Unfortunately, the AQHA promotes these very practices with things like their Incentive Fund.
I don’t think so. The owner gets nothing back with the Incentive fund if the horse goes for meat. The successful Incentive fund owner gets money back as the horse performs well. So it behooves (no pun intended) them to continue to find show homes for their horses.
So funny - the same action, two totally different perceptions.
No it would not stop ignorant backyard breeding. All you have to do is take a look at how many grade pintappamorganxTWH/QH crosses are still being put on the ground every day. Ignorant people will breed crap horses whether or not there is a market for them. After all, their horses are special (eye roll). Right now there ISN’T a market for young horses who aren’t purpose bred, yet people still roll them out like they have a waiting list lined up. There will never ever be an end to ignorant breeders. Look no farther than dogs to prove that example. How many free puppy ads do you see every day? Care to take a guess at how many dogs are slaughtered (oops I meant put to sleep because that changes everything (insert another eye roll)) every year? 3-4 MILLION!!! That die. Because people are ignorant. So why is it differet with horses? I’ll tell you why! Because someone makes money off of a slaughtered horse and therefore it is evil. If shelters started making money off of every pet they euthanized I cannot imagine the uproar it would cause. Yet, nobody says anything about it because they don’t. Do you think it makes any lick of difference to the animal that dies whether or not money changed hands because of it??? Or that its body served some purpose after its death beside polluting the earth with harmful chemicals?
I will proudly admit I am an AQHA member, have been for about 25 years and will continue to be. While AQHA is certainly not a perfect organization, they reacted fairly quickly to a horrible situation without waffling.
I have witnessed issues with other breed organizations and none is perfect. If you think AQHA is so bad, why aren’t you railing against the Jockey Club? Have you ever visited the backside of a track or worked with horses that have come off the track? Witnessed what happen to many horses, no matter what the breed, when the economy tanked?
But then again I am a production agriculture farmer. I see the benefits of humane transport and slaughter and having it here in the US, where we can regulate it. And when I stop eating meat and eggs, stop supporting the use of animal parts like heart valves and skin from pigs for humans, stop drinking milk and quit sitting my a$$ in swanky custom saddles, then I can start pointing my finger. In the meantime, I am still a proud AQHA member!
AQHA is not a perfect organization but I do think they try. One of the links on their home page is “what to do with unwanted horses.” it takes you to information such as this: http://www.unwantedhorsecoalition.org/resources/UHC_brochure.pdf
Not talking about slaughter.
they also have the AQHA Full Circle Program, which I think USEF and others to set up. It’s a great model and to me a no-brainer as it imposes no obligations on anyone – just another potential safety net for the horses. what’s not to like about that. See http://www.aqha.com/fullcircle
The way many QHs are treated is abysmal and I think the breed/show standards need a lot of work. However, there is some good there too.
they also have the AQHA Full Circle Program, which I think USEF and others to set up. It’s a great model and to me a no-brainer as it imposes no obligations on anyone – just another potential safety net for the horses. what’s not to like about that. See http://www.aqha.com/fullcircle
No, you see, they are EEEEEVVVVILLLLL…
Not only that, but they have a new idea portal, that you can register for and help ideas bubble up http://www.aqha.com/News/News-Articles/2014/August/08292014-Make-AQHA-Better.aspx
You don’t even have to be a member to use the ideascale platform though it helps if you are well educated about the AQHA to know what they do or don’t do.
AQHA’s stance on slaughter. I refused to renew my membership years ago.
"AQHA President Peter J Cofrancesco III, of Sparta, New Jersey sat down exclusively with GoHorseShow.com and discussed the very controversial issue of horse slaughter in a question and answer session. We would like to thank him for taking the time to answer questions on such a hot button and emotional issue that directly effects many people in our industry.
Q: What is AQHA’s stance on slaughter houses in the US?
A: AQHA supports humane processing at USDA regulated and inspected slaughter houses in the United States as an option for owners who might need to use this avenue for horses that might become unwanted or otherwise unusable."
"
[QUOTE=LauraKY;7777944]
AQHA’s stance on slaughter. I refused to renew my membership years ago.
"AQHA President Peter J Cofrancesco III, of Sparta, New Jersey sat down exclusively with GoHorseShow.com and discussed the very controversial issue of horse slaughter in a question and answer session. We would like to thank him for taking the time to answer questions on such a hot button and emotional issue that directly effects many people in our industry.
Q: What is AQHA’s stance on slaughter houses in the US?
A: AQHA supports humane processing at USDA regulated and inspected slaughter houses in the United States as an option for owners who might need to use this avenue for horses that might become unwanted or otherwise unusable."
"[/QUOTE]
Would be more honest if you had at least added a link to that interview.
I have seen that same quote handpicked and cut and pasted on animal rights extremist releases.
There was way more than that paragraph, which puts what he said in the context it was meant:
It does sound a bit different when you read “the rest of the story”, right?
That interview was in 2011, when animal rights extremists were again pushing to change laws to keep inspectors from horse slaughter plants, which kept the ones ready to open from doing so.
The interview was part of the fight everyone that has animals has to be aware of, against those bound and determined to eliminate all use of animals by humans, one use at the time, like the HSUS and their many affiliates are after.
From that interview:
On the surface, AQHA’s position might appear to be pro-slaughter, but it’s not that cut and dried. AQHA supports other choices for unwanted horses, including euthanasia by injection, life in an equine retirement facility, donation to a college or university, or simply being turned out to pasture. Further, the Association encourages responsible ownership practices and management that will reduce the number of unwanted horses.
While AQHA does not favor processing as a way of dealing with unwanted horses or an owner’s equine end-of-life decision, the Association does recognize that both leading U.S. veterinary groups (the American Association of Equine Practitioners and the American Veterinary Medical Association) have stated that the penetrating captive bolt used in processing plants is the most humane method of euthanasia.
One of the major issues in the slaughter debate centers around personal property rights. AQHA believes that allowing animal-rights advocates to determine how we manage our horses opens the door to letting them put other limits on what we can or cannot do with our horses (i.e. transportation, trail riding, racing, showing and overall care). AQHA respects the right of horse owners to manage their personal property as they choose, so long as the welfare of the American Quarter Horse is paramount to all other concerns.
[QUOTE=OneGrayPony;7778217]
From that interview:[/QUOTE]
This part of the interview reflects the real position of the AQHA on these matters, that are not as simple as some may want to make:
“One of the major issues in the slaughter debate centers around personal property rights. AQHA believes that allowing animal-rights advocates to determine how we manage our horses opens the door to letting them put other limits on what we can or cannot do with our horses (i.e. transportation, trail riding, racing, showing and overall care). AQHA respects the right of horse owners to manage their personal property as they choose, so long as the welfare of the American Quarter Horse is paramount to all other concerns.”
Yep - I just wanted to copy it here so that other people could read the whole way to the end. Because I think people stopped early. I understand, TLDR.
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