Ugh. Having been through the “hidden meadows” mess, having to rescue horses from “rescues” happens WAY too often.
And I went and checked Dina’s page - someone asking about a very thin horse pictured there got a vitriolic response calling her fat and all sorts of rude names. Why is it that some people get so cult-like about these killpen bailout “rescues” that are barely better than hoarders?
I can’t stand the “bail from the kill pen” movement. If run through the sale, a worthless horse goes from $25-$300. Loose on the low side, ridden through on the high side. They don’t bring $850 unless they are papered, fat, and fancy broke. You want to rescue a horse, go rescue one.
Places like this give the real rescues a bad name, to the point I didn’t even consider adopting my boy until I’d been out to the place and seen the facilities. Been burned too many times by places that weren’t all they were cracked up to be.
If you are going to donate to a rescue, make sure it’s actually a nonprofit and they should also have available on the website financial reports showing where the money goes. I prefer to donate to charities that have as many dollars as possible going to direct aid, and as few dollars as possible going into the pockets of the people running the organization or to their relatives or side businesses.
Those people are evil and horrible, and make me sick.
I hope Haskin will try to help out with some publicity.
It sounds like he’s sticking with her.
What horrible people! Glad to see that this is getting some publicity.
BTW, I was under the impression that the EU had closed down all its plants in Mexico because of unsanitary conditions at least several years ago. Where are all of these horses supposedly going? I would think that the dealers would receive next to nothing from the private sector.
Me too. The notion that this is “rescue” sickens me. Rescues don’t have to be bought for five times what they are really worth and only in expensive herds. Good people giving horses a soft place to land don’t misrepresent what they are to keep the bail money flowing. This is extortion and exploitation pure and simple. One of these days, someone is going to follow the money and it’s not going to be pretty.
Speaking as someone who rehomed 2 in the last year who were basically sound, sane and broke and it was hammer and tongs to do that, I don’t even want to know what she is doing to get rid of 20 plus in less than a month.
Really? Is he aware of the condition these horses are in? If so,why do you think he would condone this barbarism? Has he explained what he finds acceptable in those photos?
I’ve always enjoyed Haskin’s column. He seems like an intelligent person…I expect that now he must recognize that some “rescues” are scams.
He is now in a position to educate people who have the best intentions, as he did, that there are some awful people out there. A column about the importance of due diligence and how not to be misled by dubious “rescues” would certainly not be beyond his capability as a writer.
The last I saw it was more “I know her, and she really loves and wants to help horses!”
I haven’t been following for updates, so his stance may have changed since I last posted.
The last thing I saw from him was “get me the hell out of here”. That’s a paraphrase but pretty close.
Haskin always struck me as a little elitist and and a little naive. I think those two qualities came together and didn’t serve him well in this case. Dina and Steve know each other from New Jersey so he may have given her too much credence. At the same time, day to day racing at Delta Downs is probably such an abstraction to him that when Dina spun stories about Kill pens and Delta and “right off the track!”, he bought it. You could make an argument that Dina really picked up steam when Haskin lent his not inconsiderable microphone to her through the Bloodhorse article.
That is so sad and sickening. Horrible people indeed.
Yes, I try not to do this, but, from above: worthless just should never go anywhere near the word horse. I realize it was not really meant that way, though.
