From what I've been reading on various horse-oriented forums, all that banning horse slaughter in the US has done is assure that many horses sold through local auctions will take a MISERABLE 'last ride' to Mexico or Canada for slaughter. Some 'improvement', huh??? The whole 'push' to ban slaughter in the US was VERY short-sighted, IMO, and has not really 'improved' the situation for unwanted horses.
In a perfect world, the kind of people who breed ANYTHING and EVERYTHING, at minimal expense and maximum profit, would STOP DOING SO--and the 'need' for horse slaughter would drop immensely--although I have to honestly say that I think there will ALWAYS be SOME horses that turn out, for any number of reasons, to be suited ONLY for slaughter--NOT because they have gotten OLD, but due to an intractable temperment and the like. Let's be honest--there are NOT enough financial resources in the world to 'save' EVERY horse, no matter how much, ideally, some think we should. For my part, I will do my best for those I am already responsible for--which might, and SHOULD, include the option of humane euthanization at some point.
Some of you probably aren't going to like this reference, but I have been reading the "FHOTD" site pretty regularly...and although I do NOT agree always or completely with the author's opinions and tone, nor that of some of the responses, I have to say that I APPLAUD someone who 'calls it as she sees it' as she does;as a knowledgable horse person! Is she always 'on point'? Not in all cases, but often, yes...she rails against horse breeding and management(more accurately, LACK of same!)practices, that NEED to be railed against, and often exposes 'breeders' and 'owners' that in MY opinion, need to be eliminated from the human breeding pool,themselves.(Remember, I said, MY opinion!) I would say that the problem of overproduction of horses that will end up not being very desirable, and therefore at risk of ending up in a slaughter auction, is WIDESPREAD throughout the horse industry, period. It is 'easier' to overproduce MINIATURE horses, for reasons already outlined by others; it seems to me that the best effort we ALL can make is to educate new owners, QUIT stressing 'breeding potential' about virtually EVERY 'entire' horse offered for sale, and in the case of EVERY person who is breeding, to look closely at whether you are carefully and selectively trying to produce animals that are better than their parents, or are basically producing numbers, for income. Honestly, the longer I live, the more I realize that I am uncomfortable with the concept of producing companion-type animals for sale/profit. It is just too 'iffy', for me, personally, anymore.
Margo
In a perfect world, the kind of people who breed ANYTHING and EVERYTHING, at minimal expense and maximum profit, would STOP DOING SO--and the 'need' for horse slaughter would drop immensely--although I have to honestly say that I think there will ALWAYS be SOME horses that turn out, for any number of reasons, to be suited ONLY for slaughter--NOT because they have gotten OLD, but due to an intractable temperment and the like. Let's be honest--there are NOT enough financial resources in the world to 'save' EVERY horse, no matter how much, ideally, some think we should. For my part, I will do my best for those I am already responsible for--which might, and SHOULD, include the option of humane euthanization at some point.
Some of you probably aren't going to like this reference, but I have been reading the "FHOTD" site pretty regularly...and although I do NOT agree always or completely with the author's opinions and tone, nor that of some of the responses, I have to say that I APPLAUD someone who 'calls it as she sees it' as she does;as a knowledgable horse person! Is she always 'on point'? Not in all cases, but often, yes...she rails against horse breeding and management(more accurately, LACK of same!)practices, that NEED to be railed against, and often exposes 'breeders' and 'owners' that in MY opinion, need to be eliminated from the human breeding pool,themselves.(Remember, I said, MY opinion!) I would say that the problem of overproduction of horses that will end up not being very desirable, and therefore at risk of ending up in a slaughter auction, is WIDESPREAD throughout the horse industry, period. It is 'easier' to overproduce MINIATURE horses, for reasons already outlined by others; it seems to me that the best effort we ALL can make is to educate new owners, QUIT stressing 'breeding potential' about virtually EVERY 'entire' horse offered for sale, and in the case of EVERY person who is breeding, to look closely at whether you are carefully and selectively trying to produce animals that are better than their parents, or are basically producing numbers, for income. Honestly, the longer I live, the more I realize that I am uncomfortable with the concept of producing companion-type animals for sale/profit. It is just too 'iffy', for me, personally, anymore.
Margo