Why should riding elephants be banned but horseback riding not?

Annoying video link that was describing Swaziland and Rhino horn trafficking when I clicked on it.

The link took me to an FB page with a report on Swazi… ^^ yeah. Based on your details it just sounds like a typical media rant searching for an audience. You know, there is a point where we all just run out of enough fuck to give. Between this, and PETA’s bullshit and the recent moral outrage over Cultural Appropriation and all the other “morally” outrageous shit people choose to be offended by, I’m tapped out. On second thought, I think I might have one more of these around here somewhere.

Oops, sorry! Not the same one I saw but it’s the same story from a different site.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3557261/Tragic-elephant-drops-dead-exhaustion-15-years-carry-tourists-Cambodian-temple.html

The Daily Mail, of course. This is the British equivalent of the National Enquirer. It is not worth commenting on.

Like I said before, this is not where I saw the news from. Since that link didn’t work properly, I had to search for the story from a different source. But there are many many articles why thy say elephant rising should be banned.

Banning is heavy handed and stupid. The animal was abused. It was far too old to be worked. The owner/operator should be punished and the rides should be better regulated and monitored by the animal or park authorities. There is no reason to ban riding elephants. This is a typical case of people who have been raised and live in urban environments completely divorced from the natural world, from the earth itself, making decisions on something they are completely ignorant of.

I own a horse. I ride that horse daily and if I don’t she thinks there is something wrong and is unhappy. If anyone ever told me to my face that I shouldn’t ride my horse because it constitutes animal cruelty, I wouldn’t give them an argument. I would kick them in the groin and frog leg them off the property.

Cultural ignorance.
Best not to mention that they eat dogs in Korea, horses in France, and that around 4 million cats are eaten in China each year, and that the number is rising.

The world media dominance is in the West, and so the news is spawned.

^^ It is also racially and culturally prejudiced.

I didn’t view the link but I’m guessing it’s because in order to tame elephants requires bull hooks, which is a long metal hook that they sink into the elephant’s ear, behind the leg and other delicate places, in order to get them to comply. When you view videos of circus cruelty and elephant cruelty, they often use the bullhook. Also, because of the elephant’s size and strength, they’re often chained for long periods of time. Horses can be in a paddock or stall and not chained.

I agree with you @chelle21689. Horseback riding ought to be banned, too.

Imagine if Indian and Nepalese media had a stroke every time Western media mentioned beef and the perverse things we do to cows.

I see no reason for it to be banned, but I don’t’ know much about elephants other than they are big ole beautiful creatures who lovingly care for their young and look great in every single University of Alabama photo op.

Horses have been domesticated for thousands of years now, some Elephant strains too.
Not any different than riding/using horses for transportation or agricultural needs, but….abuse is abuse.
One of our 17 yr. old mares is now retired due to arthritis after a lengthy career of roping. If you use an animal for whatever needs you may have, it is only the right and responsible thing to do to retire it when it shows signs of aging and wear and tear, just like a human.

Our horses like to work, riding, roping, cutting cattle, not any different than any working dog breed. Confine them and prevent them from working at what they are bred for creates behavioral problems. Like keeping a Border Collie in an apartment.
Elephants have been used as beasts of burden for centuries too, treating them humanely and being conscientious about their health and well being is the issue.

Thanks, @Coloma. I was waiting for someone with more experience to weigh in on horse’s seeming enjoyment at working and being ridden.

@ibstubro Yep, watch this, proof of a cow horses inbred sense of herding. No rider, just turned out with the cattle. Watch how he herds that steer all by himself. Does he look unhappy? This is what he does, born and bred for.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQU8YVHc3iw

@Coloma THAT is amazing video. That mare was beautiful, and how she cut that calf out. Her ability to read that calf’s body language and anticipate it’s every move—incredible. Then she pirouettes, crab steps, she’s totally into what he’s doing, loving it. Stays right on top of the calf. Just like a sheepdog on a wayward sheep. Totally amazing.

@Coloma I know huh, she’s a natural, intuits that steers every move.

oops, I meant to address that to @Espiritus_Corvus not myself. haha