to Ren Hurst,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:28.62,0:05:33.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You have to almost experience a truly free horse…\Notherwise, your perception of what
Dialogue: 0,0:05:33.90,0:05:37.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,horses are and how they behave is really skewed.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:37.52,0:05:42.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This is a being you have placed in your control\Nand in your care, and then you call that “love.”
Dialogue: 0,0:05:42.20,0:05:47.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I mean, there’s nothing “loving” about\Nusing someone for your own personal benefit.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:47.88,0:05:52.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That’s not a loving relationship, and it’s\Nnot an equal relationship.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:52.40,0:05:58.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Riding horses involves using non-human animals\Nfor entertainment, emotional fulfillment—even love.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:58.28,0:06:03.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But using someone for love is still using someone.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:03.19,0:06:06.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now that we've touched on some of the principal\Ndefenses for riding horses, let's explore
Dialogue: 0,0:06:06.85,0:06:08.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the main arguments against horse riding.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:08.93,0:06:13.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I'll be honest: the most common arguments\Nagainst horseback riding—which I myself
Dialogue: 0,0:06:13.66,0:06:18.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,focused upon in my original video and article\Non this topic—all center upon the physical
Dialogue: 0,0:06:18.48,0:06:20.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,harm riding inflicts upon horses.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:20.72,0:06:24.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Yes, it's important to address the physical\Nconsequences horses endure.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:24.21,0:06:29.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But focusing exclusively on their physical\Nsuffering as the reason to stop riding horses
Dialogue: 0,0:06:29.71,0:06:32.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,misses the greater ethical issues entirely.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:32.88,0:06:37.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Instead of questioning our use of horses in\Nthe first place, we end up nitpicking the
Dialogue: 0,0:06:37.46,0:06:42.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,appropriate terms of their exploitation: arguing\Nabout the best and worst methods of riding,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:42.72,0:06:44.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the proper and improper use of equipment, et cetera.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:44.98,0:06:51.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It is the very same trap of all animal welfarism,\Nlike humane, free-range, and cage-free labels.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:51.50,0:06:57.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Our right to use these beings is seen as a\Nforegone conclusion—the only thing we question
Dialogue: 0,0:06:57.00,0:07:00.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is the "acceptable" ways in which we can use them.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:00.37,0:07:04.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,With that caveat stated, let's look at the\Nphysical impact of horseback riding on horses
Dialogue: 0,0:07:04.89,0:07:07.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,before further exploring the vegan animal rights perspective.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:07.74,0:07:11.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The short answer is yes, horse riding does hurt horses.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:11.80,0:07:16.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, The exact nature and degree of the harm,\Nthe precise causality, and proposed methods
Dialogue: 0,0:07:16.93,0:07:21.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,by which such harm may be mitigated is a \Nlong-standing contentious debate
Dialogue: 0,0:07:21.13,0:07:23.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that shows no signs of resolution.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:23.37,0:07:27.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,A major problem with the scientific and medical\Nliterature is that it is conducted through
Dialogue: 0,0:07:27.72,0:07:32.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the lens of minimizing the harm of horse use\Nin order to prolong that use.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:32.98,0:07:37.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It is also framed within the unquestioned\Nconstraints we've placed upon horses.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:37.40,0:07:41.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Before we get into more detail, I want to\Nagain urge you to take a step back and think
Dialogue: 0,0:07:41.61,0:07:47.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,about another question entirely: if so much\Nhas to be done "correctly" to minimize the
Dialogue: 0,0:07:47.70,0:07:53.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,harm of riding horses, and no one can actually\Nagree on what that "correct" formula is, and
Dialogue: 0,0:07:53.90,0:07:57.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,riding horses is entirely \Nunnecessary in the first place—
Dialogue: 0,0:07:57.88,0:08:03.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,why are we still so insistent\Non doing this to them?
Dialogue: 0,0:08:03.30,0:08:06.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,For the horse racing industry, the answer is clear: money.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:06.93,0:08:10.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But for the individual rider—for the horse lover—
Dialogue: 0,0:08:10.22,0:08:14.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,stop to question why you feel you need to ride.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:14.01,0:08:18.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The majority of blog posts and informal articles\NI came across discussing whether riding hurts
Dialogue: 0,0:08:18.91,0:08:21.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,horses were written by riders.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:21.35,0:08:27.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,People who obviously have concern that their actions \Nare adversely impacting the beings they love.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:27.38,0:08:34.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Yet those posts went on to catalog—sometimes\Nin extensive detail—how, exactly, to make
Dialogue: 0,0:08:34.08,0:08:38.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the riding experience as enjoyable as possible for your horse.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:38.16,0:08:41.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,How to minimize injury and distress.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:41.33,0:08:46.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Some echo the journey of Ren Hurst, progressively\Nusing less and less horse tack and adopting
Dialogue: 0,0:08:46.32,0:08:53.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,more gentle methods, all in an effort to find\Na justifiable way to still use horses.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:53.15,0:08:56.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So, let's follow this path and start with\Nthe harm of horse tack.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:56.99,0:09:02.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If you’re not familiar, horse tack refers to the equipment and \Naccessories used on domesticated horses.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:02.81,0:09:05.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This includes things like saddles, bits, bridles, and whips.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:05.70,0:09:09.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's worth noting that most horse tack is\Nmade from the skin of other non-human animals,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:09.88,0:09:11.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,further compounding the exploitation.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:11.69,0:09:14.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I cover the leather industry in depth in another video.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:14.68,0:09:19.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In addition to general wear and chafing, saddles\Nrun the risk of causing vascular occlusion—meaning
Dialogue: 0,0:09:19.17,0:09:23.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the restriction of blood flow—which can,\Nif prolonged, lead to "necrosis of the under-lying
Dialogue: 0,0:09:23.73,0:09:26.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,tissues" —meaning the horse's skin and muscles die.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:26.90,0:09:31.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Riding bareback (without a saddle) isn't the\Nanswer, as it may actually increase the risk
Dialogue: 0,0:09:31.14,0:09:35.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of injury by putting more concentrated pressure\Non a horse's back than with a saddle.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:35.33,0:09:40.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So, To avoid severe consequences such as necrosis,\Nmuch industry and scientific research goes
Dialogue: 0,0:09:40.67,0:09:44.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,into designing and educating riders about\N"proper" saddle fit and use.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:44.97,0:09:49.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The option of just not riding horses at all\Nnever even enters the discussion.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:49.33,0:09:51.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Because we just have to get up on them.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:52.69,0:09:55.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I have a video covering bits,\Nso I’ll keep this brief.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:55.85,0:10:00.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Bits cause pain and damage to a horse’s\Ncomplex cranial nerves as well as their teeth,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:00.10,0:10:01.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,tongue, and palate.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:01.10,0:10:04.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Facial nerves are very close to the skin and\Nthus extremely sensitive.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:04.97,0:10:10.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Bits provide a perfect example of the incremental\Nnegotiation of acceptable exploitation that
Dialogue: 0,0:10:10.41,0:10:14.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,occurs when viewing a horses' pain as the only problem.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:14.42,0:10:19.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Rather than question the domination and control\Nof another being, more and more riders adopt
Dialogue: 0,0:10:19.06,0:10:21.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and advocate for bitless bridles.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:21.04,0:10:26.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Then, when research hints that perhaps even\Nbitless bridles cause pain, there's another
Dialogue: 0,0:10:26.10,0:10:29.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,school or device or approach ready to take its place.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:29.94,0:10:33.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Riding advocates emphasize that whips and\Ncrops should not be used as punishment
Dialogue: 0,0:10:33.94,0:10:35.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,—only as encouragement.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:35.16,0:10:39.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,As with all horse tack, there is unending\Ndebate over their "proper" use, with much
Dialogue: 0,0:10:39.66,0:10:43.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,focus given to the potential physical and\Nemotional harm of misuse.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:43.59,0:10:50.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Let's pause for a moment to consider that\Nwe're now debating the proper way to whip
Dialogue: 0,0:10:50.59,0:10:52.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a being we love.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:55.87,0:10:56.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Let's proceed.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:57.02,0:11:01.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The most widespread controversy about whips\Nis their use in the horse racing industry,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:01.40,0:11:03.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which I've covered in a dedicated video and article.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:03.33,0:11:07.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,While the way whips are used within horse\Nracing differs from how they're used in non-competitive
Dialogue: 0,0:11:07.79,0:11:12.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,riding, recent research into horse pain perception\Nfrom whips is applicable to the larger issues
Dialogue: 0,0:11:12.48,0:11:13.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we've been exploring.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:13.58,0:11:17.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There's a long-standing misconception that\Nhorses have "thicker skin" than humans, and
Dialogue: 0,0:11:17.72,0:11:19.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,thus, whips don't hurt them.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:19.30,0:11:23.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Not that we should need this to know better,\Nbut research has found that this is not the case,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:23.37,0:11:28.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,with a 2020 study finding "no significant\Ndifference between humans and horses in either
Dialogue: 0,0:11:28.41,0:11:33.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the concentration of nerve endings in the\Nouter pain-detecting layer of skin or in the
Dialogue: 0,0:11:33.04,0:11:37.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,thickness of this layer...although horse skin\Nis thicker overall than human skin, the part
Dialogue: 0,0:11:37.94,0:11:43.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of the skin that is thicker does not insulate\Nthem from pain...humans and horses have the
Dialogue: 0,0:11:43.30,0:11:47.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,equivalent basic anatomic structures to detect pain in the skin."
Dialogue: 0,0:11:47.80,0:11:52.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Six years before this study, one of the authors,\NPaul McGreevy decided to whip himself while
Dialogue: 0,0:11:52.90,0:11:56.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,taking thermographic imaging, saying: "My\Nview is that – because there is no evidence
Dialogue: 0,0:11:56.88,0:12:01.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to the contrary – we must assume that, just\Nas I felt pain and distress from the impact
Dialogue: 0,0:12:01.79,0:12:06.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of the padded whip, similar whipping in a\Nhorse would also cause pain and distress."
Dialogue: 0,0:12:06.34,0:12:11.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,While it's validating to now have the scientific\Nverification, I wanted to highlight McGreevy's point:
Dialogue: 0,0:12:11.68,0:12:17.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Why not assume that other sentient\Nbeings feel pain as we do, rather than continue
Dialogue: 0,0:12:17.83,0:12:22.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to harm them unless we've proven to ourselves that it is harm?
Dialogue: 0,0:12:22.56,0:12:26.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now that we've addressed horse tack, what about the act of riding itself?
Dialogue: 0,0:12:26.34,0:12:31.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,When researching the physical harm of riding\Nhorses, I found an astounding lack of consensus
Dialogue: 0,0:12:31.37,0:12:36.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and ongoing controversy regarding horse skeletal\Nmaturation and growth plate closure rates,
Dialogue: 0,0:12:36.34,0:12:40.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,diagnosis and treatment of injuries, and the relationship of \Nriding and training practices to injury rates.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:40.86,0:12:45.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Even a veterinary manual explaining "the most\Ncommon cause of back soreness in the horse"
Dialogue: 0,0:12:45.50,0:12:50.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is soft-tissue damage to the muscles and supraspinous\Nligament in a horse's back, which "are strained
Dialogue: 0,0:12:50.05,0:12:54.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,while the horse is being ridden" is sure to\Npoint out that "there is considerable controversy
Dialogue: 0,0:12:54.65,0:12:57.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,over the diagnosis and treatment of back problems in horses."
Dialogue: 0,0:12:57.74,0:13:02.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It’s acknowledged that "Across all equestrian\Ndisciplines, the single largest reason for
Dialogue: 0,0:13:02.24,0:13:08.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,wastage"—also euphemistically referred to\Nas "loss of horses"— "is musculoskeletal injury,"
Dialogue: 0,0:13:08.60,0:13:14.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Yet horse skeletal maturation rates and damage from riding \Nremain particularly contentious.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:14.18,0:13:19.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Many studies and sources declare horses "skeletally\Nmature" at 2–3 years of age based either
Dialogue: 0,0:13:19.10,0:13:22.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,on the growth plates closing in their legs,\Nor their having reached their full height and weight.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:22.88,0:13:27.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,None of these factors speak to the maturity\Nof their axial skeleton, which includes their
Dialogue: 0,0:13:27.03,0:13:31.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,vertebral column—y'know, the part you sit\Non—or even parts of the pubis that don't
Dialogue: 0,0:13:31.75,0:13:35.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,fuse until 4.5–5 years of age, long after\Nthey're already being ridden.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:35.90,0:13:41.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I spent days delving into horse skeletal development—I\Neven chased down findings about horse pubic
Dialogue: 0,0:13:41.55,0:13:48.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,epiphyseal fusion not occurring until up to\N5 years of age that were made in 1897.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:48.31,0:13:53.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Yet well over 100 years later, we're still\Nasking when horses are skeletally mature and
Dialogue: 0,0:13:53.05,0:13:55.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,basing it off the earliest fusing plates in their limbs.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:55.97,0:13:59.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I've included more detail on my research process\Nand findings on the article for this video
Dialogue: 0,0:13:59.92,0:14:01.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,if you want to dive deeper.
Dialogue: 0,0:14:01.30,0:14:06.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But honestly, those hundred or so hours I\Nspent digging only highlighted the utter insanity
Dialogue: 0,0:14:06.75,0:14:13.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of how much time, energy, and effort we humans\Nput into justifying our use of other animals.
Dialogue: 0,0:14:13.64,0:14:19.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In the end, the industry, scientific, medical,\Nand even lay-rider literature doesn't really
Dialogue: 0,0:14:19.28,0:14:24.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,refute the harm of riding—it just strives\Nto determine the best way to reduce that harm
Dialogue: 0,0:14:24.84,0:14:27.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and prolong the use of horses.
Dialogue: 0,0:14:27.33,0:14:31.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The warring approaches to riding, endless\Nstudies on training practices, and progressive
Dialogue: 0,0:14:31.58,0:14:37.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,bargaining of using less and less tack are\Nall manifestations of the same incremental
Dialogue: 0,0:14:37.37,0:14:42.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,negotiation of exploitation we perform with all non-human animals.
Dialogue: 0,0:14:42.34,0:14:46.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Battery cages are too cruel for layer hens,\Nso we give them slightly larger cages.
Dialogue: 0,0:14:46.47,0:14:47.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Still problematic?
Dialogue: 0,0:14:47.47,0:14:48.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,How about a crowded shed?
Dialogue: 0,0:14:48.47,0:14:49.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Still too grim?
Dialogue: 0,0:14:49.47,0:14:50.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Let's raise backyard chickens.
Dialogue: 0,0:14:50.59,0:14:58.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We barter and bargain and give ourselves happy-sounding\Nlabels, doing anything we can to keep using animals
Dialogue: 0,0:14:58.76,0:15:00.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,—but feel good about it.
Dialogue: 0,0:15:00.17,0:15:04.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Within the horse world, a poignant example\Nof this mentality is the United States horse
Dialogue: 0,0:15:04.46,0:15:10.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,racing industry patting itself on the back for a 23.5% \Ndecrease in fatalities over a
Dialogue: 0,0:15:10.16,0:15:13.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,decade of voluntary data collection by The Jockey Club.
Dialogue: 0,0:15:13.77,0:15:15.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now there are going to be fatalities.
Dialogue: 0,0:15:15.43,0:15:20.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But, as The Jockey Club's senior counsel said,\Nthe fact that slightly fewer horses died of
Dialogue: 0,0:15:20.85,0:15:25.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,fatal injuries while racing "indicates that\Nthe Thoroughbred industry's commitment to
Dialogue: 0,0:15:25.66,0:15:28.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,equine safety is paying dividends."
Dialogue: 0,0:15:28.93,0:15:34.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Not only do we fail to question what we're\Ndoing to these beings, but we actually congratulate
Dialogue: 0,0:15:34.05,0:15:38.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,ourselves for being the heroes in the disasters of our own creation.
Dialogue: 0,0:15:38.50,0:15:44.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We swoop in to make their abbreviated lives\Nslightly less miserable—lives that we've
Dialogue: 0,0:15:44.86,0:15:49.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,made abbreviated and miserable in the first place.
Dialogue: 0,0:15:49.68,0:15:54.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,By this point, you can probably guess the\Nanswer to whether horse riding is vegan.
Dialogue: 0,0:15:54.22,0:15:58.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The question "is horse riding vegan" is quite\Ndifferent from the question "is horse riding cruel"
Dialogue: 0,0:15:58.74,0:16:02.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Veganism and animal rights oppose any \Nexploitation of sentient beings
Dialogue: 0,0:16:02.63,0:16:05.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's evident that horses do not need to be ridden.
Dialogue: 0,0:16:05.13,0:16:10.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,When a horse's basic needs are met without\Nbeing ridden, horseback riding solely benefits the rider
Dialogue: 0,0:16:10.63,0:16:15.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Whether that benefit is financial gain, entertainment,\Nemotional fulfillment, or even a presumed
Dialogue: 0,0:16:15.48,0:16:18.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,expression of love—it is exploitation.
Dialogue: 0,0:16:18.29,0:16:25.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There is no way to take advantage of someone's\Ncaptive dependency without exploiting them.
Dialogue: 0,0:16:25.55,0:16:29.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Underlying all of the debates over the "proper"\Nway to train and ride horses is not only the
Dialogue: 0,0:16:29.80,0:16:36.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,tacit acknowledgment that some degree of harm\Nis acceptable but also the deeply entrenched
Dialogue: 0,0:16:36.24,0:16:41.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and unquestioned presumption that horses are ours to use.
Dialogue: 0,0:16:41.96,0:16:47.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Confronting the exploitation of horse use is—I'm sure—profoundly painful.
Dialogue: 0,0:16:47.38,0:16:52.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's likely as traumatic as confronting what\Nwe do to animals in the food industry—and
Dialogue: 0,0:16:52.15,0:16:59.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,elicits just as strong defenses and justifications,\Neven from vegans who continue to ride.
Dialogue: 0,0:16:59.59,0:17:05.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Again, I will encourage those of you who ride\Nhorses to ask yourself: why?
Dialogue: 0,0:17:05.97,0:17:09.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Why do you insist on doing this to them?
Dialogue: 0,0:17:09.16,0:17:15.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,As much as I'm sure you love them, is this\Nhow you express love for any other being in your life?
Dialogue: 0,0:17:16.19,0:17:22.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This isn’t about shame—it’s about learning\Nto love horses truly unconditionally, and
Dialogue: 0,0:17:22.21,0:17:29.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,allowing them to be their full selves outside\Nof the constraints of who we need them to be.
Dialogue: 0,0:17:30.23,0:17:35.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I'll be honest—revisiting the ethics of\Nhorse riding has been an exhausting, challenging,
Dialogue: 0,0:17:35.71,0:17:38.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and somewhat maddening experience.
Dialogue: 0,0:17:38.40,0:17:42.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,My hope is that this video will reach \Nthose of you who are still riding—and
Dialogue: 0,0:17:42.44,0:17:48.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that you'll find a way to work through your defenses and take an \Nhonest look at your relationship with horses.
Dialogue: 0,0:17:48.29,0:17:52.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I highly recommend watching my interview with\NRen Hurst—hearing from someone who has been
Dialogue: 0,0:17:52.20,0:17:55.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,where you are is no doubt more \Npowerful than anything I can say.
Dialogue: 0,0:17:55.74,0:17:57.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Please share this video with others who ride.
Dialogue: 0,0:17:57.59,0:18:02.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And, as much as I joked about "passionate feedback," \NI do want to hear from you in the comments.
Dialogue: 0,0:18:02.43,0:18:04.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,What are your thoughts on the ethics of horse riding?
Dialogue: 0,0:18:04.47,0:18:08.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,To stay in the loop about new Bite Size Vegan\Ncontent and updates, subscribe to the newsletter
Dialogue: 0,0:18:08.81,0:18:12.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or follow the Telegram channel for the most\Nreliable notifications.
Dialogue: 0,0:18:12.04,0:18:14.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Just click Subscribe at BiteSizeVegan.org.
Dialogue: 0,0:18:14.06,0:18:16.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now go live vegan, and I'll see you soon.