lets get a fact sorted here - the guy actually didn't hit the horse - that seems clear from videos - -indeed - if one even looks closely at the still shot which is misleading -
if anyone has been a fighter - the look on the guys face strongly suggests he's not hitting - and indeed, is very calm, and very calculated in pushing the horse away - even if you look at his fist - it's not in a position that's hit the horse
to my point ---------- I've thought about the pain and suffering of animals with humans for years - mainly in war - I think it's horrible what we have subjected them to -
but, as far as working as police horses go ------- I don't feel that the horses get a bad deal - they actually like the work - and, it's rare that they get subjected to injury or death -
with training - they get comfortable with yelling, screaming people and big noises.
Personally - I'd like to see camels used - they are dammed hard to faze at the best of times - and, most camels would look at screaming yelling humans who are trying to push em about and think, wtf? - well, they wouldn't even look to tell the truth -
a very calm animal - and, many with incredible personalities - as do horses of course.
People react well to horses - both have a mutual respect for one another - and, I remember when protesters - I think it was in London - started weaponizing marbles ------ as a weapon against horses - pouring bags of marbles on the ground so the horses slipped --
that backfired bigtime on the protestors - because people were horrified that anyone would actually try to harm and damage horses.
Aside from that for crowd control and the calming psychological affect of horses on people ------------ I think using horses in peacetime by police is fine ------- indeed - good.
