miniwhinny
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The Warm Springs Indian Tribe here in Central Oregon have horses they run loose on the reservation (these are NOT the famous Warm Springs Mustangs from SE Oregon) for years they've bred indiscriminately and sold the foals in horrible condition at the horse auction in Madras. This week they are holding an auction on the reservation. They have openly said (it's all over our local news) that every horse not sold will be killed immediately after the auction. The Humane society and local rescue groups are planning on buying as many as possible.
This whole situation disgusts me but I'm urging people to do something I never thought I'd find myself doing.....
PLEASE...don't go and don't buy these horses. While it breaks my heart to even feel that way - here's my reasoning...
I speak from experience, because I've talked to one of the guys bringing foals to the auction a few years ago. I asked him why he's letting his foals go for $50, full of worms and badly nurished. He told me up front - "why not". It costs them NOTHING to produce these foals. The animals run loose on the reservation and nothing is done with them. They get no shots, no worming and no vet care. If a foal is produced it's $50 clear profit.
If people go there and bid on these horses it does nothing but reward this dreadful behavior. I'm 100% aware that it's a death sentence to any horse not sold but I really think this is something we have to look long term at. For every $50 they earn this weekend it's just more reason to turn them back out to breed again. They do it to get those few dollars and don't care if it comes from a genuine "shopper" or a rescue group...in the end it's all money! If people were to look at the good of the horses long term you can see that if people stopped encouraging this reckless breeding and no one buys then perhaps a lesson would be learned.
I don't know what the answer is, I really don't and the thought of all of those horses who are going to be killed this weekend through no fault of their own breaks my heart but rewarding it is just going to cause it to be done again. I'm usually such a practical person, I know life isn't always roses - but today there are horses out their living their lives the way they should and in a few days they will be killed because the people who own them don't care.
If the horses are part of a larger culture issue then run them wild but run only mares and geldings. Hold out a few really nice studs and perhaps one every 4 or 5 years run one with a band of mares. Here in Oregon they're competing in a market already flooded with victims of the recession and dozens of BLM mustang herds producing hundreds of unwanted horses themselves.
Sorry, but I just had to vent on this one! I believe the only answer lies with no breeding policy, not a breed and kill what doesn't sell one.
This whole situation disgusts me but I'm urging people to do something I never thought I'd find myself doing.....
PLEASE...don't go and don't buy these horses. While it breaks my heart to even feel that way - here's my reasoning...
I speak from experience, because I've talked to one of the guys bringing foals to the auction a few years ago. I asked him why he's letting his foals go for $50, full of worms and badly nurished. He told me up front - "why not". It costs them NOTHING to produce these foals. The animals run loose on the reservation and nothing is done with them. They get no shots, no worming and no vet care. If a foal is produced it's $50 clear profit.
If people go there and bid on these horses it does nothing but reward this dreadful behavior. I'm 100% aware that it's a death sentence to any horse not sold but I really think this is something we have to look long term at. For every $50 they earn this weekend it's just more reason to turn them back out to breed again. They do it to get those few dollars and don't care if it comes from a genuine "shopper" or a rescue group...in the end it's all money! If people were to look at the good of the horses long term you can see that if people stopped encouraging this reckless breeding and no one buys then perhaps a lesson would be learned.
I don't know what the answer is, I really don't and the thought of all of those horses who are going to be killed this weekend through no fault of their own breaks my heart but rewarding it is just going to cause it to be done again. I'm usually such a practical person, I know life isn't always roses - but today there are horses out their living their lives the way they should and in a few days they will be killed because the people who own them don't care.
If the horses are part of a larger culture issue then run them wild but run only mares and geldings. Hold out a few really nice studs and perhaps one every 4 or 5 years run one with a band of mares. Here in Oregon they're competing in a market already flooded with victims of the recession and dozens of BLM mustang herds producing hundreds of unwanted horses themselves.
