I get the vegan thing alright, but I don't get the I won't use cows so give me some plastic instead thing. How many animals are harmed and or killed by the petroleum industry each year. How is using plastic which does not bio degrade, and comes from petroleum better than using something from a renewable resource that does biodegrade. You don't want to buy a dead cow, OK, but how is plastic better than leather? I know in many cass non-animal, non-petroleum alternatives don't really exist. Most leather saddles are leather covered plastic anyway. Maybe the Fred Flintstone saddle is the only choice.