I wonder if the slaughterhouses that incinerate remains have to have special equipment to conform with air pollution regulations. That would add another expense.
There probably are not enough zoos that are in need of horse meat, nor enough hunts to take the carcasses.
The U.S. used to have an extensive market for dog food that contained horse meat. That use for horse meat has been unacceptable to pet owners for decades. I vaguely remember boycotts back in the 60s? 70s? when people learned that their dog food contained horse meat.
Itās a difficult proposition to make the humane slaughter of horses financially viable in the U.S. for sure, even if people would accept it.
Just note, āmost slaughter horses are quarter horsesā?
Well, think, most horses are quarter horses or grade horses that look like them.
Horses at the slaughter plant donāt come with papers, is a guess what breed they are.
Well, you know nothing about assorted TB barns or actually working on the backside - and yet you felt the need to condemn. You took issue with Laurierace of all postersā¦ if you actually posted or read here in the Racing forum a lot, you would realize how very off the mark you are about her - but no matter.
As far as the āobviousā - when you are here strongly suggesting that only the racing industry is suspectā¦ then you are āobviouslyā choosing to ignore other issues or gloss them overā¦ and maybe some need to pay more attention to the Obvious.
Blue againā¦
If only all horse breeders were like responsible dog breeders. The kind of breeders who - like the breeder of my Border Terriers - will ALWAYS take back any dog of their breeding. Always. No questions asked. No matter how old or how far the distance, that dog is coming home.
I have suggested a similar program to my BO here (I Iive and work on a breeding farm - not TBs at this time) and she was not interested - but lately I am seeing a chink in the armorā¦ progressā¦ slow, but progress. She has not done a lot of breeding - but I do worry about the horses that are Out There. The arrival last week of a 17 year old gelding who she bred and had sold onā¦ was a good start. Little does he know that his current stall is the one where he first stood on wobbly legsā¦
Sadly, they often do come with papersā¦ I have seen that happen. Papers (actual papers - not just copies) that were stapled to the pen at the auction mart - that the dealer then has in his hands. They may also come with brands - and the brand inspectors are on top of thatā¦
You have absolutely no idea what I know or do not know in reference to anything horse related. I gave an example for Laurierace- nothing more, nothing less! This is a thread on the Racing forum last time I checked.
You obviously have an issue with me, but it is your issue only.
DH and I went out for dinner last night. Grabbed a long sleeve shirt because, winter, and off we go. Local pub has Fishermanās basket on special. They never have a fishermanās basket, so we order it. Delicious even if 99% of it wasnāt real seafood (daughter of a sport fisher so am a seafood snob). Sunday night junk food really.
As we are walking out, I suddenly realisedā¦
I am wearing my Sea Shepherd shirt.
Bit like wearing a Peppa Pig shirt and eating a pork chop!
(I support SSās antiwhaling and anti seine netting, but not their vegan-only stance)
I have no issues with you - so that is not exactly obvious. I disagreed with some things you said here - and that is all. Surprisingly enough - that is how a forum works.
Thank you to those of you who have defended me. It is very appreciated albeit unnecessary as name calling and insults are step 2 in the losing argument playbook and illustrative of why I donāt take part. Now if you will excuse me I am busy making arrangements to secure a soft landing for a horse I won a bottom maiden claiming race with. In 2006.
Well, here I go off to work around the farm this weekend, and you guys have a party! I am seriously confused as to how some of these quotes that are attributed to me have posts from others included, but hey, thatās just me. I am going to try and set the record straight, where possible:
My American Saddlebreds do dressage, are barefoot, and live outside. Just because I have a breed that you expect something else from, doesnāt mean you are correct. I love this particular breed of horse. I havenāt bred a show horse since 2004.
Yes, I have been in a slaughter house. There was a small one that used to be operated in this area. I hear the āone bad dayā argument, but I still take issue with production line slaughter. I donāt think that feed lots are low stress areas, and that being shipped from auction to auction to feed lot to slaughter is a humane process. PS- the 55 gallon drum of heads still haunts me.
As I mentioned, I am fourth generation Iowa farm stock. I understand large scale farming. I grew up around hog farms. I am specifically calling out Equine slaughter in this thread. If you think that I am down on farmers, youāre wrong. But that doesnāt mean that I agree with everything that happens in production farming. I remember when Oprah said something about not wanting a hamburger, and the Beef People sued her. She won. She wasnāt down on farmers, but itās easy to go for the slippery slope- clearly you hate everything and everybody because you dare to question.
I do think that breeders should have a safety net for the horses that they produce, and I know a number that do. If the horse is suitable for another job, you re-home them. If not, you bring them home to a safe place, and euth them. I am impressed by what the TB people are doing for horses after their race careers are over. This is supported by the breeders, trainers, etc. No reason this model cannot work for all breeds if they wish to be responsible.
Many years ago, I used to climb into the kill pen at New Holland, pull one out, take it home, figure out what it could do, and re-home it for what I had in it. Then, Iād go back for another. I had to stop, because I reached a place where all I could remember were the faces of the ones Iād left behind. Then, I ended up co-founding a rescue to try and help my breed of horse. When life got challenging, I got to where I do what I can, one at a time, when I can.
I do not have all of the answers, but if we do not ask the questions, nothing changes. The article that I posted indicates that there are many more people looking for a way to stop slaughter. As a part of this, a safety net needs to be built, for the welfare of the animals.
Why deny others using suitable horses, as the renewable, natural resource they are after dead, slaughter one such process?
It comes down to the old, your horse, do as you wish, otherās horses, for them to choose what to do, is how free societies work.
When it comes to slaughter, just as with breeding, training and using our horses, those all are a way we make use of horses and that can be done properly or not.
There is where we that do use animals should be working, not to handpick what we like or donāt, be it slaughter, racing, eventing, etc.
Animal rights extremists are against any use, slaughter just the current cause of the moment and boy, is a great cause for their goals, which include gathering donations to pay lobbyist to further their agendas.
They may also come with brands - and the brand inspectors are on top of thatā¦
