---"Each of these horses was loved and cared for by their families and will be sorely missed," the Stampede news release said.---
Right. Would you take a horse you loved over that drop to amuse the crowd?
Sure. It's just a horse!! You can always buy a new horse tomorrow!! Besides, I have a lot of animals, and I care for them. But I don't "love" them. I love my wife, and kids. But not my horse. In fact I like my cows too. But once a year, when one reaches the 7-year mark (milk production slows), we have her butchered, and enjoy the meat for an entire year!!