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Permalink Reply by Victoria Ruiz on November 3, 2010 at 2:15pm

I bet if he bought a horse he would name it Ecstacy

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Permalink Reply by Geoffrey Pannell on November 2, 2010 at 7:34am

Nutt by name, Nutt by nature!!

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Permalink Reply by Marlene Thoms on November 3, 2010 at 1:14pm

I think the guy has a point, but it wasn't about how great ecstasy is for people, it was about the comparative legality of horseriding vs. ecstasy. I would not say that horses only help people. I have met a number of people who have had some pretty serious injuries, and a lot of near misses from horse riding, and they are pretty expensive to maintain. I also think horses do a world of good, for me in one year my new to me horse has vastly improved my physical and mental condition and helped me recover from the passing of my husband, and I have met many new, really nice , people who live very healthy lifestyles. Some mornings honestly the only reason I could get out of bed was because my animals needed food and water, clean up, grooming, equipment, etc. The only reason I saddled up and got out in the sunshine was because that "hay-burner" needed exercise.I don't think ecstasy could have done that for me. And all that money I've been spending certainly has helped the economy! Ecstasy obviously does not promote a healthy life style and is going to do physical and mental harm to many of its users, so not a great past time, and doesn't make a good apples to apples comparison with horseriding. But whether there should be a legal distinction is the guy's point (I think). So I guess he's trying to say not everything that is potentially dangerous should be outlawed. In general I agree with that thought.

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Permalink Reply by Victoria Ruiz on November 3, 2010 at 2:15pm

I'm not saying they help everyone either, it definetly varies from rider to rider, horse to horse, and personality to personality. I'm just saying some forms of riding CAN help and as you mentioned working with them can help you mentally as well as physically where not any forms of ecstacy can help.
I am glad however that he is trying to understand that riding horses is difficult and it is dangerous rather than what most non-riders think that we just sit there and do nothing.
It can be such a gift to both parties when you have something to take care of like a horse or dog. Its what I love for as well.

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Permalink Reply by Victoria Ruiz on November 3, 2010 at 2:09pm

I understand his points but the way he compares the risks of horseback riding and taking ex do not add up.
1. First he comapres them by comparing the number of deaths, injurys and accidents to those of people that do ecstacy. Obviously those of horseback riders would be higher than people that do ecstacy because more people ride horses than do ex and horseback riding is a more public thing than doing drugs in the privacy of your own home or at an event where everyone is doing it together
2. Secondly the effects/dangers are completly different. The risks associated with riding horses is similar to those of any sport while doing ecstacy completely changes your mental state.
They are just too different to legitimatly compare them and therefore I don't think he has a very strong case

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Permalink Reply by Michelle Synnot on November 3, 2010 at 5:43pm

LOOOOOOOL. I work in addictions and that is the most interesting comparison I've ever seen. *smirk*

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