This is an “online petition” that seems to be circulating. I have some question as to it’s legitimacy.
First off, I have had some experience with the PMU industry, when it was operating in western Canada. I heard the stories, and went to the foal auctions that were closest to me. I met several of the ranchers who were selling the foals, talked to them about some of the issues that were being publicized by the media, and LIKED several of the ranchers I met, and came to respect them as horsemen. DIFFERENT horsemen from what I know, more like a diary operation than most horse breeding operations, but different is not always evil. We talked about their goals in selling the foals, and I bought several each year at various auctions, over about a ten year period. I did not buy as a “rescuer”, I was looking for TB/drafty crosses as riding and h/j/e/d prospects. And was successful with this plan, found some very good ones, developed them, broke, trained, showed and sold them for a profit. Those who did not have the talent I was looking for were sold as recreational/ pleasure riding mounts. So, I don’t “hate” PMU ranchers, and nor do I criticise the industry as a whole. Like many branches of the equine industry, there are no doubt individuals who are less than stellar, and breeding decisions that I, personally, would not make, BUT, it was the ONLY breeding industry who had a governing body who made spot inspections, governing bodies who had the power to shut down any farm whose basic horse care was found to be not adhering to industry standards. You don’t find that in breed specific farms, Warmblood breeders, TB breeders, QH breeders, Arabian breeders, etc. No one inspects these farms, and their breed organizations do not have the power to shut them down if basic horse care is not adequate. And I’ve personally seen a number of them that are NOT ADEQUATE! Because of the negative critics of the PMU industry making claims about the handling of the mares, “abuse crazies” would appear, make death threats to the ranchers I knew, threaten to burn their houses and barns down. Most of these ranchers had to keep their addresses private, just to stay safe from crazies. Many of the charges made against the industry were incorrect, and imaginary in nature. I know that, because I was there, and saw how things worked. The care and handling is “different” from most of us in other branches of the equine industry, but not abusive, or neglectful, and the mares and foals were healthy and happy, well cared for by their owners. Better than many ranchers, breeders and owners NOT involved in the PMU industry.
The other thing I really liked about the PMU bred foals is that the culling system produced foals who tended to be easy to handle, as their mothers were mares who were content to stand “on line”, easy to harness with very little handling or training, placid mares who didn’t want to start fights with other mares standing next to them. They also bred easily, naturally, with little or no vet work required, and foaled alone, and raised their foals without human help in any way. These mares were selected for breeding soundness, mothering ability and prowess, and quiet, stoic natures, and I think that these are VERY important traits that are valuable in riding and completion horses. Not a lot of crazies in the broodmare band. The stallions used were horses who did not savage the mares, had nice dispositions, did their own teasing and breeding, and without help from humans. Nice horses, not crazies who had to be restrained. Any mare or stallion who did not fit these demands, were culls, and went to slaughter. This attitude, the unemotional “culling” of stock that did not meet the standards for what the ranchers were trying to do, resulted in nice foals often, IMO. Foals with these qualities that are often not found in performance based breeding programs, and especially NOT in AI programs. All I needed to do was find the ones that looked like they were athletic, because I knew they had some advantages that may not be present in breeding populations that did not select for these things.
I guess I am a person who looks for the advantages in programs that may benefit what I am looking for, and am slow and reluctant to criticize those whose care produces healthy, sound and sane horses, even if they are engaged in a different arm of the equine industry that I am.
Then, the drug company closed most of the ranches in North America, and moved production to China instead. Less hassle from the critics when the farms were in China. So the critics of the industry got this done for the horses involved. Congratulations on that, I’m sure that those mares in China are looked after far better. Not.
Now, this online petition is being circulated, charging that PMU mares are being “bled” to harvest the hormone, instead of simply having the urine collected. That mares become weak, and die as a result. There is little actual facts supplied in the plea to sign, just a picture of a dead and partially rotted horse carcass to elicit shock in the viewer. And demands that this abuse has to stop. Well, it’s China, so I suppose that anything is possible. But I find it unlikely, simply because it is expensive to have to purchase more mares and put them in foal, with a high death rate of mares due to bad practices. I have tried to google this, and asked Snopes, but can not find any proof that this practice is actually happening. I have not signed the online petition (not that they are effective anyway) because I suspect that this charge is not true, much as a lot of what was circulating in North America to enrage the horse loving population regarding the PMU ranches was not true. But I have some friends who have signed this petition.
What do you think, COTH? True, or not true?
Anyone care to give an opinion?
