I get this because people in my wider wider circle post or talk about their riding, and people in the comments treat horse trainers like they're doing a public service, taking those poor lovely animals out for a stroll or a obstacle course run. And the hobby is such an Instagramable activity because posh people do it, therefore it's cool. There's something attractive to rich people about someone on a horse with tight horse gear clothes.
I need to stress it: riding and owning a horse is expensive af. Even the lessons are absurdly expensive. No one in my circle of friends or even extended family does it. And the hobby is basically just golf in terms of environmental costs. Horses require a fuck ton of water and create a fuck ton more of shit, and they require an ungodly amount of land. I just assume that the labour for feeding and cleaning is done by immigrants, and white people get to to do the cool jobs like training.
Horse people like to brag that many/most of the world's monarchies and aristocracy is really into riding. To me, that should be a massive slight. If Elizabeth and Charles's favourite sport was horsing, that should be a big red flag.
And what gets to me is how horse people are all like "I love my horses". Like I'm sorry, Brett, but if you loved that animal, you wouldn't put a bit in their mouth and make them carry you around. Horse injuries with riders are very common, especially spinal injuries because weight has been placed on where it wasn't designed for weight.
I get in trouble because I point this out and every middle class person in the room gets super upset that their lovely horse hero got their hobby attacked.
Note: this post is only for white horse people. I don't know about nor have an opinion on non-Western horse activities.
My view of animal exploitation makes horse riding something I can't ever be content with on a personal, ethical level. I don't necessarily "judge" people who condone the exploitation of animals (AKA most of the world's population) on a personal level (i.e. I don't think they're necessarily evil and ethically inconsiderate individuals themselves), but that's a part of society normalizing animal exploitation to such a horrendous degree. Most people are programmed to have a brainworm that tells them to be accepting of these kinds of abuses.
I only start to judge when they are fully presented and adjusted and aware to animal rights perspectives and have enough time to process such perspectives to change their world view, and still choose to do nothing. (and by enough time I mean like even a year or something however long it takes an individual to question their belief system and make changes)