Comments on: The State of the Horse Industry: Part 4

By: Rick

Rick — Mon, 09 May 2011 17:06:51 +0000

Great Article, more thoughts at: http://www.haltershorsetack.com/488/is-there-to-many-wild-horses/

By: Tweets that mention listed those links in order of the series. here's more: and i still have 2 write conclusn -- Topsy.com

Wed, 05 May 2010 14:58:44 +0000

[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Jenn Zeller. Jenn Zeller said: @Shoo_B listed those links in order of the series. here's more: http://bit.ly/b0h69C http://bit.ly/b0h69C and i still have 2 write conclusn [...]

By: Mary

Mary — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 17:17:48 +0000

Bret – The proposed slaughterplant in Missouri (or any U.S. state for that matter) continues to puzzle me. Effective 1/31/2011, the EU (where much of the horsemeat goes) has new restrictions on allowable drugs in equids destined for slaughter. All such equids will have to travel with the equivalent of a medical passport which details every drug, wormer, steroid, etc. administered to the horse. Some drugs (Bute, for example) makes a horse permanently ineligible for food in the EU. Proof of the passage of full withdrawal time for the others will have to be proven by entries on the “passport.” As a result of these new (or, really, newly enforced) EU rules, the CFIS has issued it’s own parallel rules (http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/meavia/man/ch17/annexee.shtml). Slaughter facilities handling equines in Canada will need at least a six month history of medication use for equine brought to the facility starting July 31, 2010.

Does this Missouri slaughterhouse have a facility to quarantine slaughter-bound horses for 6 months?

I don’t know how these new rules will affect the U.S. horse market, but I would assume it will depress it even further than the general economy has already done?

Personally, I am 100% opposed to horseslaughter, and it infuriates me that individuals – “low income” or no – who chose to take on the responsibility of the animal as long as it was worth money now (at least many people on here insist) dump or underfeed the horse because it costs too much. I guess the character trait “Responsibility” is supposed to have a price tag? People that dump their horses or do not feed them appropriately – in lieu of setting aside the funds and paying to have them humanely euthanized and their carcasses disposed of – are animal abusers and nothing more. They deserve to be charged with by their County prosecutors. Here in Michigan (and this is only anecdotal to my experience), abuse of horses around me seems to depend on whether or not the owner gives a damn and NOT on income level. I have seen way too many skinny horses owned by people who most definitely had enough money to properly feed them, and way too many low income people who make sure their horses, their livestock, and their pets are all properly fed, watered and bedded down before they sit down to their own dinners to think the slaughterhouses were anything other than a convenience.

By: Bret

Bret — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 14:40:21 +0000

Tracy, while I agree with your overall sentiment, I must correct you and say that most states still consider horses livestock (at least in the midwest and western states) and can be tax exemptable. Most livestock is domesticated, I think the term you were looking for would be “companion animal” which is another way of saying pet.

Missouri is also working on getting around the USDA ban on inspectors. The MO House passed a bill on April 2nd setting up a funding through the MO Dept. of Ag. that would pay USDA inspectors.

By: Tracy

Tracy — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 13:28:12 +0000

Okay people, slow down. Horses are not livestock, they are considered domesticated animals legally. I have even contacted my local police department and I would not be breaking any laws or ordinances by having a horse in my backyard because of this. You get “tax breaks” for livestock, and you can not get them from horses. Cattle, donkeies, goats, but not horses. I am going to vet school, but I have a problem. I want to practice large animals, including horses. But I either have to double specialized with large animals and equine, or I must do mixed animals. Due to the new look toward horses not being just any ‘ole livestock, they were removed from the large animal curriculum and put into the domesticated animal curriculum right along with your dogs and cats.
HORSES ARE NO LONGER CONSIDERED LIVESTOCK. No tax breaks, or protection that comes with being livestock. If your area floods or a fire breaks out, you can take your cattle, sheep, pigs, and goats, but you must leave the horses behind with all the other domesticated animals. A sad sad sad thing indeed if you ask me.
In my area, horses don’t even get a single bid unless they can spin or something like that in the ring. Even dead broke and kid safe ponies, and show minis- which almost always sell well. A horse last weekend sold $10 to the kill buyer, while it’s broke and safe counterpart didn’t get a single bid. Many people around here turn horses loose, let them starve to death, put the dog on them, turn stud with stud out to fight, or shoot them. I have been given 7 horses in the last couple of years, some in so bad condition I had to pull them off the trailer. I kept them untill the died, and gave them a good life while they waited. I only sold 1 of them, as I kept him for 2 years and put training on him- and he had no broken bones or anything.
Something must be done, and I think it’s reopen slaughter. My state is working on legislation that goes around the ban (which just stopped federal funding for inspectors). I think it will do well, the only problem is we don’t have a facility.
Keep writing, don’t stop.

By: Sharron Marshall

Sharron Marshall — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 09:46:35 +0000

oh dear it really is a controversial subject, your points are so valid & unfortunately the banning of horse slaughter in America has had a terrible side affect of these horses being transported over long distances without food or water & often hurt. I do not agree with horse slaughter, but deep in my heart I know as you said that it would often cut short the suffering that some of these horses are currently enduring. Until the cause of the excess horses is addressed they should not have banned the slaughter houses. Supply & demand. Reduce the supply & we reduce a lot of the problems. Back yard breeders & the racing industry have a lot to answer for when it comes to horse welfare. Here in Australia the racing industry breeds approx 200,000 horses each year. A huge amount of these will never see a track. They are either sent to the local sale yards, picked up by doggers, & often end up in rescue centres because they are a lot of work to turn into an everyday riding horse. If they didn’t breed so many we wouldn’t have such a problem. This goes for dogs, cats & a whole range of other animals. The people on properties are using their horses for working. The people in the city regard them as pets or they are for pleasure, it is this reason that a lot of the conflict arises. Each side of the discussion just doesn’t understand each others point of view. Life & death on a property is a lot different to that of a suburban back yard.
Love your blog!

By: Tana

Tana — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 17:09:27 +0000

Horse are livestock. They are not a lap dog. Their purpose is to work. I disagree with you when you say Money is not the only reason for horse slaughter. Horses are being abandoned all over the place to fend for themselves. Most of these horses are used to being in taken care of. Food and water placed right in front of them. They are starving to death.

By: ~The South Dakota Cowgirl~

~The South Dakota Cowgirl~ — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 14:24:32 +0000

First of all Tommy, you’re pretty brave, coming onto a site where clearly I’m all for lifting this ban on slaughter. But secondly, you’d have a lot better luck getting your own message across if you’d learn to communicate effectively through writing, spelling and grammar.
I’m also not completely sure to what “tax breaks” you refer.

That said, Horses are not pets. They’re too big and too expensive to be pets. Their upkeep alone is more than most in the world can afford, clearly- or we’d not be having people abandoning them. They’re cost prohibitive, space prohibitive and are simply not a dog or cat. They’re also dangerous- too dangerous to be treated like a dog or cat. I’ve seen people get concussions, be trampled and stepped on by their horses because they have treated them like a dog. The horse of course has no idea it’s hurt the human, as it was only doing what horses do- but disrespect on the ground, translates to poor riding under saddle. It’s all related.

I believe that the AAEP and the AVMA are doing their job to uphold and protect horses- they’ve done research that shows that a horse can feel no pain when the cerebral cortex is stunned, or knocked out. Do people make mistakes when they slaughter horses- I’m sure they do.
But I am also sure those mistakes are fewer and farther between than you’d have us all to believe. Further, I don’t know a single pro-slaughter advocate that is in favor of sending these horses to Mexico, but the fact of the matter is that people’s priorities change, rescues are full, and there’s only so much grass to go around. None of us like the idea of processing horses- but there is a need for it, and if I can feed another person in the process, all the better.

In my opinion, your comments are a great example of someone who really hasn’t done the research or studied the facts. The facts are there are more horses being abandonded. The facts are that the horses rescues are seeing are in poorer condition than ever. The facts are, animal abuse cases when it comes to horses are up. The facts are many rescues across the country are full. The facts are you can’t even give a registered horse away right now. I know this, because not only have I personally tried, but I know upwards of 5 people that have also tried. All you people that believe you’re saving horses have done, is prolong the life of horses, shove them into trailers for a long and longer ride to Canada or Mexico. No one that is pro-animal welfare is in favor of those things. We’d rather have things the way they were- though I’m sure we’d like to see more ergonomically designed facilities.

It’s all flowers and roses to say that we shouldn’t slaughter horses- that we should save them all, but the fact is, by slaughtering them, we are saving them. End of story.

By: Tommy Lee

Tommy Lee — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 03:18:32 +0000

Seem we have all heard this pro slaughter lies before.. Ive said this once and will say it again. Slaughter is an incentive to reward irresponsible people.. Should these horses be children I wonder what your thoughts maybe..
Horses are only consider livestock because of the tax breaks they get on large areas of land. During the slaughter operations foreigner owned and operated by illegals. Auctioneers and killers should be held accountable for the abuse and neglect that happen daily. Instead these irresponsible people were paid for there horses at meat.
Why dont you ever hear stories of Killers or Auctioneers setting of fees etc that would go directly to there locally own horse rescues. Why doesnt the AAEP and the AVMA that took an Oath in office to protect the horses set fees to assist horse rescues. Why didnt the government shut these foreigners down Imediately when found out to be operating against a 1949 law in Texas. Money the only reason slaughter ever existed.. Now the economy has taken a dive and Pro slaughter once again are promoting lies to profit. They dont care about Mexican plants being inhumane the Mexican plant owned Beltex in Texas. They remained open should Texas shut beltex down. Why not post about helping horse rescues. Hmm rather support these irresponsible people.. Italy has finally posted the banning of horsemeat and the EU is now complying a strict 90 day quaranteen for horses intented for slaughter.. to let the drugs flow completely thru the system. For years USDA ignore these drugs they knew but once again the MONEY rules not health to people.. for more info visit the facts at http://www.SaveDaHorses.org

By: Tana

Tana — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 22:15:40 +0000

I agree. Around here people who can’t afford to feed or euthianize their horses, are driving to the middle of the reservations or state land and just dumping the horses off to fend for themselves.