Horses = …poverty?

I stumbled across the Blog Action Day Friday night (Oct 10) thanks to statcounter and was very curious about the general idea.  Basically, bloggers around the world unite on a particular day (October 15) and write about a particular topic.  The idea is to spark worldwide discussion on the given topic.  This year’s is Poverty.  What an amazing idea!

The idea – don’t change your blog to fit the topic; match the topic to your blog style.  The result?  A great many readers to your blog and raised awareness of a problem and potential solutions.

Dictionary reference for poverty:

1.	the state or condition of having little or no money, goods, or means of support; condition of being poor; indigence.

2.	deficiency of necessary or desirable ingredients, qualities, etc.: poverty of the soil.

3.	scantiness; insufficiency: Their efforts to stamp out disease were hampered by a poverty of medical supplies.

For me, deficiency or insufficiency sums it up or simply put, a lack of the necessary or vital things to survive.  And who wants to just survive when they could fully live?

In the form of horses…
I have seen a lot of these gorgeous animals in shocking condition due to a lack of nutrition, veterinary and farriery care or just love.  And as someone who works within the racing industry (one of the top employers and money earners in Australia) it amazes me the amount I do see.

The associations set up to cater to damaged, abused, retired and neglected horses are an amazing work but to not need them in the first place would be all the better.

If you breed horses, ask yourself why?  If it’s a money earner, is your supply fitting to the demand or so much more that the horses lose value and are harder to sell and find homes for?

Whatever your reason for adding to the population, consider if you ended up keeping the foal and eventually full grown equine, could you afford what is needed to keep this worthy animal in good condition, healthy and happy?

If you’re competing is the brand new saddle you purchased for upcoming competitions going to put you in debt and therefore out of pocket for paying for agistment and feed.

If you’re looking to add to your herd, consider why you want a horse in the first place (paddock companion, breed, compete, show, pleasure, learn to ride) and consequently where you could shop around and find a horse that can be suited to this desire that otherwise might have been sold to an ill meaning owner or possibly put down.

I am more than blessed and I choose to stay an owner of one horse at this particular time as my funds can easily cover his needs.  Down the track I plan on having many more but at this point in time feel it would be an irresponsible move.

In the form of people…
Crystal Peaks Youth Ranch was the first eye opener for me when it comes to people and horses combining to help others who are desperately lacking.  Kim and Troy Meeder take in abused and neglected horses, work with them and bring them back to the condition they should be in and then pair them with people from abused and neglected backgrounds, raising confidence, creating friendship and establishing relationships.

Riding for the Disabled is set up to enrich the lives of those who are disabled through providing a program that can help physically and mentally.  Volunteers who take part in the program also find their lives to be that much fuller due to helping out with such a worthy cause.

For the horse obsessed, there are set ups out there that allow you to donate your time and expertise and help introduce others to these gorgeous animals and therefore a chance to enrich their life.

I am more than blessed and I choose to sponsor a child through World Vision and Compassion at this point in time.  Perhaps down the track I won’t have the funds to do so, but I may have the time instead, to invest in something.  How about you?

But I’m just one person… What can one person do?

In our own way, anyone can help to Make Poverty History.  Interested in volunteering for something horse related?  Consider Riding for the Disabled or other worthy causes.

 

“Poverty is another word for owning a horse…”

tag: blog action day, horse poverty, crystal peaks youth ranch, greater cause, volunteer