I moved my horse to a barn that I feel is overpriced, however, the people are nice, the footing is great. Well yesterday I heard a goat and went investigating and found said goat tied in a shed on the edge of the property with no food and water. I tied him up more appropriately and got him food and water. I love goats. Well come to find out he was dinner for the barn help. I never knew that I needed to ask about animal slaughter when looking for a barn. This is super upsetting for me. Is this the reason I have to move from this new barn? I didnt sleep last night and am just sick.
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I would talk to the barn owner about this. It may be only a rumor so best to find out from the boss.
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Would you leave a barn that raises and processes their own chickens? (I know a shockingly large number of people who do this.)
I guess leaving or staying depends on your theories to some things.
This would not bother me. It is not like they are randomly going to go butcher one of the horses for dinner. Goats are considered a meat animal in lots of places (all over the US).
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I only eat fish and much more rarely chicken. But my dad is Greek, and he eats goat when he’s visiting relatives, and there is a goat farm that sells goats for meat in my county. So, yes, there is a market for goat in some cultures. (For the record, he doesn’t like the taste, but it’s what is served.)
I can’t imagine a reasonably well-heeled dressage barn having an abattoir to slaughter small livestock for the staff, though. That sounds just bonkers and truthfully a lot of trouble to do “on premises.”
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Its not a rumor. One of the owners was there when I was giving the goat food and water and was fairly shocked at finding it. He followed up with the workers and then with me. I burst into tears. I did not steal the goat - although driving away was hard. I did not buy the goat from them as they would just buy another.
The workers live on site, however, the barn is within city limits. This is not a country farm. Its an expensive facility. I DO NOT want to be exposed to animal slaughter - its a personal choice. However, my list of questions for a new facility is growing.
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Was this for a special occasion?
Not to sound dumb, but most barn workers I know barely have time to heat up food, much less slaughter and roast a goat every night. There’s a reason you see people mucking stalls and eating pizza at the same time.
I would pause judgement and assume that the staff of the barn is not eating an entire live goat every night.
If it’s any consolation, the goat had a better life than a factory farmed animal.
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Deal breaker. Why? People who raise and/or kill other animals tend to view all animals as “livestock”.
They (typically) don’t make decisions on what is best for an animal. They usually do what’s best/easiest/cheapest for them. All animals are simply replaceable.
That is not the mindset that I want caring for my horse/dog/whatever.
Get out of there. Your reaction is visceral and requires no validation from anyone else.
Frankly, if you want to move your horse because they painted the barn door blue, so be it!
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Whaaaaat? That’s the craziest generalization I’ve ever heard of.
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What they do on their property outside of the horse barns is none of your business.
Also, snooping around in a shed you had no business in is rather out of line. Why didn’t you go find someone and say “hey, color me crazy, but I think I heard a goat in that shed”.
If it bothers you that much, then you’ve gotta go. It wouldn’t be my most favorite activity they do, but as long as they aren’t gutting the goat while it’s hanging from the indoor arena rafters, you’ve got no leg to stand on. Move.
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I agree! Does this mean that people should only board with vegans or vegetarians, and a vegetarian BO gives better care?
For the record, I do know some wonderful vegan and vegetarian horse people, but would never inquire about someone’s diet before entering their program!
I would inquire not in an emotional way, but in an “is this sanitary way,” since I am a little surprised the goat wasn’t processed off-site.
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Are you saying the BO didn’t know? If that is the case, take this question to the BO. You can be as frank as you are being here.
I’m making assumptions that there is a big culture difference at work. The difference with the culture that most of this board knows is not the animal slaughter that is around us, it’s the visibility of the food conversion process.
For most of this board, animal slaughter is made invisible to us by groceries and restaurants. But we are still surrounded by other people who eat slaughtered meat even if we don’t partake.
Many people in the world DIY some or part of their food. They grow it or raise it. They probably have gardens, chickens for eggs and meat, and other meat animals for meat and possibly milk. They do the work themselves. Usually for economic reasons.
Taking away the worker’s DIY process doesn’t change our own proximity to animal slaughter. It just changes the visibility. And forces them to adapt to our sensibilities at their own expense.
This is assuming that the problem is the slaughter and not abuse, neglect or some sort of suffering by the goat. Did the goat live a tolerable goat life right up until slaughter? So this is just about slaughter?
Maybe the real issue here is that a different cultural process will sanitize the visibility of animal slaughter, but won’t change that it is happening.
But no, you do not have to be close to it if you don’t want to be. If the BO is permitting the workers to handle their food their way on his place, then yep there are plenty of other barns where this is not happening on site.
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I dont want to be around it. And am shocked.
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Are you vegan/vegetarian? Because the goat probably did have a better life than a factory farmed animal.
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I think the bottom line here is, you are free to move barns for whatever reasons you want to move barns because of.
This would not bother me if the care my horse was getting was amazing and my horse was happy there.
Clearly to you it matters.
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No it wouldn’t bother me- hey goat is quite tasty, esp curried goat yum! We actually buy all of our meat from local farms- so that 1/4 beef in my freezer was my neighbor at one point lol. But if you want to move barns who’s stopping you?
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Oh dear.
Many many working ranches raise cattle for meat and breed, train, ride quality horses in an exemplary way. Many small holders raise poultry for meat and eggs. Typically these folks understand the importance of species appropriate care and are better all around horsemen with healthier horses than the average one horse adult ammie.
Did the BO not know about the goat, sounds like? Let that unroll as it may. You don’t know it was going to be slaughtered on the premises. They may have a legit or not abbatoir locally.
But also. What do you think happens to the vast majority of bull calves who become steers, or wether goats? No one needs them. They get eaten. There are too many for pets and they are nonproductive.
So I’m going to say you need to get over yourself. Goats are widely eaten in Mexico, for instance. They are excellent meat and milk producers in more arid country that doesn’t support cows as easily. Why is it so horrible to source a free range goat and slaughter it fast, rather than buy grocery store beef or chicken that has been factory raised and sent through a mass shipping to an abattoir? I realize no one is really in control of whether they burst into hysterical tears at any given juncture, but that doesn’t mean your response was justified.
I would expect the goat was for some special occasion big barbecue and the workers have few opportunities to put together a lavish meal, because of both time and cash constraints.
I have to say traveling in developing countries made me realize that everything can be eaten and that there are advantages to live markets in places without refrigeration.
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Can the goat not be treated humanely at least until they decide to eat it?
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As difficult as it is to find a good boarding facility, I think it’s absolutely insane to leave one just because the barn help is going to have a holiday goat roast.
I hope you’re a vegetarian or vegan, because if you’re not, your hypocrisy is appalling. But hey, if this is a hill you want to die on, go ahead and find a new place.
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Yeah I think this sums up my view pretty nicely.
The BO wasn’t even aware of it (and sounded shocked) so it isn’t like he/she is secretly running an animal slaughter. Probably the workers will be talked to about this and it won’t happen again anyway. Feel free to move if you want, it’s your money.
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Do we know it was not treated humanely?
Closed in a shed is inhumane?
If going for some undisclosed (but likely not a crazy long period of time) is inhumane then I am going to complain to my company because it is no unusual for my work to mean I go hours without having any food intake.
My dog is going to agree with you too, since he too goes hours without food.
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