I laughed so loud I scared the dogs...

[nekomegami_chan]

OK, so I was browsing through horse stuff on the net, when a series of links led me to another LJ community called

Comments

[harnessphoto]

If you read any up to date veterinary article, you'll find out that "putting pressure on their kidneys" is a myth. That whole "two point" while they pee is an old wives tale. A human, especially a 120lb one, isn't heavy enough to do damage to a horse's kidneys by sitting on them.

[nekomegami_chan]

Maybe not damage, but horse's aren't really designed to carry weight on their backs, and any weight beyond the 18th rib can be painful. The kidneys thing in more of a slang for being on the horse's lower back and putting undue pressure on the sacro-illiac joint.

[maggies_lens]

I always got told to do the 2-point thing more for their comfort than any physcial-damage issues. Plus it just feels ... weird.. sitting there while they 'go' :P

[harnessphoto]

I go into two point too... it does feel weird... But if you're in two point, your weight is still in your stirrups, which are connected to the saddle... so you're still on the horse's back. Yes, your weight is shifted, but it really doesn't make much of a difference.

[sweetie_pie0900]

Yea. It's more of an "Ouch that hurts" than a "you're going to do permanent damage" thing.

And I've worked with quite a few chiropractors, and I've seen horses that have kidney issues [horses with strong, healthy kidneys don't usually do this] let you know it hurts when there's pressure there

[harnessphoto]

Also, to be fair: there were some really random comments under the original video. Things like, "you're taking away your horse's dignity!" and "That's not a trick! You're FORCING him to lay down". Second video might be in response to THAT...