Non-Sports Post of the Week...

Yesterday, my friend Justin and I went to the Anheuser-Busch plant in St. Louis, Missouri. We took the free tour of the facility that was offered and were moderately impressed. Afterwards, we were able to try different products in a "refreshments bar," which seemed for most to be the general highlight of the tour.

Unfortunately, the tour was marred by Anheuser-Busch's treatment of their namesake "Clydesdale" horses. The first stop on the tour took us into a stable which housed four or five of the trademark animals. While the stables were quite clean, they did not afford the animals much room, and due to the nature of the size of the animals, provided little comfort.

Foremost among these animals was a dark Clydesdale named "Luke," who appeared to be quite disconsolate in his cage. As I looked at the dark, proud eyes of the gentle beast, I could not help but think that his destiny should lay somewhere outside the confines of the cage. Luke would not eat; his eyes were down as he looked away from the visitors. Additionally, the tour group was loud, the heat stifling, and the stable nondescript.

Since Anheuser-Busch has no practical use for these horses other than novelty, why not allow the animals to live a normal life in, say, somewhere other than downtown St. Louis? Luke was the most depressed animal I think I've ever seen in my life. Free the Clydesdales!