… isn’t limited to just cats and dogs. This little video is just precious in so many ways…http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o89KxDmZX1c
If you have seen it before, please excuse me?
If you’ve never seen it, then please (I hope) join me in loving it.
What a precious couple of babies!
Thanks
Q
To a casual observer, it is very cute, but to someone that knows horses, it is an accident waiting to happen. No matter how well trained a horse is, they are creatures of flight, and if anything had happened to spook that little pony, we may have been reading about that little girl’s death instead. At least the parents had the common sense to have a helmet on her when mounted, but the clip when she was standing in front of the pony encouraging it to rear up… cringe inducing. One hoof striking out at the wrong moment, and there is a very dead child on the ground… or in a vegetative state the rest of her life.
Horses are WONDERFUL animals… my very favorite, but even to an adult, they can be dangerous. To a child who doesn’t know how much respect they need, even moreso.
I recently went to see the royal Lippizan stallions perform, and these horses are trained to the highest degree and perform most every night. Even so, there were a couple horses in the performance that misbehaved, shying and bucking occasonally. If these horses screw up, what makess the owners think their little white pony can’t/won’t??
I am all for kids and horses together… but a child THAT young should never be on a loose horse- no halter, bridle, saddle- alone.
Sorry to be such a Debbie Downer, but horses are my passion, and if somethign freakish DID happen to that child becuse ofv her parents’ desire to show off, guess what would most likely happen to that pony? It would be euthed, shot, or sent to auction. Just not someething I encourage!
I haven’t been around horses for over 40 years, and the sight of the pony rearing gave me the same shiver that PapSett mentioned. It looked like a tragedy waiting to happen.
I have no clue whatever about the skills and experience that the child’s parents might have with horses, but based on just this video, my first guess would be that it’s not a lot. This kid may grow up to be the next Annie Oakley. Or she may never see 5.
For some reason I thought this was going to be about the love of those people that were 4 feet tall.
Not sure why. Sorry.
I thought this was going to be about venison.
Will there be pie and cookies as a consolation prize?
I thought this was going to be about bestiality.
HAHAHAHAHA!:D:D:D
Laughter really is the best medicine! 
I take all kinds of pills for depression, but nothing works as well as a dry comment such as y’all’s, AClockworkMelon, FoieGrasIsEvil, and glowacks! No emoticon, just one sentence. Awesome!
Like the nicknames too!
I think this cutie is being trained for the circus, myself.
I looked at it again, and I think that segment where she’s at the pony’s leg, turns around and points is just precious.
It’s like she’s saying, “He ain’t doin’ it right! NOW what?”
Her being that tiny and making such an adult gesture was really comical to watch.
But seriously, PapSett and RalfCoder, I do get your points: She very well could have been hurt. I also have to admit I don’t know ponies that well, but one took out from under me while riding through my American hometown of Villa Rica as we were crossing a railroad track.
I fell off, hit my head on a rail and spent the night in the hospital being observed. They wouldn’t let me sleep.
I learned to respect horses after that, and I loved riding them at the Flying S Ranch in VR, and used to ask for the “craziest” horse in the stables. I had my own saddle: it was a WWI Cavalry saddle with a gap in the middle. Wish I still had it.
I also wanted to mention I learned to ride on an old grey mule that my Dad used to plow with. I loved ol’ Mr. Ed!
Sorry to be so long-winded, y’all, but I thought it important that you know I didn’t just link to that video “off the cuff”, as it were. Somewhere in this dilapidated mind I probably did think “OMG!, if that pony decided “enough is enough” that little one probably won’t survive”, but I don’t always “see the forest for the trees”.
Thanks, and PapSett, I’m jealous you saw the Lippizaners in person! Or is that “in animal”?
Quasi
They are truly something to see Quasi. I have been lucky enhough to see them perform 5 times in all. If you ever have the chance, don’t miss them.
I saw them once during the New Year’s Day Concert in Vienna program on tv (I never miss it, and God rest you, Mr. Cronkite - it won’t be the same without that mellifluous voice of yours!) and they were performing to the beautiful music of Johann Strauss. I’m not ashamed to tell you I just sat there with goose bumps and tears rolling down my face! I love all domestic animals, but horses hold a special place in my heart. They always have.
I not only want to see them live, PapSett, I want to be a “fly on the wall” watching their riders practicing with them, grooming them, and getting a peek into their daily lives.
They must be chosen just like the Swiss Guard.
Yup, next time they’re in Atlanta, I’m there!
Thanks,
Quasi
Awww, Just beautiful!
Oh yeah, that was definitely Not A Good Thing. I might have been a little more accepting of it if she were about 15 years older and about 10 feet back. After that, in order of cringe-worthiness:
WALKING UNDER THE HORSE. GEEZ. Horses are prey animals. Where are they most sensitive? Under the chest/belly. Never, ever, ever, ever walk under a horse, or duck underneath a lead rope.
Putting your face close to the horses’, especially if you’re at mouth height. Horses can’t see the end of their noses, and anything can be considered food that comes in contact with their mouths. Also, their heads weigh about 100 pounds (not really, but you get the idea)- they shift suddenly due to a fly or being startled, and you’ve got a broken jaw/nose/whatever. That actually happened to a friend as she was getting ready to mount up for a competition- she went to give her horse a good-luck kiss on the nose, he turned at just the wrong time, BAM. Blood everywhere. She borrowed one of my shirts, ran through her jumps, and then went to the hospital to have her nose re-set.
Letting a kid that young/small be that unattended while riding/that involved in a horse’s training. They just don’t have the reasoning capacity to get out of the way or stop when the horse indicates it’s Time To Stop.
Teaching the horse to rear when someone is riding (unless you know for a fact that the horse will always and forever be with you, working as a circus performer, never to be ridden by anyone who has less than your level of experience with horses). Anyone who’s ever ridden a horse by themselves for the first time makes the same mistake when trying to stop them- it’s a natural reaction to pull up and back on the reins, instead of straight back. We took in a pony at work a few years ago who was normally quiet well behaved, but it turns out a former owner (definitely not the one who donated her) thought it was adorable to teach her to rear up when- you guessed it- you pulled up and back on the reins. How we managed to not have a major catastrophic event, I still don’t know, but the kids were terrified to ride her, which completely sucked.
Teaching a horse to lie down while someone is on its back. Mostly for the same reasons above, but gods- I kept waiting for the pony to accidentally roll over on her. You can see by the way the pony gets down that ponies/horses are not built to comfortably do things like that- it wouldn’t take much for the pony to slip and roll due to its own body weight.
Is it too much to ask to get the kid an actual crop? I hated seeing her hitting the pony with a freaking STICK.
All right, that’s enough.
Children die every day from all kinds of causes, many much worse than this, but after having mentioned my belief this little one may be a circus performer in training, I get the feeling that:
You’re not “seeing” it!
You don’t think she is and are just not giving me any reasons as to WHY you don’t think she may be a circus child.
I love each and every one of you - I don’t think I need to prove that - but I’m going to make it my personal crusade to track this video down, find out about the little girl and the pony and report back.
I am not angry with y’all, and you *do make some very good points *- and hell, as I have already said, I was thrown by a pony myself, but before we judge, let’s try to consider what may be going on?
And yes, this is your crazy, demented ol’ pal Quasi writing this, and I’d like you to consider that as you read and realize that if I seem to be “passionate” about this, you’re right. But it’s (the animals) pretty much the only passion I have anymore.
I love you guys!
Q
Teaching a horse to rear is a DANGEROUS game for ANYONE. For a child it is nigh unto suicidal. For the parents watching it is beyond mere casual negligence - it is reckless disregard for their child’s life.
A video of a kid petting a friendly dog is cute. A video of that same kid teaching the dog to bite is not cute at all. Even if the kid IS a circus performer and biting is a trick. A biting trick is TOO DANGEROUS for a child, and a rearing trick is too dangerous for a child as well.
And when the kid takes a hoof to the skull, who suffers? The parents, for their criminal stupidity, yet also the pony, who will probably be put down.
A lot of people have romantic ideas about horses. The truth is they will kill you as soon as look at you if they are scared, by running straight over top of you if that’s what they need to do to escape.
But I don’t want to completely be a negative nancy… so here’s a real cute link for ya:
Orphaned Leopard and Golden Retriever Are Best Friends
picture 3 is my favorite.
This is getting a tad too snarky for my taste, so let’s let it go, let me report the whole thread to the mods and let them decide, okay?
Before I leave the thread, however, I need to reiterate my position:
Child being trained for (circus) perfomance
MANY more ways that children can die which are much more dangerous
I am NOT letting this fade away.
I am NOT admitting losing here, (I’ll go head to head with anyone when it comes to our four-footed ones) but I am asking that the thread be closed temporarily while I do my research and when I find out more, I’ll re-post.
Knowing, of course, that some of y’all’s minds are set.
I’d just like y’all to know what the parents’ feelings are, and if nothing else, try to get y’all to realize that a love and trust for animals can begin at any age.
That’s it.
Thanks and love
Quasi
I’m not seeing snark here; I’m seeing knowledgeable people commenting on video of behavior that they see as dangerous, not cute.
I’m also not seeing anyone personally attack anyone else who’s posting here.
Thus, I’m not seeing a reason to close the thread while you do additional research, so I’m going to leave it open.
twickster, SDMB moderator
No, there was no snark on my part at all, and you will never find anyone that loves horses more than I do. I began taking riding lessons at age 6, and considered myself a decent rider when I was able to ride regularly. I would never as an adult dream of teaching a horse to rear, either with a rider or from the ground. It is probably one of the most irresponsible things a person could ever do, and if for any reason these people are unable to keep this cute little pony, it is quite likely a death sentance for her.
Quasi, I know you did not mean to stir up any controversy, but please, listen and understand; this little girl is not a ‘circus performer in training’. She is a child who is in grave danger because of the irresponsible actions of her parents. (or WHOEVER taught that pony to do things she should never be doing.)
Yes, love and trust for an animal CAN begin at any age; I have been raised with various animals from birth, and love, trust and respect them all. Dogs, cats, horses, snakes, bats, cows, pigs, sloths, tigers… ALL. But realize that there is a healthy dose of respect with that love and trust. There has to be or it’s flirting with disaster.
And in agreement with Hello Again, here are some horse videos that are truly CUTE… and endangering no one:
And not cute… but OMG is this a trained horse!!
Wait, wait, wait!!!
Where did I ever say I was being personally attacked?
Not here, right out in public, certainly???
I responded intelligently and anecdotally, and, if I may say so, without rancor.
I KNOW y’all were attacking the video and not me, but let me ask you something: How sure are you that your little 4 year old isn’t going to be attacked by the neighbor’s pit bull, or that she may not ride her trike off the sidewalk while you’re not watching?
I have begun my research, and have had answers already within the last 30 minutes. I will check out the sources and quote them back to y’all.
Not that it’ll do any good. You’ll believe what you want anyway, but that’s fine.
I have my opinions, you’ll have yours. I just somehow get the feeling I need to back mine up.
Fine. Keep the thread open. I have unsubscribed to it and will rejoin it at some future time (when I have heard from all involved). In the meantime, have at it.
Thanks
You can’t control everything of course. There is an inherent danger in riding horses, one which I have accepted nearly my whole life. Just like there is an inherent danger every time you let your kid on their trike. But this isn’t the kind of danger you have with a kid on a trike in the park. This kind of danger is like a kid driving a motorcycle down the highway with no brakes.
Quasi, If you saw a picture of a 3 year old girl, driving a motorcycle down the highway, would you think that was cute? Or would you think that someone had put that child’s life in deadly jeopardy for a quick laugh? What if you knew that the person who put the kid on the motorcycle, had intentionally cut the brake lines as well?
That kid is too young to extert ANY type of control over the pony (and the sister’s Youtube page says as much, that she cannot signal the pony in any way – by the way, it comes as absolutely no surprise that a 15 year old girl trained this pony to rear). The little one is a “passenger” and the pony might as well be a motorcycle. The fact that the pony’s been trained to rear, is like cutting the brake lines. It is something which is inherently extremely dangerous and does not serve ANY useful purpose.
A bond of trust builds up between human and horse through shared positive experiences. It doesn’t mean you foolishly risk your life so the horse can “prove” its love for you. Horses don’t think that way, only humans do.
I want to comment on something Papsett said, that training this pony to rear could be a death sentence to the pony. Rearing is THE most unsafe habit a horse can have. Many trainers, who will take a horse that bites, kicks, bucks, bolts, or even throws itself to the ground in a snit, will not take on a horse that rears. Why? Because the horse can overbalance, fall backwards, and crush you.
This is not a “baby horse.” It is a full-grown, 8 year old small Welsh pony. The only job it can EVER have is a beloved companion to a small child. If it has been made unsafe for that task, it it has virtually no future. This video, aside from risking a little girl’s life and limb, is a complete tragedy for that pony, who appears to be a otherwise very gentle and suitable for children.
Final analogy - if you saw a video involving a cat that had been trained to scratch someone’s face, or a dog that had been trained to bite someone in the face, would you think that was funny or cute? (Let’s say the cat/dog was trained to scratch/bite a face mask representing a humorous political figure). Or would you see instead, an animal which almost inevitably will be put down through absolutely no fault of its own but only because its idiot human handlers thought it would be “funny” to train it to do something that renders it unfit for domesticated life.