Hey Ho, a Pirate's Life for Me

Working. Sigh.

Every once and a while, someone will announce to me that it's cruel to make horses pull carriages, run around a race-track, jump obstacles.

These same people –– so far! –– will NOT agree with me when I suggest that throwing a tennis ball over and over is torture for dogs.

They are quick to assure me that, no! no! fetching is a game!

Sure it is.

Tell that to your average retriever. 

via GIPHY

Somehow the very idea of work get the stink eye ––  golly, we wouldn't even wish it on our animal friends. The same animal buddies whose stalwart character and skills we've selected for across hundreds of generations.

But did any of us evolve all these years find our joy while melting into the upholstery?  Add a bag of chips and a winning Lotto ticket, et voilá!  The American Dream nirvana!

I don't mean to rant. Or actually I do. I just don't want to glaze anyone's eyes for them. Save the anesthetized stare for the third season of whatever's streaming today. Grrr.

What kind of malarkey are we putting on toast?

I'm not above it, truly. Work can suck.

Carriage horses sometimes die of heat exhaustion. Racehorses twist an elegant ankle and are seen no more on green pastures. 

But can a person deny a horse the joy of running? The snarfling satisfaction of a well-fetched stick? The sweaty pleasure of that last log split and stacked?