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From: Birchlover
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  • These horses did not enjoy this. They weren't capable of backing out. They were tripped, electrically prodded, and forced by fear. If any of you know anything about horses, you know that no horse would willingly jump 60+ ft into water "to show off for crowds". 

  • @kahawiaa and how exactly do you know this? were you the horse?

  • @kahawiaa i couldnt AGREE with you any more !

  • Never once was a horse injured, just the riders. Like Sonora Webster Carver went blind from landing in the water with her eyes opened.

  • wow

  • In the Sands Casino in Atlantic City (before it was torn down), at the restaurant, there was a large picture of a girl on a diving horse. Her picture is very similar to the girl you show near the beginning of your video, and I was wondering if she was the same girl. Anyone know her name?

  • @WA2JSG I remember her first name was Sonora, there's also a film about her life, it's called 'wild hearts can't be broken'

  • Do this still happen?

  • 1:06 Redlips ?

  • So yes the Diving Horses loved to dive. And like ohmysmoshpit said if the horses didn't want to, then they would at least protest before doing it but they never did...simple as that. I love Sonora's story. It keeps me going when times get rough. Like the past two months has been.

  • If one of the horses didn't get to dive as often as they were used to they would get antsy and when they did get to dive they would be very excited and eager to get up on the tower.

  • I've done a ton of research on the diving horses. I even went to the Steel Pier in Atlantic City and I talked to a couple people that worked around the horses. Everything I've heard points to the fact that Dr. Carvers horses loved to dive. If a new horse even showed a tiny bit of apprehension they wouldn't use it for the act.

  • horses dive and swim on there own all the time in the wild...they have to travel and migrate for greener grazing...the horses in the past had to migrate to keep moving away from mankind so they had to dive off of cliffs and swim across great rivers..man use horses and many other animals to help with there work and entertainment..God put animals on this earth to help man...of course you don't be cruel to them....and and letting them dive into water is not

  • Sorry - I give up on your ignorant people hat stubborn tell yourselft and eachother

    thatt diving is something that a horse "like" and that it should be a part of horses nature . its pure and absolutely nonsens - It only that you have no true knowledge or respect for the horse - I feel sorrry for the horses that people like you keep romancing somthing that is obviusly cruel - ugly and stupid - something that makes the horse slaves for human fun and stupity- I feel sorry for your blindness

  • this is so brutal.

  • im sure you cannot make a horse do something if it is truly against it. but this is a very dangerous stunt for bot horse and rider, so i am relieved it is no longer performed.

  • If Im not mistaken, there was a Timex commerical back in the 1960s that used a diving horse! The Timex was attached onto the horse's leg and when the horse dived and cam out of the water they said, "It keeps ticking!" Crazy. Im glad they dont' do this ghastly entertainment.

  • Wow I'm pretty sure thats animal abuse! Not to be rude but the horses get on a platform. Then the platform beneath them drops with out warning and they fall from a high height into a tub of water. I'm very glad that this has been stopped!!!

  • @Dark3507

    The platform didn't drop from under their feet the horses kneeled down on that black padded thing hanging down and it was padded so they would end up scratching their hind legs.

    In the movies the horses leaped off with bravado, but in real life it was slower and the horse kinda kneeled down and hopped off. That's why they're at such a downward angle in the pictures.

  • @Dark3507

    That black padded 'platform' didn't drop out from underneath the horse it was there because the horse when at the end of the run stopped and sort of kneeled down before they hopped off. It was padded so they didn't scratch their hind legs going off.

    Only in the movies did the horses run to the end and leap off, but in real life they did the little hop and that's why they're at such a downward angle in the pics.

  • I have been teaching and training horses for 25 years , - swimming and diving is not a part of the horses nature - its a shame that people tell eachother this stupid and crazy "truth" !! start to study the true nature of the horse and get som real horsevisdom! - the horse is very easy to force and have been forced to do painfull thing as laves for the humans, and this one is one of the absolute more stupid amusement - please dont show of your ignorence, tell the world that the horse like this!!!

  • @toscavision how do you think that the horses got to the islands they live on??? they didnt just walk over water.

  • Comment removed

  • @toscavision You have been trainning horses for 25 years and are ignorant of swimming horses? Wow - that's a basic trail riding obstacle - all it takes is water deeper than they can stand in and should be taught each one. A dive is simply a jump into deep water - the diving horses took this to the extreme true, but you can't tell me that horses do not jump into deep water in nature.

    Lol - I'll get someone who knows horses to to train my horses, thanks.

  • Again people who say horses dont whant to do this obviously have never ridden if a horse dosent whant to do somthing they wont do it plus if you look at the pictures the horses ears are always foward which means there happy. and also out of the 100 years they where doing horse diving not a single horse was harmed injured or abused in anyway

  • they are not forced to jump off ...they just do it. i Have seen diving horses in real life and they seem to love what they do. Its not cruel. so please stop saying that " i am glad they don't do that anymore and at least its not killing them" and things like that... my great great grandmother was a diving girl for this and she was with her horse every time of day. The horse was happy and full of life.It is not bad to do this. And please remember they are not forced to jump they just do.

  • @peecloud what was your grandmothers name cuz mine was a diving girl to well not my grandmother but my great grandmother was

  • Beautiful video Birchlover!!! Love the vintage pics, picture quality is just fine!!!!

  • jespere juste qu'aucun cheval na été bléssé, surtout pour les piscines

  • Horse diving is not cruel or mean, to everyone that says it is. Out of all the seventy or so years the act was on, not one horse was ever injured. Horse racing, on the other hand, injures and kills thousands and thousands of horses. That is cruel.

  • this is just another bizarre example of what human do to their horse-Slaves to amuse and entertain them selves - horses are not a water/swiming animal - tkes the beuty and dignity out of the horse for bizarre entertaimnet - this is as sad as se a bear playing a flute, dressed in clothes.....

  • @toscavision k let me tell u somthing horses do swim they love to swim and this is not cruel humans did not force them to do this cuz when a horse dosent whant to do somthing trust me they wount do and for the 100 years they where doing this act not a single horse was injured or killed. and also if you knew anything about horses you will see that in these pictures the horses ears are foward which means there happy. next time dont comment unless u know what your talking about

  • Kay for one ..al you people that think this is animal cruelty ...bugger off because I ride horses and been with them for 10 years..and the horses ears are perked which means hes enjoying himself and is intrested in it! if his ears werePINNED back then ok but no his ears are nice and forward. and even in the pics of the girl standing with there horse, there happy, so like yah .

  • In the beginning of the video it should say "When horse and rider are closer THAN ever." Not "When horse and rider are closer THEN ever." This is not a negative comment. I'm just saying... ya might consider editing that. Sorry if I seem like a jerk. Horses diving was a hell of an attraction.

  • um your gunna get thrown wether or not you abuse a horse, it's just part of riding. If you train horses instead of "riding" city-slicker broke horses you'd know that. I hate to be blunt but it's true. I say "riding" because there is riding and there is sitting on a horse when it's moving. :P

  • I think its great, and from my understanding of what is documented not one of the steel pier horse diving horses was ever injured doing any of the jumps and in fact when they were brought back to a ramp after retirement they often jumped on their own with no encouragement.

  • These horses loved to jump and show off for the crowds, it was their lives. The human divers were the ones that received the injures not the horses and if people tried to do some research (like this wonderful thing called reading) before calling it animal cruelty, they would know better. The S.P.C.A. was always trying to catch them on cruelty charges but never could because the horses were so will cared for.

  • @lopceleth well said :)

  • @lopceleth well said :)

  • Comment removed

  • This is amazing!!!!

  • I sorta think this was torture to the horses. But oh well. It was a sport anyways!

  • @kelseyy451 I think people have a problem with this because they have opinions on things they don't understand. You really can't MAKE a horse do anything. Just like a dog...you are not going to make mom's chihuaua a good police dog, and some horses aren't meant for this. But the ones that love to should be able to.

  • I absolutely love horse diving. It depresses me so much that they don't do it anymore. Great video. :)

  • this picture quality really sucks. p.s. NO CRUELTY TO HORSES!!! EXCEPT FOR GLUE!

  • This is animal abuse

  • @ponygirl7819 No it's not.

  • My friends teacher used to ride the Diving horse down into the water as a living!

  • @ nutcase1995 Honestly your not a horse person. No, it does not make them "die" but it really screws them up. They can't stand up, there balance is wrong. People have to sedate them...it is very sad that beautiful, healthy horses have to go through this all because of self-centered entertainment.

  • Toto je vážně demence!!! Co kdyby se tomu koni něco stalo? Nezájem! Zase akorát ku*rvění koní pro lidskou zábavu :-//

  • I remember this well at the Steel Pier such a sad story about her. (the rider) It horrified me as a kid to see that horse go up so high. But .............I was taken there thanks for posting this

  • I seriously dislike diving horses. It destroys the horse. How? Have you ever watched a horse swim naturally? They keep there head above the water. Why? because if they get a water in their ears. They die. Yeah, because it messes up there balance. They would not even be able to stand up. It is abuse.........

  • the horses did it because they loved it, if they died they died happy because they were doing something they loved with a person they loved

  • @EventingBelle my horse swims with her head under all the time!!

  • @EventingBelle they dont die!!! they might get an ear infection , but not death stupid

  • ok if a horse dosent wanna do some thing they wont do it especially if they are a mare

  • The platform doesn't drop... They jump. You can tell by their form they weren't falling..they jumped out. And its not cruel..it was probably scary at first for the horse but after they did it its just like humans diving ...

  • The platform doesn't drop... They jump. You can tell by their form they weren't falling..they jumped out. And its not cruel..it was probably scar at first for the horse but after they did it its just like humans diving ...

  • impeachbushco ur so stupid this was real stuff in the thirtys!!!!!

  • UMM HELLO PEOPLE!!!!

    The platform drops out from under the horse - DUH!!

  • the horses aren't forced to do it! like many other peoplend have been commenting, the horses WILL walk backward! Under proper training and encouragement, the horses will get accustomed to an activity. If not, the horse will throw a tantrum and plant its feet right where it stands.

    I also see from the pictures that the horses dive with the front legs out. This breaks the surface tention of the water on imact, but shouldn't harm them if their feet arepointed out at an angle

  • I'm hoping this doesnt sound too negative but MY opinion (just mine) I think that it was cruel and Im kind of happy it stopped...Some people said that they were forced to do it and maybe they were but i didnt like it

  • oh and as far as the horse having no way out... horses are completely capable of backing up and will do so at a pretty good pace if they really want out of a situation....

  • a horse won't do something like this without wanting to do it itself. no matter how much you force it. ;)

  • I never said that other things are okay, I just said that is is senseess, needless and for me it's cruel and sick.

    But okay two different opinions. I think we can stop here because we won't change our opinions.

  • I don't think a horse would move backwards over a length like this. It can't see what's behind it...

    What should the horse do otherwise? I don't think any horse would like do go through such a small gangway... think about racehorses...

    I don't know if it hurts such a big animal to jump from this high into a tank, but it could hurt. It can go wrong and do more than only hurting it. The option is there and for me that's enough to say that this is crap.

  • WHat should they do else? They just can't go back...

    Man whatever. People who take the risk of hurting an animal JUST FOR FUN and make them do things like this... SOrry I can't tell something good about such people, because things like this are just senseless and stupid. I can't understand how a human being get an idea like this. 

    That's sick, sorry but that's the only thing I can say.

  • what this for song ?

  • Oh and why do I think it's somekind of force? Look at the point thes stand just before jumping. It's tight so they can't turn back.

    Maybe the horse you talked about (the 5minutes before jumping horse) staied there because it tried to find a way out, intended about that?

    There is no other way for the horses to come down and that's force.

  • I belive they use these methods because there is no, absolutly no reason for a horse to do that! Nothing! A horse would never get the idea of jumping in a tank from this high.

    But aside from that it is just dangerous, why should a horse do such a danger thing? Because of "fun"? That's absurd.

    And what I criticize is the point, that people have to endanger creatures because they like it. For these people it's fun and that's perverse. I'm not saying this is the only "game" of that kind.

  • I said I don't know how people can think that the horses enjoyed that... Maybe some horses enjoy to be ridden but I can't belive that any horse could ever like something like that. I think they were trained for that which involve force and maybe violence. Or do you think they put a little horse on that high & it though "hey yeah lets jump! that's fun"? As I said, I think it's like the principle of the dance bears. And hell yes it's dangerous! Why do they have to endanger poor animals for fun???

  • In one point you are right: riding isn't very natural, too.

    But I see a differenz between riding and diving. I mean that's just two diffrent shoes. Carry someone on the back isn't like jumping meters down in a watertank.

    Running with someone on the back is much more natural than jumping down and diving in a watertank for a horse... And I guess it's even not as dangerous as the last point.

  • Uhm Afridrwolf ... can you tell me which natural instinct should make the horses do that? Why should they even get the idea of jumping if there is no natural impulse for doing that?

    I mean dancing bears for example do their job just because people put they on glowing coal in their youth. They just need the memory of the pain for doing their job when they are adult.

    Don't you think it's someting like that what makes the horses jump...?

  • There is a movie called 'Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken'. It's about a girl who becomes a diving horse rider during the great depression. It's a really great movie and you should watch it.

    I believe it's made by Disney.

  • @mewlkitten Wonderful movie, haven't seen it in years, but it is very inspiring!!! And portrays this sport very well. It is quite the art.

  • Well, this is an interesting collection of old photography.

    I can honestly say, however, that I am immensely grateful that these sort of abusive carnival attractions are a thing of the past. It's animal abuse, plain and simple. I've spent my entire life around horses and this is neither safe, nor comfortable for the horses. Just plain abuse. Makes me fairly queasy to think about it.

  • all this time till the animal rights come up in USA no horse and the rider injured or harmed because of high dive or high jump, thank you.

  • "No negative comments"... wenn ich das schon lese krieg ich sonen Hals, ey! und denn das Video... wie kann man sowas nur toll finden? das ist einfach nur krank! die armen Pferde können einem echt nur leidtun!!!! Sowas sollte verboten werden!

  • schrecklich !!!!!!!

  • ABUSE

  • i know that no horses were killed when this was legal . . but i'm not sure that i like the fact of horses doing it. . . . ohwel

  • I would love to try that it looks un-nerving but fun.

  • they where trained to do this

    they offisully werent forced to people

  • i don't really like this but oh well

    and guyhakim how do you know the horses don't want to do it. if they hadn't nobody would have gotten on the ramp or to jump, and most of those horses had there ears forwards

  • this is just a general comment for the people who keep saying that the horses dont wanna do it and are mistreated. if u knew horses, u wud know this:: horses dont do what they dont want to. my horse has thrown me to prove that. got it? any questions please PM me

  • thanx, some people who comment don't know what they r talking about!!!! :P

  • @ohmysmoshpit Right. thats why they never used trap floors, electric prods and such. your fucking ignorant. You seriously think horses are made to do this bullshit, multiples times a day several days a week, as they did back when those pictures were taken? I feel sorry for you horse, be a better rider and maybe you wont get thrown.

  • @ohmysmoshpit

    I know horses, and I also know, that horses can do weird things when they're threatening situation.

    It also doesn't seem to a lot of people, that the horses like it. Why? Because it isn't natural fot them. Sports like horsejumping reflect more the natural movements and behaviour of horses. i'm so glad they stopped this, it's cruel.

  • @ohmysmoshpit

    I know horses, and I also know, that horses can do weird things when they're threatening situation.

    It also doesn't seem to a lot of people, that the horses like it. Why? Because it isn't natural fot them. Sports like horsejumping reflect more the natural movements and behaviour of horses. i'm so glad they stopped this, it's cruel.

  • @ohmysmoshpit Yes, thank you. SO many stupid comments from misinformed people!

  • @ohmysmoshpit you KNOW horses? what are you like a horse whisperer. if u watch most of the videos and actully do proper research you will see that the horses are unaware there is a drop at the end. they are not diving they are falling. if u ask for my opinion its disgusting to put an animal through this bullshit for a bit of human entertainment , i wudnt let YOU anywhere near my horses. 'horses want to do it?' hilarious!

  • This is absulutly a disgusting evil sport! It really makes me angry that people treat horses like that..

  • Die armen Pferde!

    also wer glaubt die machen sowas freiwillig der versteht ja absolut NICHTS von Pferden!

    die armen tiere!!!

  • thats amazing! my great great aunt did that! how ti they not fly off the horse?

  • I think its cool and "amazing" only cause i dont know one horse that would even step foot on the ramp! I dont know how they would ever get them to do it

  • im sorry that this is a negative comment but im glad they stopped this! some people say its so cool and amazing and good for them but i think it was cruel and abusive. there were so many horses that drowned because of this. please dont reply and say nasty things because this is just my view of it

  • stating your view of things is not a crime... i am glad u stated something that was on your mind. Thank you for commenting!! :D

  • @Nolebabe96

    umm i read countless articles on this and read the book of senora webster-carter she said that the horses loved it and wanted to to do it each time they had a show

    its a load of crap about the horses drowning.maybe u should read about it and educate your self

  • @Nolebabe96 if you read the bio on this they stopped it and no horse were ever injuried doing this

  • @Nolebabe96 and i must say somthing no horses drowned while doing this they where doing this for 100 years and not a single horse died or was harmed while doing this and if you look in these pictures the horses ears are foward which means there happy.

  • @Nolebabe96 Hey I was just wondering - where did you find information about the horses drowning? I'm doing research on the Steel Pier and Sonora Webster Carver, and I would appreciate a link! Thanks!

  • @ThatOtherCaitlin If you read Sonora Carver's book, "A Girl and Five Brave Horses", it will give you TONS of info about Sonora and the horses she worked with. This book is rather difficult to find but check around at your local libraries, which is how I was able to get a copy of it to read.

    About Lightening: she did a riderless dive off of the Lick Pier in California in July 1927 into the ocean and got confused by the waves. She swam out to sea and drowned despite attempts to resuce her.

  • they made the diving look cooler in the movies. if you've ever seen vids of the real senora webster, the horse just kind of walks to the edge, lies down and just sort of scoots itself off lol. in the movies it like jumps from the ramp. but oh well, still cool

  • i think its cool tht horse has 2 really trust his rider 2 do tht i wish my horse would do tht 4 me!!!!!!

  • wow they had to be close horse and rider I mean, to have trusted that horse with your life daily you would have to have a close bond. I have ridden thousand of horses but I don't think I'd have the guts to be a diving girl.

  • animal cruelty

  • poor horses! i hate tht they have to dive

  • They never had to. An interview with the owner of the Atlantic City Diving Horses said they all did it of there own free will, none were forced to jump.

  • atleast their not being slaughterd.

  • @ttori932: a lot of them made their last dive to the slaughterhouse after their diving career was over...

  • @pinkfeathers2006 no they diddint not a single one was sent to the slaughter house well 2 where but where rescued by an animal group

  • more like the falling horse!

  • how sad going into water scared to deaf above like 100 feet.

    I HATE DIVING HORSE

  • scared to deaf?

  • sorry lol i wasent watching my spelling

  • poor horses they are forced and hear this a girl went blind doing this she went into the water with her eyes open and it made her blind so there are real dangers !! poor horses u wouldnt like being forced to jump about 40-60 in the air then land in the water i know i wouldnt it is dangers !

  • i just watched that movie.

    i can't believe they did stuff like this it's insane.

  • yes i have some idea no horse is gonna go jumping off a diving board becuz you ask them to they would have to force them thats so in humane!

  • to random101224

    horses will not jump unless they want to or they see someone do it like their owner. my horse acts the same way i do. he will follow me through anything if i show him. he trusts me. so your not right. get over it.

  • that is so stupid u hav no idea wat the horses probly hav to go throu to be forced to do sumthn like that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!­!

  • and you do?

  • I find the whole idea of horse diving very interesting. Of course I'm a wuss and could never do something like that, lol.

    And to the people who claim this is abuse, seriously, grow up. I'm pretty sure this isn't practiced anymore. And to those who compare this to dog fights. Let me state, dogs fight all the time! It's how they show dominance. Even against people. That's gonnna happen weather people find it entertaining or not. But that's just my 2 cents ^_^

  • Your very right, but the only thing I worry about is what happens to these horses? I read in a book they eventually die becasue the rider finds and is made to ride another horse for her career. Most or some of these horses may have been slaughterd

  • thanx for not writing anything rude.... lots of people do that :P

  • Wow. That's amazing.

  • What's the beginning song ???

  • amazing, i don't who it is by, so sorry, i can't help u very much... sorry! :P

  • i liked that song!.....and i thought that horse diving was fake at first....cause i never heard of it!......who knew? lol

  • When I was about 14 years old my friend Marty had a summer job of taking care of the horse. The horse was treated nicely and actually liked taking the dive. He would run right up the ramp. And would have a sense of happiness in his eye's afterwards..That's what I remember........

  • It is so cruel to the horses that have to do it!!

  • the horses are trained to do it, if they didn't like it they wouldn't do it... please no negative comments!

  • thanks...i got to see the diving horses...in atlantic city...the horses never seemed uncomfortable...

  • i like dis video i would b to scared to do it tho but i love the movie "wild hearts cant be broken' where tey do this and the girl goes blind

  • This video is awesome :D :D :D Five Stars for you!!! On the same note, this was not horse abuse, this was a union between horse and rider, much like modern day eventing - NOT the shortened format!!! Bring back REAL eventing!!!!

  • There was a movie on this right? she went blind i think

  • that is soooooooooo dangerous

  • and how amazing is it that this is a "diving" horse. they are all so very unique. aren't they?

  • 5 stars, and this is lovely. Horses are amazing. I love them.

  • this was very helpful for my presentation in equine studies for college. thank you.

    ~Veronica

  • your very welcome. i don't know i was bored and this popped into my head. But if it was useful, than i'm happy!

  • I LOVE the music on this video!!!  Horse diving has to be one of the most breath-taking endeavors for horse and rider! I LOVE Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken; it is truly an inspiration!

  • ps. the sond is amazing... i don't know who its by, but it rox!

  • i can tell a lot of people think this is horse abuse, because look one of the related videos, it is called "END HORSE ABUSE"

  • but it isn't, the horses enjoy it, and it is what they are bred and trained to do. It is not abuse!

  • this looks so unsafe, not only can the rider and horse get hurt, but if the horse fif not want to do it, it is condsidered ANIMAL ABUSE! i am not trying to critisize you and your beleifes, or the sport, and others who do/did this, but i thin this is not natural and could resault in death!

  • This sport is no longer practised. it was not abuse. The horses enjoyed it, they were bred and trained to dive into the pools. If you consider this abure,then anything that yoy evjoy doing is abuse to. Yes they might smack the horse to get it going, but if you call that abuse as well, then regular riding should be banned. You can get just as injured doing other sports, or even horse backriding!

  • @SUPERlovesME anything can result in death. People jumping out of perfectly good airplanes and climbing sheer cliffs can result in death, but we do it all the time. These were professionally trained horses and trust me, anything you can think of training your horse to do will probably do it! It's just the level of respect you develop with your horse. Animal abusers need to go where there is actual abuse, not this horseshit.

  • Sadly I don't see any horses 'diving' in these videos. Thankfully the public and horse handlers wised up. Its a shame that people truely thought it was entertainment or that the horses would do it on their own- self preservation makes them put their legs out in front, and when the ground disappears beneath you your only choice is to leap for something. They couldn't exactly hang on.Anyway, glad its no longer.

  • lol You got that from Fugly

    I agree though.

    I don't care if a horse 'wants' to do it, it should NEVER do it.

    It's like dog fighting. It doesn't matter if the dog wants to fight, it should NEVER fight.

    Just because it's cool, or amazing looking, or the horse is acturally wants to do it (Doubt it) The horse just shouldn't do it. It's just wrong in so many ways.

    You are the adult in a relationship between a horse and rider, do what's safe.

  • the only thing that is fugly, is your face... Fucking Ugly! AKA Fugly now shut up!

  • No, my dear, I believe that horrible comeback was the only thing fugly.

  • I totally agree with your comment

  • Thank you ^.^ lol

  • It turns out a couple of people were also killed during the dive and horses were getting injured. With new knowledge on animals rights the show lost its popularity because people understood that it was quite cruel and therefore while going out of business the peer was sold. If you don't believe me let me know and I will show you the links to several websites that will let you know. Find your resources before you judge people or make opinions

  • it also turned out that over 100,000 horses and people were killed in every war!

  • So she wouldn't have had the education on animal welfare back then and I am sure she thought what she was doing was harmless. BUT, I have done some research and it turns out that electric prods, and trap doors were used. And before old matey cries and says my Aunty Senora never did that, there were more then one diving horse companies out there.

  • That includes the brothers uncles nephews cousin of Senora's or whatever you claim to be, it sounds to me like you really don't have any idea. Now I have had a bit of a look on the internet, and, once again I stress that I am sure the real Senora Webster would have never intentionally put her horse in a stressful situation, but we have more knowledge today about animal welfare then what Senora did back then.

  • Hi there. I would like to start by saying that the movie based on Senora'Webster has been an inspiration to me from the time I was a child to the present day. I wanted to be a diving girl and a strong person just like Senora. But, we need to remember that the character in the movie was just that, a character. I am sure that the real Senora loved her horses and would never dream of doing anything to intentionally hurt them, but we really don't know.

  • Sonora told my husband back in the 1960s her horse "went to pasture" (in Louisiana if his memory serves him right) when he was retired. They had a loving bond and the horse lived its last years in a happy, serene place.

  • Dear Notionsradical,

    Sonora was a gracious lady. She also lived in different times and circumstances then today. She loved her horses. From what I know from the family this is true. Why don't you try not to hate so much and think of something positive to say. It might make you smile.

    Again, I am Sonora's great nephews wife,...but pondering before I close........

    Sonora was a spunky gal. I really don't think she would have given a hoot what you thought.

    Have a good day.

  • wow this amazing! it shows just how close these gorses were to thier riders. they were such good horses willing to do what ever thier riders asked of them...what an amazing bond

  • well, they either dive or get beaten. and they had little say...the thing tilts over and sends it into the drink!

  • My husband's father's first cousin was Sonara Carver. She was a real Lady. She would not ever be cruel to anyone, much less an animal. They were connected. I give her credit and can even tell you this......when she visited she brought her beloved Seeing Eye Dog....she loved All animals.

    Thank you for letting me comment

  • she was blind in more ways than one....blind to the fact that her horse was not into it at all. how dare she take nature and pervert it...making a horse do what comes so unnaturally for her own fame and fortune. sonara carver makes me sick.

  • @notionsradical The band scared the horse you IDIOT the horse jump at the wrong time she did NOTHING TO INJURE HERSELF she hemorrhaged because she had her eyes open when she dived and that is what caused her to be blind .

  • funny how fishing isn't cruel, hunting isn't cruel, bull riding isn't cruel, fixing a cat or dog isn't cruel, diving off a cement platform 30ft up isn't cruel. It's a matter of opinion.

  • @supportthetroopers Bull Riding is cruelty after you go to a certain limit

  • look man, it was the 30s and 40s no1 cared much about animal cruelty back then and im pretty sure the horses would refuse to dive if they hated doing it...i mean they are smart beasts and would obviously learn fast enough to stop diving if it hurt...and i highly doubt they trained and forced a fresh horse to dive for every show...dont you?