Does this picture look odd? Upset you? Horrify you even?
It’s real, as I found out today.
Our local county fair is coming up soon. I inquired to see whether they were having their pony rides for the children. There are a few ponies that ride in a small circle, slowly, while young children ride them.
I was told this event will not be put on but instead the fair will offer “Mutton Bustin” ~ which instead of riding a bucking bronco, young children, up to 55 lbs. are placed on the backs of sheep and hold on until they are kicked off.
W T F??!!
I had never heard of this practice. Isn’t this child abuse? AND animal abuse? (I deplore most rodeo events for the animal abuse. But now we have child abuse thrown in the mix??)
I found this article that shares some more details. I have contacted our fair requesting they cease this activity for the reasons stated in this piece.
For awhile our fair did have what they called an exotic animal exhibit. Beautiful animals such as lions and bears and panthers, locked in small cages, approximately 2/3 of a football field away of the main stage which blasted thumping music 12 hours a day (when musicians weren’t performing equally as loud). They paced in their cages or hid, obviously stressed out. We were horrified and complained. Enough of us did so that the fair no longer has this exhibit. But the people who run this charade still take their animals to fairs, expose them to traumatizing, unnatural settings while the programmed populace ooh’s and aah’s and takes pictures. Some, we saw, even walked up to the cages to attempt to pet them in spite of the yellow tape.
Just one more reminder how this family does not do this reality. Where are the higher conscious activities? Educational models?
Here is the article so you can read and ensure your local county or city fair does not engage in this horrid practice.
