Business As Usual

[Dahoss]

[QUOTE=DickHertz;4897359]
Has anyone asked Beattie the name of her 4H lady she so kindly retires her horses to?[/QUOTE]

I find this truly sad that they sent your horse off to be executed. Criminal. It’s these types of people in the game who are mainly responsiable for why the racing industry is pretty much a dying sport. These are the same people who are driving fans away from the industry. The crooks, the cheats and the abusers need removing if the sport is ever going to turn around. We need to clean house like they are going to do with Congress come November.

[Dispatcher]

@pony4me;4897535

So if a lot of them went to good 4 H homes, then maybe some, or all, of the people associated with Pennsylvania 4 H (like the people mentioned in this article) might know their whereabouts, and perhaps could shed some light on the unusual method of transfering ownership in a parking lot? And maybe, with any luck, some of them might be competing at this show?

http://www.pennsylvaniaequestrian.com/news/PA-4h-horse-show-1009.php

I think that parking lot is right in front of the New Holland auction barn…

[Laurierace]

For many years the horses that were in too bad of shape to legally go through the sale were brokered to the meat man in the parking lot of the 7-11 in Lancaster every Monday like clockwork after the sale was over. I believe they have moved on to a different location but am not positive, its been a while since I have attended the sale. And FYI there is no reason Charlie DeHart should be allowed anywhere near the backside of any race track.

[DickHertz]

[QUOTE=Laurierace;4898986]
And FYI there is no reason Charlie DeHart should be allowed anywhere near the backside of any race track.[/QUOTE]

They meet him in a parking lot as well.

[judybigredpony]

I have no interst in Sparking a Anti vrs Pro Slaughter debate.

But what does one do with a TB broken beyond repair??
Those horse completely unsuited menatally or physcially for breeding, riding or even living from day to day without pain???

No I am not condonimg anyones actions, but with the sheer volume of unwanted unsuitable horses where do we go from here. The racing industry has alot of “wasted by product”. With no disposal plan. Track surfaces, year round racing, slot, breeder incentives sparked an explosion and glut. Drugs and chemical engeneering have4 created this huiman dilemeia.

I know I drive to our local knacker who I Pay to Humanley put down the horse and dispose of it while I am in attendance.

[DickHertz]

They should be humanely destroyed if they can’t be given another career.

[caffeinated]

@judybigredpony;4899137

But what does one do with a TB broken beyond repair??
Those horse completely unsuited menatally or physcially for breeding, riding or even living from day to day without pain???
.

Euthanasia.

Even if slaughter could take place humanely (and I believe it’s possible, I just don’t believe it’s happening that way now), if a horse is so wrecked I can’t imagine thinking sending it off on a 20 hour or more trailer ride with 40 other horses is exactly humane.

Ethically, my biggest problem with all this is the endless using, using, using of these animals. Use them till they slow down, then dope them up and tap their joints and whatever else and use them some more, then when the creature that YOU* have destroyed is done, just use it more and send it off so you can milk your $200 out of its death.

*the generic you, not you specifically, heh

[Barnfairy]

@caffeinated;4899231

Ethically, my biggest problem with all this is the endless using, using, using of these animals. Use them till they slow down, then dope them up and tap their joints and whatever else and use them some more, then when the creature that YOU* have destroyed is done, just use it more and send it off so you can milk your $200 out of its death.

*the generic you, not you specifically, heh

This. And God forbid anyone else actually euthanize the creature that YOU* used up, either. What monsters we are for wanting to end that creature’s suffering from chronic pain as humanely as possible. How dare we save resources for a creature more sound.

[frugalannie]

@DickHertz;4899204

They should be humanely destroyed if they can’t be given another career.

Agreed, Dick. And Caffeinated and Barnfairy.

Compassionate euthanasia is and should be the responsibility of the owners of all horses, not to mention all other animals. Sending them off just to avoid the reality of their ending, or for a paltry sum, is shirking one’s duty to a creature one has chosen to own.

[judybigredpony]

Then why can’t the owners of ever single horse racing have the cost of Euthanasia…$125. is my cost and horse is delivered to site which is spotless none threatening enviorment that in no way distinguishes itself as to what will be happening…put in escrow from their track account upon entering track. If horse departs to a retirement home (papers relinquished to JC) monies refunded or reserved for another…if horse is found by Vet to not be sound enought to go to a sports horse home, monies are available to have it done ethically safely and swiftly to end horses suffering.
Its not a financial stretch or a brain strain. Am sure enough services will appear on the horizone to meet the demand.

[AppJumpr08]

[QUOTE=frugalannie;4899375]
Agreed, Dick. And Caffeinated and Barnfairy.

Compassionate euthanasia is and should be the responsibility of the owners of all horses, not to mention all other animals. Sending them off just to avoid the reality of their ending, or for a paltry sum, is shirking one’s duty to a creature one has chosen to own.[/QUOTE]

:yes::yes::yes::yes:

[animaldoc]

Euthanasia

I agree with the others - euthanasia is the appropriate choice for unsound horses. IMO resources (treatment/layup/retraining) should be targeted towards horses that can be sound for new careers.

The problem is that while euthanasia is cheap, disposal isn’t. Here disposal can be $900 - I think it’s free if the horse is at the track, but if they aren’t, that 's a TON of money…

[KBEquine]

[QUOTE=animaldoc;4899681]
I agree with the others - euthanasia is the appropriate choice for unsound horses. IMO resources (treatment/layup/retraining) should be targeted towards horses that can be sound for new careers.

The problem is that while euthanasia is cheap, disposal isn’t. Here disposal can be $900 - I think it’s free if the horse is at the track, but if they aren’t, that 's a TON of money…[/QUOTE]

Around here, not so far from Penn, the euthanasia & carcass removal was under $500 a couple years ago. I remember shortly after that, seeing the PA Dept. of Environmental Protection (or Conservation) had some sort of trial program for composting farm animals - they provided plans for building the composter(s) and I think grant money to help.

It was supposed to be more cost-effective & environmentally friendly. BUT if you built one, I believe you had to accept other peoples’ carcasses (carcassi?) which I suppose really is a business opportunity, but not one I would want.

By the way, at first blush, I thought it a great idea to add the cost somewhere to the business of racing - but then realized that even if the owner paid the fee, what would keep someone from still sending that horse to the 4-H person (and calling that ‘found money’)?

[Little_Hound]

[QUOTE=animaldoc;4899681]
I agree with the others - euthanasia is the appropriate choice for unsound horses. IMO resources (treatment/layup/retraining) should be targeted towards horses that can be sound for new careers.

The problem is that while euthanasia is cheap, disposal isn’t. Here disposal can be $900 - I think it’s free if the horse is at the track, but if they aren’t, that 's a TON of money…[/QUOTE]

I believe this is why Mike Gill used to have horses put down at the track, others on this forum may be able to attest to this.

[Dahoss]

[QUOTE=Little Hound;4900388]
I believe this is why Mike Gill used to have horses put down at the track, others on this forum may be able to attest to this.[/QUOTE]

And Penn National was used as that dumping ground. Milking them for whatever was left before they snapped a leg or hopeing someone would drop a claim slip in on one. The sad part is, they put the lives of the riders and all horses at risk to save money. Same as some of their other money saving procedures.

[brightskyfarm]

It wasn’t/isn’t just Gill euthanizing horses at PN. (fact) – and for those same (use them and lose them) reasons (fact).

Perhaps, since PN is condoning these actions for some, they might want to think of a policy that would offer this as a broader-range service that would be the alternative to the other (underground) options of disposal.

Imagine …(trainers)trying to blame the poor 4-H and therapeutic centers.!

And, while they(PN/HPBA) are in the think-tank, enact roles of vets and van drivers for the day horses.

But, heres where I believe that the trainers need to insist through the HPBA that these ideas be presented and put into force; after all, that’s what the
horseman’s protection benevolent assoc is. ( or supposed to be?)

[BeverlyAStrauss]

I wish there was a no-cost euthanasia program in place- however I also think that some of these trainers almost fool themselves by sending the horses off- while they know where they are most likely headed, they also don’t have to own up to the fact that they have crippled them and the horses SHOULD be put down. If they take them to be euthanized, that is like admitting they did the wrong thing by the horse during its racing career, something they are not wanting to do.

Most horses that leave the track and are transferred in parking lots end up going to kill–but not all. I personally have a problem with the people who put those horses in that situation-- the “trainers” (and I use that term lightly) who send them off-- not those who actually take them away. When owners and trainers stop running horses into the ground, and stop using meds to keep sore horses running, the situation will start to turn around. If we can get the overbreeding under control, we will really be in clover.

[NMK]

The claiming game

I have to side with Mandella on this issue–it needs reformation. . There is no transparency with the system we have and, IMHO, it encourages misconduct. It needs to change.

Nancy

[jenm]

[QUOTE=animaldoc;4899681]

The problem is that while euthanasia is cheap, disposal isn’t. Here disposal can be $900 - I think it’s free if the horse is at the track, but if they aren’t, that 's a TON of money…[/QUOTE]

There’s a concept called budgeting and saving in which people understand the cost of something and put money aside so they have it when the time comes.

If people owning the horses can’t afford to take care of the horse up to the final humane goodbye, they shouldn’t have the horse.

[DickHertz]

Attention Canadian Slaughter Employees

I will make a $25 donation each (up to $1,000) to various retirement facilities for pictures of slaughtered horse’s lip tattoos who last raced at Penn National Racecourse. No questions asked and you will not be identified, I just need the pictures of the horses with lip tattoos. If you find a tattoo to be bleached or altered in any way please PM me.

Also, any direct to kill pens who will sell me a horse with a tattoo that came from a Penn National trainer, please PM me. I have an offer you can not refuse.