Tragedy at Calgary Stampede

[PJ Hardtack]

In the 10 days of the Calgary Stampede, 6 horses were killed, all of them in their traces pulling Chuckwagons. One driver had been fined and banned for life.

I grew up in Calgary and the Chuckwagon races were the highlight event for me event. We used to have family bets on our favourites to win.

The animal rights types are having a filed day with this, of course. Why aren't they concerned about the high number of deaths amongst thorougbred race horses, MANY of which have perished this year already.

At the Cloverdale Rodeo near Vancouver, BC, the animals rightists have successfully gotten Calf Roping banned as "inhumane".

I'm not saying this wasn't a tragic event, but some folks ought to just mind their own business.

[kwilliams1876]

being a horse guy.....i would like to know some details on how did the ponies died? all at once in a wreck?
kw

[Buffalo Creek Law Dog]

Apparently, one was a suspected  heart attack and the other five were in various wrecks.
 
The animal rights people want all rodeos to be banned.  If that happened, 98% of all the rough stock would be headed straight to the packing and fertilizer plants along with the chuck wagon horses, as they are already retired race horses. Without rodeo, what do you do with horses and Brahma bulls that are bred to buck and retired race horses that all they want to do is run.......Oh!  I know......packing and fertilizer plants.  Even working saddle horses on ranches will sometimes go bronco and become useless to a rancher.  Answer, the packing plant or, to a rodeo where they can live a second life.

Rodeo stock are a business investment and are cared for to a higher standard than most farm animals.  They are Vet checked, fed, and get to hang out with their buddies when they are not working for 8 seconds per working day.  If you watch the wagon races, you will see that the driver has his hands set with a slack rein where he could not control a runaway wagon before or after the race.  When they leave the barns there is another person beside him holding the reins shorter in case there is a runaway. That person will drop off the wagon as it pulls up to the starting point.  After the race, the other person will climb back into the wagon and take over the reins from the driver and head back to the barns.  Why is this?  Because those horses are wired for sound and just want to run and must be held under control at all times.

Can't wait for next years Calgary Stampede.......Ya Hoo.....Ride 'em cowboy.

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[PJ Hardtack]

The banned driver has invited PETA and all other animal rightists to show up at his ranch to see how his animals are treated. They get better treatment and care than do most people.

How many of these protesters do you think will take him up on his offer?

There is also a movement to ban horse draw carriage rides in Victoria, BC as the horses are prone to slipping on cobble stone streets and pavement under certain conditions. The carriage rides have been a tourist draw for decades.

Someone better tell the Queen that she is a bad person for allowing her children and inlaws to ride carriages on the streets of London. And what about the Household Cavalry?

[greyhawk]

The banned driver has invited PETA and all other animal rightists to show up at his ranch to see how his animals are treated. They get better treatment and care than do most people.

How many of these protesters do you think will take him up on his offer?

There is also a movement to ban horse draw carriage rides in Victoria, BC as the horses are prone to slipping on cobble stone streets and pavement under certain conditions. The carriage rides have been a tourist draw for decades.

Someone better tell the Queen that she is a bad person for allowing her children and inlaws to ride carriages on the streets of London. And what about the Household Cavalry?

PJ ... a bit of a side story but relevant
I visited with friends in nebrasky 2013 - they have a smallish ranch in the sandhills and daughter and her hubby work his family place down by Dickens ... they know my interest in horses (frustrated cowboy) and I used to ride a good bit in the old days ..... they had put me on a quiet old nag on a previous visit (enough to figure I wasnt a total goose I guess) ... anyway this time we were going out to muster his cows and take the weaners off for market - a community ride and cake and coffee after is how they do cowboy stuff there at least - everybody turns up for brandings and whatever - lookin for an excuse to get out and play some I guess .

I have a nice pair of burgundy DanPost boots that are my travelling boots (another story for another time) - one of the boys rode alongside for a bit and with a big grin he says  "them boots.... theys about the shiniest pair of boots I seen in years" ...... yeah mate first time they seen a stirrup today!

So I was mounted on a nice paint mare about 5 yr old (Black and white - English people would call a piebald) - they called her pokey - after pocahontas / indian pony
whats the story I asked - sisters horse was gonna go to the sale barn but we took her instead - why the sale barn - sis was scared of her -------? so ya put a 65 yr old Aussie tourist on her - first ride he had in two years - sis was scared of somethin but dont think it was this pony.

This pony was a good honest ranch horse with all her life in front of her - a nice willing mover - easy to ride - (they had a proper hackamore on her that day but she did fine in a bit) - not a vice that I could pick or any hint of it - when we got back to the yards they put me in the pen with about four others sorting and we did fine.

- ole boot man sidles up after and starin at those shiny Dan Posts .. whats up ? ... oh just lookin - them boots maybe never seen a stirrup but that backside has seen more than a few saddles I bet.

Back to the story - the mare was worth very little mainly because the PETA mob and others like them had managed to stop  processing of meat horses (something I do not like AT ALL - but you gotta be realistic) so anything not competition grade cutting horse or fancy riding horse was suffering the backlash of no market for the bottom end - everything had to be shipped to Mexico - --- these guys were talking two or three hundred bucks for a good horse that would bring a couple thousand out here of my ride was any indication ...... always when busybodies get involved in running someone elses life or business there are unintended consequences (or are they really unintended )     
   

[PJ Hardtack]

There is a famous quote by C.S. Lewis about moral busy bodies haunting us without ceasing as they feel justified by their own conscience. Look it up as it pretty much describes the current PC narrative of feelings outweighing substance.

[River City John]

They suggested to PETA that since the accident involved the Chuck Wagon, they could have just butchered the animals, cooked 'em and served up to the crowd.


(Tongue in cheek)

RCJ