"Humans often use animals to help troubled kids, provide company for the elderly, and service for the disabled. But what do you do when the animal is troubled and needs help?"Artist Cheryl Ward:
"Painting was something I felt that enabled him to be a complete horse. This type of training asks the horse: What do you want to do? What makes you happy about being a horse?"
Hmmmm...how about: "It makes me happy that this lady gives me treats for moving this silly brush around, but maybe she could take some of that cash my majikal artworks put in her pocket and get some decent fencing around this place?"
We love how the TV vet says at the end that the horses are not just doing it for the treats; they actually go to the canvas and mimic the painting behaviour when there is no brush in their mouths so this must mean they really like to paint. As if horses can't figure out how to try to get some treats by...mimicking the painting behaviour. This lady looked familiar, and then we remembered it's the same TV vet that the injured Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro once took a piece out of, because she assumed he was just wanting to smell her hands. A horse is not...a dog! Clearly she is not a large animal TV vet. And clearly she failed animal behaviour.
These horses are a little late to the non-primate painting phenomenon. First there were painting cats, and then painting elephants. And we think the painting lady might be reading too much into this behavioural transformation. She could have gotten the same results by tormenting the poor confused animal à la Linda Parelli. Speaking of, The Carrot would like to stress that despite our name, we do not use any sort of "carrot sticks" and are not affiliated in any way with Parelli or any other natural horsemanship cults. And of course there's an online petition about that infamous video if you'd like to show you virtually care.
Despite our scepticism, The Carrot does encourage any constructive activity that keeps horses off the streets and out of trouble. Even Latin lessons. Or horse agility. Or maybe they could hook up with this guy and pursue careers in rap music:
Reader Grand Prix D sent us this video awhile back but we've been too
"What's up dog! The latest news from the 'hood - the first ever dressage video rap - that's what! Even Ms. Katie Price is in the video (Katie nameplate - "pretty ugly girl"). Now that's one fine superfly girl I would like to put in my trailer! I now ride in the arena with a hoodie on and a big "D" bling chain necklace. I play this rap song when driving through the 'hood with my low rider truck and trailer. Word out Carrot!The Carrot chuckled mightily at "low rider truck and trailer"! Good one. As for Katie Price, we feel she looks like she has been ridden hard and put away wet. A lot. The Carrot insists that Grand Prix D can do much better.
Mikey (that's "GrandPrix D" to all my homies in the 'hood)"
Here's the best natural horsemanship video, ever:
Speaking of Barbaro, it's too bad The Carrot was not around during that era, as we would have had some fun. Although we were unapologetic huge fans and gutted when he died, the whole thing did get more than a bit ridiculous. Candlelight vigils for...a horse? Seriously? And sometimes while it was still light outside...doesn't that sort of defeat the whole point of...the candles? And then there were the thousands of "virtual" candles. The Carrot believes if you are lighting a virtual candle for a horse you don't even know, it's time to step away from the computer.
Unfortunately Barbaro didn't have Facebook, as this poor impaled horse Amigo that almost surely should have been euthanised has over 7,100 fans who are helping to pay his veterinary costs, and he was just a nobody.
Thanks to Sprout for alerting us to the horse painting phenomenon, as well as to this wonderful natural horsemanship demonstration.
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