The collapse of a horse during the 2025 Calgary Stampede parade is raising serious concerns about the treatment of animals used in public events. While media reports frame it as a one-off incident, it underscores a deeper truth: horses don’t belong in parades—or any form of entertainment. They’re sensitive animals with strong flight instincts, not accessories for human amusement. And events like the Calgary Stampede are failing them.
Horses are Not Here for Us to Parade Around
This fall might not have ended in death, like some events like the chuckwagon races too often do—but it’s still a sign that these events are not safe for animals. And while Stampede organizers and media outlets often highlight safety protocols or veterinary checks, no amount of monitoring can change the fact that these events are built on exploitation.
Horses are naturally anxious in noisy, crowded spaces. The Calgary Stampede horse collapse shows how parades push animals beyond their limits—all for human amusement. These are not “traditions worth preserving”; they’re outdated displays that treat animals like objects.
It’s time we move away from outdated forms of entertainment and toward a culture that celebrates animals without using them.
Companies Like WestJet Shouldn’t Be Sponsoring Cruelty
The Calgary Stampede horse collapse should be a wake-up call to brands. WestJet, a major long-time Stampede sponsor, is helping fund bull riding, an event that puts animals in harm’s way. It’s time for companies to align with public values—not cling to cruel, outdated spectacles.
Let’s show companies that there’s nothing entertaining about animal suffering.
