How many of us have or ride horses?

[lph]

I must be in some kind of minority here not getting horse riding at all.
I have been on a horse, a couple of times many years ago and once about 2 years ago so it's not that i don't understand it from lack of exposure.

I just don't get why anyone would ride a horse at all. They're animals in their own right, don't they deserve not to be treated like slaves or beasts of burden simply placed here to do our bidding?

I really don't want to upset anyone or annoy anyone or have them think that i'm having a go about them being cruel or mean or anything like that, i just don't think people should ride horses and don't see why they do.

I hope nobody minds the slight thread hijack, but this response had me intrigued. I love horses, owned one for years and have ridden for many years also semi-professionally, and I have never encountered this opinion. I'm not offended at all, just curious: do you feel the same way about all pets? Animals raised for food? Or is it the fact that horses are ridden that makes a difference to you?

If it helps, I can say that horses are extremely social animals who need a leader to follow and thrive around people and other horses. It's extremely hard to get a horse to do something it really doesn't want to, so for the most part I think horses ridden for pleasure are happy. I've ridden racehorses - think large, strong, high-strung and fast - and you definitely want to convince the horse that what you want it to do is what it wants to do...