...Advocates of the theory put forward as this article does, pitting man against animal as cruel, advertise their ignorance to history and human/animal coexistence. Man is not “against” the interests of an animal (in this case a horse) when preparing an animal in support of human endeavour: Include in this category, live cattle exports.

...Would you suggest Nicholas, “Black Caviar” is mistreated and is forced to race. No, racing horses are harnessed to race and directed and encouraged to race. In no way could the notion of horse racing be interpreted as cruelty; dangerous yes, cruel no!

How on earth did our civilisation get to the stage where we fund people to produce this garbage. It really is a pity that so many people with so little to do with earning their own food, produce this rubbish at our cost.

Nicholas doesn't even have a clue about his topic, or is producing this muck to ingratiate himself in the animal liberation community.

I wonder if he has even got close to an animal, let alone ridden a horse, milked a cow or goat, or fed a chook. If he has it sure doesn't come across in his article.

Doesn't he realise that horses, dogs cats cattle, & many other species have benefited enormously from their contact with man. They may be ridden, milked or even eaten, but most of them would never have existed if man had not wanted them.

Meanwhile thousands, like me, hang on in properties that are really too big for them to maintain, because we have some ageing mates who need a paddock to live in. Having a stallion around the place is a damn nuisance, but our old boy has helped 2 of my kids grow up, something animals are very good at, & he has a paddock as long as I am around to supply it.

Perhaps Nicholas would do more good by adopting a couple of old race horses, or retired greyhounds, rather than bleating about them.

This is a question of values and nothing to do with benefiting animals. Nicholas wants to force his vegan values on the rest of us.

You are free to be a vegan. We are free not to be vegans. Leave it at that, you control freak.

I love roo burgers $ 4.50 a pak of 4 IGA.

I always thought it funny that our most popular sporting event is one where the 'athletes' don't physically move, and all the work is done by some animal that doesn't get any rewards (let alone gets to shake out a bottle of champagne).

And no, I can't be bothered watching the Cup- another boring "sport".

I agree totally with the comments of DiverDan and Hasbeen. People are mostly extremely fond of and devoted to the welfare of their animals, even the biggest racing trainers. Have you ever, Nicholas, seen an interview with Peter Snowden or Chris Waller? Recently, after having trained the first two horses home in a major Sydney race, Waller had tears in his eyes and his only concern was for the welfare of his third runner, which had fallen late in the race (and was, thankfully, unharmed and has since been retired in very comfortable circumstances). I'm sorry, Nicholas, but if I had an animal I wanted cared for I would give it someone who has dedicated their lifetime to looking after them, not to an animal activist.

If you want to see animals exposed to cruel circumstances, have a look at the natural world. I live in the middle of 230 acres of natural Tasmanian bushland. It is not a cute and fluffy environment, Nicholas, especially when you see a snake consuming a baby rabbit. But it is a beautiful environment nonetheless.