<BLOCKQUOTE class=“ip-ubbcode-quote”><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by BaldEagle:
<BLOCKQUOTE class=“ip-ubbcode-quote”><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by_ SeaOat_:
If we can (unlike so many other countries) funnel thousands, on top of thousands, of small animals through private, state & federal agencies (to be placed or euthanized) without the advantage of slaughter, then WHY is it so hard to conceive the same laws and plans for horses??? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
The “small animal spending” is a result of the serious human health related problems that can be created by stray animals. Not the case of the horse. Its human welfare that is at stake in this case.
Also we have long ago and in other threads gone through “numbers” to see how many horses could be “retired” with an average life span of 10 years. The numbers are staggering and could well top half a million horses in 10 years and thereafter. The logistical nightmare and the cost to provide adequate care for them are absolutely unacceptable in societies where a lot of human needs are not yet addressed for lack of adequate funding.
Just take some time to see the finances of some of the American states to see how things are. California is almost bankrupt and has an emergency budget with cuts in services everywhere. Many other states face similar situations.
Talking about spending a single dollar in retirement of horses ? No way.
Think about increasing retirement facilities and health care, drug plans and so on for humans and you will have my support.
<BLOCKQUOTE class=“ip-ubbcode-quote”><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Heather:
I think it’s easy to think the horse world is populated by folks like you find here. It’s not. Believe me. It’s not. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
I really appreciated your post and in my opinion you will have some day to eat your hat, something I sincerely regret …
Its EXACTLY as you say and I absolutely agree with you.
I am going to say something that a few will not like, taking the opportunity created by your post.
With some exceptions that just confirm the rule, most of the people that care to spend the time to sustain a verbal fight in Forums, are those that belong to what I call the “extremists” of the animal world.
Many of the more rational and moderated people with a pragmatic approach to this “horse slaughter” stuff just keep on “lurking” and only jump on it when somebody pinches one’s nerve and then we get a post, normally a good one.
This also creates the illusion that the majority of the people belong to that extremist group when that is definitely not the case. This is something similar to think, as you well said, that the horse world is populated by folks like you find here when it is not the case. That’s why, in another thread about the impending Illinois bill, when I was answering to one of those that I consider an extremist (two toofs) I talked about the “noisy extremist group” and about the “silent majority” that normally don’t fight or make noise but would make themselves heard when the time was right.
That’s why I never miss an opportunity to try to be an obstacle to those extremists because sometimes, my posts, help create a controversy that pinches some nerves that led people to jump in and speak up their minds. So my posts have always that double objective:
To make clear my opinion and show that not everybody share those extremists points of view and try to provoke others to do the same. If we let go this will be like a growing snowball with dangerous consequences. The United Kingdom is being FORCED by those animal freaks to come up with legislation to curb their activities as you could see in the BBC links posted in one of my posts above. Other countries are considering the same and the European Union in thinking about doing the same for the 25 countries that joined the EU. With tremendous urgent and important tasks ahead the EU is loosing time to come up with legislation to curb those animal freaks. It’s insane. This is, in some cases a result of what I call the “too rich syndrome” or, in others, a distorted, perverted and inhumane view of what the priorities of our society should be.
I will never let them go away with it without a fight.
<BLOCKQUOTE class=“ip-ubbcode-quote”><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by free:
SeaOat…everyone that I know personally does euthanize when a horse reaches the point where it is suffering. Unfortunately this is not the norm among the racing industry. I fully agree with you. The racing industry creates the majority of the mistakes and is where irresponsible breeding should be stopped in its track. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Here again goes someone stepping on other people’s rights. In the name of what right do you think that other people’s individual rights should be curtailed ?
I am not a breeder, I am not a racer. I like the races as a spectator and for another very good reason: Because their activity (be it TB’s or STB’s) creates a continuous flow of very good pure bred horses that are sold cheap, so folks like me that can’t afford warm bloods, can also have the opportunity to buy a pureblood horse.
Now I ask:
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In the name of what rights do you think you are entitled to curtail my opportunity and that of many, many others to have a good horse ?
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Who are you to think you are entitled to do that ?
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How many jobs does the race industry provide ?
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With what right do you think that those that work for the racing industry should be fired just to comply with your @#$%^&* ideas about horse welfare?
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How many do you think it was acceptable to you to be put without livelihood just to satisfy your horsy feelings? 
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In my opinion NOT A SINGLE ONE!
Even not thinking about warmbloods, what would the price of the average horse be in North America without the flow of uncompetitive TB’s /STB’s and the flow of foals from the PMU related industry ? 2 ? 3? 4? 5 times higher ?
I understand some positions ONLY from the commercial perspective…
When the horse is injured beyond recovery or reaches a point were it is suffering, for me it should be up to their owners to decide to euthanize it and let it rot away somewhere or send it to slaughter and use everything that is left.
- Do you know that a horse hide saddle lasts five to ten times more that the cow hides ones last ? (I also can explain you why).
And if in the end the French want to eat it, for me its fine. You see, since the times of Napoleon and what he did throughout Europe and especially after Mr. ChIraq oh pardon… Mr. Chirac come to power, I think they need a good deworming too… Who knows if they don’t get it ? 
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Huh? Actually don’t answer that. I barely make it through the first paragraph of your posts.
post some pics! (is he a chestnut? Silly question but I think I remember his mom was one)