I have a horse which I board. I am moving to another stable and while common sense tells me you do not smoke in a barn full of hay, the boarding agreements always address the smoking issue as well as reminder signs are posted on the premises. I can't help but think back to my childhood days when tobacco advertising was allowed on the airways. Marlboro had the coolest ads always showing a cowboy on a beautiful horse with the logo, "Come to Marlboro country"
I have since seen anti-smoking advertisements showing the "Marlboro man" hooked up to an oxygen tank; bald/wrinkled and aged sitting in a wheel chair attempting to "de-glorify" smoking. Plus I might add, tobacco ads were banned from the airwaves.
Today as I sit here typing this I would like to dispel any myths/perceptions/ideas or thoughts that non horse people have regarding smoking and horses. Smoking and horses ARE NOT synonymous!!!! There is a reason that it is called "horse sense", have you ever seen a horse with a burning cigerette hanging from its lips? Now that is a picture I have to focus on when the urge to smoke sneaks up on me.
The advertisement people know what they are doing whether it be to get people to buy cigerettes or get smokers to quit. They either glorify their position or attempt to instill the fear factor (who wants to sit in a wheelchair hooked up to oxygen?). The irony is horses do not smoke nor do they have pockets to hold the money from advertising dollars. My horse does not express an opinion on whether I smoke or not. So does anyone know how smoking and horses become tantamount?
I guess it is a good thing I hugged my smoke free horse today. Have a nice weekend everyone.
