After paying for my own horses I have changed my mind on slaughter
I used to think it was a necessary evil.
But........
Most people now do not own large farms anymore and use horses just as work. Many people have their horses as pets or for shows,sports etc. We spend thousands of dollars to train them and do things with them, but can not pay to have them put down at home or disposed of somewhere? I think its sick to expect money for it and to ship a horse who you likely had a great relationship with to a slaughter plant. Many places do still allow you to bury at home and a bullet is cheap. For the places you may have to pay look into donating the body. I have seen how my horses are around dead animals and how they are when one of them is hurt. If I ever send one of mine to slaughter old and sick after its carted my chub butt around someone please hurt me.
We tell people who can not afford vet bills to not own dogs. Why is it any different with horses? If you can not afford a disposal fee why get it?
Now if its a farm animal and the people are in that mindset then fine. Send it to slaughter. But another thing that drives me nuts are the huge breeders that rely on the slaughter money as income. Ran into a guy at work with a quarter horse congress jacket on and started talking to him. he was complaining about a friends situation in texas where he used to make money but now that his old horses and foals that didn't make the cut were not selling at slaughter for huge prices he was going to have to slow down the breeding
That is whats killing the horse market. It is flooded with horses that were not worth anything before,we just had a hugely inflated market.
I am getting so sick of seeing people here with horses that are not worth a dime crying about the economy. A friends been looking for a trail horse after her 4,000 walker ended up with a neuro issue. Wants to spend 2,500 or less. All the people talk up these great horses and its only not sold because of the economy. Get there with the person still ranting about the economy to find either a barely broke horse or one who does not pass a vet check. I never would have given 1,000 for these horses much less the 10,000 the people are claiming they are really worth. The good horses are still selling. Put real training on a horse and make it marketable. Don't expect thousands for a pretty color anymore(although your lucky if you see me coming because I love pretty colors!).
The arabian barn I used to board at went down hill when the bubble burst on them. It was all about bloodlines and who cared if the horse was rideable or had any brains at all. People had these horses as their retirement plans. It was ridiculous.
I think most people with starving horses in their fields are ill regardless of the economy. Offer to rehome those horses and they would say no,those are my beloved pets.
All that said if I had an unsafe horse I would be ok with sending it to slaughter. Sounds heartless but that might be a situation where I would want to make some money back. But more likely would have someone shoot it so it doesn't end up hurting anyone. We are worried now about the horse our friend took back who multiple vets told her were unsafe,but the breeders vet said was fine. She had to give her back per their contract and will likely be sold again and someone will get hurt. (was a good horse other than the lack of muscle control! Would not send something like that to slaughter)
I would like to see something like a surrender fee for horses at slaughter plants. Let that fee go towards improving slaughter,more training for the workers.
Isn't it europe that has the knacker-or something like that? that goes around putting horses down? Some kind of service like that here would be great.
