They need to bring it back

Pro-slaughter here, too.

i want it back too

There was a reason we had it to begin with. What are people supposed to do with horses that are very old, have severe lameness issues, are unmanageable, or have health issues (such as tumors)? Not every one has the room to bury their horse, nor the funds to uthenize and have their horse cremated. Rescues that have been so against the slaughter are now having to be rescued themselves. This is an issue that has gotten out of hand. The cost to dispose of a horse today is so high, that there needs to be an alternative. The question is, what is more humane: sending the horse to slaughter or letting them suffer because you can't care for them or ease their pain? This is a very hard and emotional issue. Thanks to activists horses are being turned loose, they are now expected to fend for themselves when they have never had to do so before. If you ask me this is as cruel as letting your horse suffer from pain or neglect.

The first step is responsible breeding. There are too many horses in the U.S., due to continuous, irresponsible, and unnecessary breeding.

someone should start a group about bringing it back on this site

Melinda--I very much agree, including on the breeding issue.

Any time someone is talking about breeding their horse, I cringe. Why? Because foals are cute. Not a good reason to breed. This creates a surplus of unregistered, poor quality horses who don't get quality training and just end up going from auction to auction until they die of abuse or get sent to slaughter. In the mean time, they are really clogging things up.

Exactly Jen

Just because someone has a mare does not mean she needs to be bred. The surplus of horses has killed the horse economy. I've been to a few sales and saw registered 2 yr olds go for $35 a piece! Riding horses are bringing an average of $150 to $300, when they use to pay $850 to $1500 for the same horse 6 years ago. It is a very sad situation.

Wow, I am against killing horses because of bad people. I am all for getting rid of people who abuse horses and who don't take care of their horse. A horse is not a part time hobby that is fun when they are young and then can be tossed out and killed when they become old or times get tough. The problem is not too many horses, the problem is too many dumb ass people that breed for money or fun, that don't take care of their horses and are not responsible for the care of a animal that has no choice. Slaughter is wrong, it is a easy fix to a difficult problem. Perhaps some of the 600 million billion bail out being used to save crooks and people that stole and abused the system, maybe it should be used to save horses that have done nothing but carry mankind on their backs, since the beginning of our time, asking nothing in return but a little care. I guess that would be harder than just opening a slaughter house and killing them, that is much faster and easier. For those who want slaughter houses back, when your horse gets stolen and taken to slaughter for some fast cash for some drug using horse thief, then lets see how good it is. I would rather my horse starve and die in the wild in the mouth of wolves than be shipped in fear, treated like a dead horse, abused on the way to a slaughter horse, mercilessly forced with shock and cattle prods down a shut to a box where someone shoots him in the head with a steel rod, maybe three or four times since he would be scared out of his mind and probably injured or dragged with a one or more broken legs, to his painful death. In case anyone is still wondering, I am against slaughter houses. I have attached a link of a horse in a slaughter house. Please watch it and then tell me how good it would be to have them back.

Visit Link

are you sure the video was taken in the U.S.?

Oh man, that vid. clip was gnarly *swoons*

It does not matter where that video was taken, whether it was the US, Canada, Mexico, Europe, Asia, etc. That sould not be happening *anywhere*. I agree completely with Rick. I think the US and fellow equestrians should be proud that we are no longer slaughtering horses, that we should be role models for other countries. At least we Americans can have a more clear consience, knowing we are no longer slaughtering horses. Perhaps we can start working on other countries to ban equine slaughter.
Opening back up the slaughter houses for equine slaughter would only enable irresponsible horse breeders. Do you think it is ok for dogs and cats do be tortured and slaughtered for their meat and pelts in other parts of the world? There is an excess of unwanted starving children in orphanages all over the planet, China, Romania, Russia, etc. Would you want them to be exacuted simply becuase no one wanted them? Maybe then it would stop parents from irresponsibly having children, and slow the decline of over-populating the Earth.
*Correction to above posts*
The banning of slaughter has brought the lower income horse market to its knees. Generally the horses available to the lower income market (I am definately a lower income horse person XD) are not the highest quality animals. They may have poor confirmation, be positive for genetic diseases (HYPP, etc. mostly (but not always) found in the stock horse breed/industry due to breeding for quick revenue, and owners/breeders not caring about elimating a terrible disease through selective breeding), and have bad temperments due to poor breeding/parentage/cheap irresponsible training. We then move to the higher echelon of the horse industry. You don't see Grand Prix and Olympic caliber horses going to slaughter. The richer, per say, equestrians have been little effected by slaughter, simply becuase it wasn't/isn't their "kind" of horse going off to be killed for meat. They are still out there breeding high quality horses, and *selling them!* There is still a market for a high quality show horse, especially the european x american english sport horse exchange currently going on. My friend/mentor/instructor "J" has many friends who are breeding high quality sport horses, with perfect/near perfect confirmation, lovely gaits, pedigrees, and temperments. They are selling! And for quite a pretty penny!
Which brings me to my point, which is this: Stop slaughter once and for all. It will drive out the low end breeders who are not interested in improving breeds, eliminating genetic diseases, or in general producing a quality horse. Some, or many horses may die from starvation, or exposure to the elements if let loose into the wild. But in the end, less horses will have died then if slaughter will have still been operating. And we will be left with a high quality group of horses. Quality! Not quantity!

Oh man, that vid. clip was gnarly *swoons*It does not matter where that video was taken, whether it was the US, Canada, Mexico, Europe, Asia, etc. That sould not be happening *anywhere*. I agree completely with Rick. I think the US and fellow equestrians should be proud that we are no longer slaughtering horses, that we should be role models for other countries. At least we Americans can have a more clear consience, knowing we are no longer slaughtering horses. Perhaps we can start working on other countries to ban equine slaughter. Opening back up the slaughter houses for equine slaughter would only enable irresponsible horse breeders. Do you think it is ok for dogs and cats do be tortured and slaughtered for their meat and pelts in other parts of the world? There is an excess of unwanted starving children in orphanages all over the planet, China, Romania, Russia, etc. Would you want them to be exacuted simply becuase no one wanted them? Maybe then it would stop parents from irresponsibly having children, and slow the decline of over-populating the Earth. *Correction to above posts*The banning of slaughter has brought the lower income horse market to its knees. Generally the horses available to the lower income market (I am definately a lower income horse person XD) are not the highest quality animals. They may have poor confirmation, be positive for genetic diseases (HYPP, etc. mostly (but not always) found in the stock horse breed/industry due to breeding for quick revenue, and owners/breeders not caring about elimating a terrible disease through selective breeding), and have bad temperments due to poor breeding/parentage/cheap irresponsible training. We then move to the higher echelon of the horse industry. You don't see Grand Prix and Olympic caliber horses going to slaughter. The richer, per say, equestrians have been little effected by slaughter, simply becuase it wasn't/isn't their

The lower end will always breed poorly. They aren't spending much money to do it, and they don't really care what happens, otherwise it wouldn't happen already. They have some mare that is "awesome" because they can pet it, maybe, and decide to breed it to some stallion because he is "pretty" and then they have a foal that is wild because they don't know how to train a horse. This will continue to happen unless it is illegal, because it is very cheap to breed poorly.

Meanwhile, this lower end stuff IS messing up the horse market. The $10,000 and up market? Maybe not. But the local, smaller trainers like myself. I don't train world class horses. I train your every day horse that your every day person can afford. Which means people are always calling me about some horse they got at the auction for $50 that is too lame, too crazy, or too old to do much of anything. But why buy a quality, well trained horse, even in the $1k-3k range, when you can find something for $50?

Irresponsibility on top of irresponsibility.

I think that there should have to be some sort of license or official SOMETHING that you have to have in order to breed horses. I don't know how this would work, but breeding should really be more strongly regulated.

If i remeber right, that vid was taken in Texas. In Mexico they actully take a little knife and stab the horse in the back until they hit the spine, paralyzing the horse. So when the horse is being skinned and gutted and haveing it's throat slashed it's still, technically alive! This is just totally sick and wrong! Slaughter is wrong. And the reason why so many horses are are suffering is because of people neglecting and over breeding. WHAT THEY NEED TO DO IS SET LAWS OF HOW MANY HORSES A FARM CAN BREED A YEAR! ESPECIALLY RACE HORSE FARMS. Also people who can't afford or aren't going to take care of the animals do not diserve them. Horses have carried us through battle, dying for us! If it weren't for them who know's what would be of all of us. How could have we been succesful in wars if we would have had to travel by foot. So how do we repay the horses? Kill them in such krewl ways? Neglect them? So tell me this, is this what horses deserve? To be neglected by careless people or cut apart alive in a slaughter house? A horse was put here to be mans best friend and add buety and spirit to our lands. AS IT SAYS IN THE BIBLE, NO, 1 TOED HOVED ANIMALS ARE TO BE KILLED (SLAUGHTERED) BY MAN.

I totally DISAGREE!!!!!! I think it was a good thing to get rid of slaughter. There are other ways to help those horses who are suffering. you all are CRAZY to think it is a GOOD thing to kill horses.
Now I think that putting a horse down because he has been sick for a long time is one thing. But killing a horse because the owner was stupid and didn't take care of the horse is another. I think those horses are in need of a second chance. If they absolutly can not live then yes put them out of their pain. But if they can live and can make good companions, why get rid of a good life??
Thats my opinion and if you don't agree with me I really don't care. I am very passionate about saving horses lives

I totally DISAGREE!!!!!! I think it was a good thing to get rid of slaughter. There are other ways to help those horses who are suffering. you all are CRAZY to think it is a GOOD thing to kill horses. Now I think that putting a horse down because he has been sick for a long time is one thing. But killing a horse because the owner was stupid and didn't take care of the horse is another. I think those horses are in need of a second chance. If they absolutly can not live then yes put them out of their pain. But if they can live and can make good companions, why get rid of a good life?? Thats my opinion and if you don't agree with me I really don't care. I am very passionate about saving horses lives

if you care enough, take a look at this fellows website, he has some very vaild points and some very interesting facts when it come to breeding, slaughter and rescue. There are some links at the end of the editorial that are well worth the read.

Visit Link

OMG!!!! HOW CAN YOU GUYS SAY THAT!!!! POOR BREEDING?? REGISTRATION!!?? that does NOT make a horse, good blood lines, and being registerd isnt going to make them love YOU or be loyal to YOU anymore then a horse who is the most mutt horse you can imagine!!!! its cruel way to die, they are in pain, scared to death, and yeah alot are skinned alive!!! its cruel, and like said in a previos post.... do you think it is right to kill unwanted children? do you think its right to lock them in a box with a broken leg, and either 1. shoot them in the head or 2. stab them in the back, paralyze them and skin them alive? just somthing to think about... and also said in a previous post horses have done nothing but stand by are sides and let us sit on there backs and (more amied towards the new rider) pull and tug on there mouth!!! and THIS is how we pay them back???

ITS CRUEL AND SHOULD BE STOPPED AND STAY STOPPED!!!

OMG!!!! HOW CAN YOU GUYS SAY THAT!!!! POOR BREEDING?? REGISTRATION!!?? that does NOT make a horse, good blood lines, and being registerd isnt going to make them love YOU or be loyal to YOU anymore then a horse who is the most mutt horse you can imagine!!!! its cruel way to die, they are in pain, scared to death, and yeah alot are skinned alive!!! its cruel, and like said in a previos post.... do you think it is right to kill unwanted children? do you think its right to lock them in a box with a broken leg, and either 1. shoot them in the head or 2. stab them in the back, paralyze them and skin them alive? just somthing to think about... and also said in a previous post horses have done nothing but stand by are sides and let us sit on there backs and (more amied towards the new rider) pull and tug on there mouth!!! and THIS is how we pay them back??? ITS CRUEL AND SHOULD BE STOPPED AND STAY STOPPED!!!

Humans and horses are different things, entirely.

I do not believe that the the average horse that goes to slaughter had any other future ahead of it. If it did, it would not end up in slaughter. You can believe I'm wrong if you wish, but don't be sentimental about the facts. If a horse was safe, well trained, healthy, etc....it would not end up in the kill pen. On a very rare occasion, yes.

Could someone potentially save all these horses, feed them, pay their vet bills, retrain them, and find them happy homes? A millionaire with no other bills, yes. You might only pay $50 for one of these horses, but plan to spend $500+ on vet bills if there is nothing serious wrong with them. Spend hundreds on corrective farrier work. Spend hundreds more on special feeds and supplements to try and get the horse in shape again. Spend perhaps thousands on a trainer. And then, MAYBE, you have one healthy, safe, well trained horse. Most likely, after spending thousands, the horse will still be too permanently scarred by a bad life to enjoy its life.

And remember, you have spent these thousands of dollars on one horse. Who do you expect will pay for all the others?

In the mean time, you could have bought a horse from a responsible breeder, who was trained by a responsible trainer, and you would be rewarding the other responsible horse owners for keeping a horse happy, healthy, and safe for you.

It's like buying local goods. You reward the local people for their hard work and effort. If people do not buy the healthy, well-bred and trained horses, then those good breeders and trainers go out of business and all we are left with is ill-mannered mutts with health and training issues, to say the least.

Just because you like horses and don't like to think about them being unhappy doesn't mean it will change things. If you actually want to help change things, buy responsibly, train responsibly, sell responsibly, and breed responsibly (which in general means: don't).

Oh wow, don't get me started. I'm in Canada but it's starting ot effect us here too.

Rick, while I understand your point of view, there is now way we can keep people from breeding crap horses. And until the over population is undercontrol there has to be somewhere for the horses to go. I love horses, I would never send my own to slaughter but it is there for a reason and it is needed to make the world go round in a nice and balanced manner.

Not too long ago a bunch of wild Mustangs were culled to sell because the land is over grazed and there are too many wild horses for the amount of land available to them. They were skin and bones. Now you tell me, if people can't even sell their registered, well trained horses, who in the world is going to buy a middle aged, untouched, underweight Mustang? No one.

Until stupid people have their breeding rights revoked (which by the way will likely never happen) and until people stop breeding crap with crap and producing crap that is a conformational nightmare and will never be anything more than a hay burner, then and only then, will slaughter be able to safely be removed. I don't see that ever happening though.

So you want to know the harsh truth? More horses are suffering now BECAUSE slaughter is gone than when it was still around. They are being left to starve, and no you can't just drop them off at a rescue because guess what? They are all FULL and have no room to take any more.

The horse world is a bad place for bleeding hearts.

I think some sort of certification should be enforced for breeders. For many warmblood registries mares and stallions have to become certified to be bred to other mares/stallions of that breed. IMO there should be some laws put in place concerning the breeding of quality horses, an approval/certification system of sorts. While I initially was not in favor of NAIS Visit Link if each horse had a chip in it, breeding could be better regulated.

Well, the warmblood registries require that mares and stallions are certified if they want to create registered babies, but lots and lots of "warmblood" babies get created that are not registered. I'm not against American Warmbloods by any means. I've owned a couple that were really fantastic, but like every other breed, there can be very enthusiastic breeders who don't know what they are doing. After all, when you think "draft cross" you often think thick boned chunky looking thing, not elegant warmblood. It can be done very wrong. Anyway.

Well, the warmblood registries require that mares and stallions are certified if they want to create registered babies, but lots and lots of

I'm glad to see there are so many responses so fast. I know this is a very hot topic. I live in North Dakota and there is BIG talk about a slaughter plant being built here. I am honestly for it. I know that breeding and all those others things play a big factor in all these horses, but IT IS A COMBINATION OF ALL OF IT. Without having anywhere for those unwanted horses (sick, old, etc.) they really are suffering more. Yes I love horses to death, but if a horse is starving because the owner won't do anything with it, it is suffering more than it would be through slaughter. Yes I am very glad when people who starve horses like that get into trouble, because it is very unresponsible, but it was very unresponsible of people against slaughter to get it banned BEFORE there was a total solution. Now we just have a huge fucken mess. Pardon my language but this really gets to me.

Horse theft was up about 300% when slaughter houses are around. It is an easy way to get fast cash by stealing horses. Horse thieves don't care about good breeding, papers, or how well a horse is cared for. Slaughter houses is an easy fix to bad people! Guns don't cause crime, flies don't cause garbage, People Do! Horses should not have to pay anymore for what people do. You don't need a Slaughter house to kill horses, those who want it, go buy and gun and put all the horses you want out of their misery, there is no law about killing a horse to prevent suffering. Somehow it is easy for people to want an easy way to kill a horse, but are unwilling to do it themselves. Once again it comes down to people are the problem, not horses. I would much rather put a gun to my own horse's head to have him die at my hand rather than in a dark, scary, cruel, uncaring and frightening place. If are not willing to work or be in a slaughter house, then you should not be OK with them. IMHO

if you can't take care of the horse and nobody wants it, you should humanely euthanize it, That's what we ask of dog and cat owners. It's common decency.
What can you do?
Every horse owner needs to plan for the entire life of his or her horse. Carefully locate a caring home for your horse, if you can no longer keep it. A horse who can no longer live comfortably due to age or illness should be humanely euthanized, rather than suffer the hardships of auctions and a trip to the slaughterhouse.

Rick I agree with you that people are the problem. People are over breeding. People are abandoning. People are neglectful. But guess what, without slaughter, the horses are paying even MORE for it by suffering for days, weeks, months at a time instead of just a quick death. I would not send MY horse to slaughter because I am a responsible horse owner and know that when I take on a horse that it is a longtime commitment and am prepared to care for that horse for many years to come. BUT would you rather have someone sell their farm and leave the horses to starve to death, or would you rather see them go to slaughter where they can then feed people? That's an easy answer for me. They are paying for this mistake now and you think that it is ok? You have to stop thinking about your own personal horses and how you are able to responsibly care for them. Think about the people who are affected by the economy and have to sell their horses but can't because the market sucks and they have to sell their house and can't take the horses with them. Where do those horses go? Some get lucky and are sold to good homes, some don't. The fact is that the number of ones who don't ar erising rapidly.

Regan, they aren't hung up alive and slit to bleed to death. I have done lots of research on this topic and they are killed with a bolt to the head. Much the same as a cow or pig. Yes they are then hun up to be bled out but they are not still alive. In Mexico though where they don't have a lot of regulations (and where most of those horrible videos are taken from) that IS often what happens. So sure, keep horse slaughter banned in the US and send them across the border in double decker trucks where they travel for hours with no stops and then get killed in a less than adequate setting. It's your choice. I'm sure all the horses at the auctions being bought by kill buyers are thanking you.
Ugh. People disgust me.

Rick I agree with you that people are the problem. People are over breeding. People are abandoning. People are neglectful. But guess what, without slaughter, the horses are paying even MORE for it by suffering for days, weeks, months at a time instead of just a quick death. I would not send MY horse to slaughter because I am a responsible horse owner and know that when I take on a horse that it is a longtime commitment and am prepared to care for that horse for many years to come. BUT would you rather have someone sell their farm and leave the horses to starve to death, or would you rather see them go to slaughter where they can then feed people? That's an easy answer for me. They are paying for this mistake now and you think that it is ok? You have to stop thinking about your own personal horses and how you are able to responsibly care for them. Think about the people who are affected by the economy and have to sell their horses but can't because the market sucks and they have to sell their house and can't take the horses with them. Where do those horses go? Some get lucky and are sold to good homes, some don't. The fact is that the number of ones who don't ar erising rapidly.Regan, they aren't hung up alive and slit to bleed to death. I have done lots of research on this topic and they are killed with a bolt to the head. Much the same as a cow or pig. Yes they are then hun up to be bled out but they are not still alive. In Mexico though where they don't have a lot of regulations (and where most of those horrible videos are taken from) that IS often what happens. So sure, keep horse slaughter banned in the US and send them across the border in double decker trucks where they travel for hours with no stops and then get killed in a less than adequate setting. It's your choice. I'm sure all the horses at the auctions being bought by kill buyers are thanking you.Ugh. People disgust

Ya people over breeding is becoming worse and worse. I have an example that is near my hometown of Coleharbor (I'm not going to mention any names). This girl is only a fear years older than me with almost NO experience in horses what so ever. Well she has started breeding farm. These "quality" horses are the ones she bought out of the 'kill' pens of horses that should have been sent to slaughter. There is no market for these horses that are bred out of this, and it really pisses me off. I have been getting alot of calls asking me about horses she has for sale, and the first thing I say is no way. Not only are these horses crap, they are feed hay that is so old it is black, and there is no shelter on the whole farm for them to go. She is the kind of person that is making this problem so much worse. Too ignorant and stupid to know she's doing wrong.

"I would never send my horses to slaughter, of course not. But we do need slaughter as an option." This common response among horsemen indicates a personal distaste for slaughter as an option, and while the personal conviction of not selling horses for slaughter has merit, it only helps the person's horses until those horses are sold to another owner.

The only permanent solution to end this cruel trade is passage of the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act to prohibit the transport of horses for slaughter here or abroad.

Slaughter accounts for one in eight horses that die each year. Thus we need to increase our capacity to humanely end our horses' lives by less than 15%.

A four-pronged approach appears appropriate. First we need to develop a robust humane euthanasia and disposal solution on a state-by-state basis. Humane euthanasia programs can be in place at horse auctions as well as horse rescues. Second, we need to identify additional resources to create incentives for horse rescues to absorb more horses that can either be retired or rehabilitated. Third, we need to attack the demand for horse meat with a marketing campaign that illustrates that horses are not fit for human consumption, according to the drugs that each horse has been administered over its lifetime (you can simply read the label on a commonly used worming product).

Finally, we need to create an educational program for breeders and horse owners for more responsible horse management. Of course, these solutions require funding. Sources of funding can include:

Breed programs can attach a surcharge when a horse is registered to the breed. This would not be unique to the horse industry. Another industry with a disposal problem, the tire industry, adds a surcharge for each new tire sold in order to pay for recycling the tire when it is not longer useful. Such a program will be economically insignificant compared to the $US39 billion a year ($US102 billion indirectly) that the horse industry generates.

A surcharge can be applied each time a horse changes ownership and this change is registered with the horse's breed registry. Racehorses that are claimed are more likely to be at risk of slaughter, but can generate more revenue for retirement under this scenario.

Racetracks can develop programs that support their athletes. There are already examples of this occurring (Fingerlakes, Philadelphia Park and Woodbine). Racinos which have additional revenue via their Casino contracts are in an even better position to support their athletes.

Racing jurisdictions can develop programs for the retirement of horses that ran within their state. California is an example - .3% of purses distributed in California are earmarked for horse retirement and rehabilitation. This money is distributed by California Retirement Management Account (CARMA).

Nice post.

Let me ask everyone to do a little research. How much does it cost to euthenize a horse? How much to have a rendering truck come and pick up the carcass, if they will? How much to hire someone to bury the horse if you don't have the equipment to? How many of you have space to bury one or more horses? Some FYI, a company in Wisconsin will come to your house, shoot the horse and haul it off for $300, last quoted price. How many of you if you can't afford to have the horse put down and either hauled away or buried, would rather watch a horse starve or die of pain or disease? How many of you want to pay to care for all of the unwanted horses, no matter what their problem may be? This is not just a "me" street. To be truthful there are only so many people who want horses. there are only so many horses a person can financially care for at one time. There are only so many horses a person can ride in one day. There are only so many horses a person can show per show. You have to look at this more than one way. It is not just bad people as Rick want to put it that send horses to slaughter. What do you do if you have a horse that has ciezures? There are many people who just do not have the money or room to dispose of a horse. There needs to be an outlit.

I do have some ideas to make it better for the horses. Laws about hauling: no stallions allowed together, no double-deckers, can ownly be hauled a max of 8 hours or so, only horses that can walk under their own steam accepted. At the slaughter plant. Pens separated. Stallions not allowed to be put together or with other horses. Ensure that a vet is on site. Find a new way to put them down if you object to the dead bolt that will not contaminate the meat. The vet should make sure that each horse is handled as humanely as possible. And I am sure you all can come up with more suggestions to make it better and less stressful to the horses.

All I ask everyone is to please do more research on both sides of the board. What will happen if there isn't a solution to the over run of horses? Should your horses starve because you are expected to care for everyone else's? Don't just think on the small scale. Think on the large one that will not just affect the United States, but could actually affect the entire horse world industry. Right now it seems on more of a local step, but I can almost guarantee that it will affect the global horse world.

I am as against seeing a horse suffer as the next person. But I am a realist. I can only care for my own horses as best as I can. It would kill me to see one of my babies end up going through a slaughter plant, but I would rather have them put down then see them in pain because there is nothing else I could do for them. The slaughter plant in Dekalb, IL, when it was open, use to even let an owner walk their horse through to see that it was treated as best as possible and that it did not suffer. Everyone of you knows that to any person with a heart that that was the hardest thing a person could do. But it would be harder for me to watch my baby suffer for a long period of time, than to have them put out of their pain and suffering. I watched my favorite morgan mare be put down by the vet. Do you think that was painless to her? It took 4 shots of it to kill her. She wouldn't go down. I didn't have any choice about putting her down, her whole stomach was engulfed with cancer. I am lucky enough to live on 40 acres, and my dad buried her be cause she was so special to me.

Melinda, while you make some very valid points, you miss a few major ones. Many of us have done more than a little research on this issue, and yes, while we agree the problem exsists for unwanted horses starving to death, and unwanted horses crossing the border for slaugher, there is a better solution. And it's up to each and every one of us, as owners, to press our state leaders, and members of parliment with solutions to the problem. They are not horseman, they don't understand the multimillion dollar horse industry, and if we don't offer concrete solutions, then nothing will change. If USA wants to "change" the entire slaughter industry on a global basis, then they better be willing to back up those changes with strategies that WORK! You are very correct in that ending slaughter in USA has created more challenges, but it also has cleared some problems up too.

Wouldn't it be better to have a very low cost program at all the auction marts, where one can take their horse for humane euthanasia and caracass transport to an incineration facility? hell, they could hire the out of work kill buyers for the job, they are use to seeing dead horses.

It does seem that the big picture here goes far beyond just old horses you can't care for, right?

If you read my last post, you will see a few noted ideas that could very well work on ending the inhumane euthanasia of our PETS! One point you missed was the "dead bolt not contaminating the meat". (it's actually called a captive bolt stunner)I don't want my old dog going for pate in Japan, any more than I want my old horse going for ground meat in Japan. I don't want to eat beef laced with Vermectin, cadmium,and Indospicine, and riddled in abscesses and cancer, and it's a social injustice to sell contaminated horse meat to unsuspecting Asian people that isn't fit for human consumption. It can KILL them. The meat that goes to Belgium, and France is more closely monitored by the USDA, who incidently, has spent MILLIONS monitoring these slaughter houses (perhaps they could put that money to better use now that slaughter is banned)...isn't it interesting that a belgian businessman owns the 3 operating slaughter houses in the US.

If you have the time, read this article

Visit Link

The war is over people...we don't need to eat our horses!

Melinda, while you make some very valid points, you miss a few major ones. Many of us have done more than a little research on this issue, and yes, while we agree the problem exsists for unwanted horses starving to death, and unwanted horses crossing the border for slaugher, there is a better solution. And it's up to each and every one of us, as owners, to press our state leaders, and members of parliment with solutions to the problem. They are not horseman, they don't understand the multimillion dollar horse industry, and if we don't offer concrete solutions, then nothing will change. If USA wants to

serious bug in this app..I pressed "POST" once. sheesh

Jilly, I think we are both trying to make the same point. I think that your ideas are very good ones. I agree with the state - to - state way of disposing of horses that need to be disposed of . We are both just thinking on two different levels that are very closely related . I think maybe a combination of both our ideas would work well, or at least give us a place to start from. I know that the majority of lawmakers do not understand the horse industry, but to fix this, maybe they should form a horse council in the Ag department. This council could be made up of people who have been influential in the horse world. There would have to be some way of designating who would be on it; equine vets, top breeders, top trainers/riders. They would have to be people who know the horse business inside out. I believe that with some work and cooperation with people we could come up with a very viable solution. This is an issue that does need to be looked into carefully and immediately.

I am not going to tell people in Europe or Asia what they can or can't eat. I believe that is for them to decide. Just because I don't want to eat horse meat, it is my decision. I would not mind the meat being put to use though. Zoo animals have to be fed, and they use to put it in dog and cat food. Although I know they no longer do because people objected to feeding horse meat to their pets. But I also believe that a person should be allowed to choose whether their animal is incinerated or used as pet/zoo food.

Excellent idea on the horse council in Ag department. Who would you like to see on the council? I would like to see T. boone Pickens on there, and people from the thouroughbred and standard bred registries, and a few other famous big mouths, maybe even Oprah. hell, if she can get a man elected as a US President, she can do anything!!!! The AQHA and APHA are partly to blame also, as they promote papers so back yard breeders can continue to breed and to date neither organizations have NOT set back a single dime to Rescues or any such retirements. Someone needs to press them into action. They, by the way, were opposed to the ban.

As far as telling people what to eat, It's not about that. if they want to eat horse meat, fine, manage your own regulated horse farms in your own dam country, instead of coming here and harvesting my pet as your cheap, tax free, publically funded with American dollars, laugh yourselves to the bank meat. Is it any different than China selling melamine contaminated baby formula to the west, under the guise that it's fit for human consumption? They fed it to their own babies, and would have continued to do so if the western countries they shipped it to hadn't detected it. My point was, it's irresponsible to sell them contaminated meat. irresponsible and morally and ethically wrong. Not to mention the horses were not raised for meat, they were raised to ride.

One other point I would like to mention. Horses have being shipped to Canada and Mexico for slaughter routinely, many, many years before the ban went in to efffect. This is not a new practise, and is NOT a direct result of the ban.

Melinda and Jilly--you both have great ideas. I won't argue, that's for sure!

About costs: Around here, it costs around $800 to bury or cremate your horse, if you cannot bury it on your own property. And if you live within a number of miles of any town or city, you cannot bury on your own property. It costs about $300 just to have someone come pick up a horse, if you do have it put down. It can be very costly just to put down a horse.

For some people, you may be left with a situation of getting rid of your horse, or accuring over $1000 in bills to put it down. Maybe you feel this would be my responsibility, but if I have to choose between putting my horse down humanely and keeping a roof over my child's head, I'm going to have to choose keeping the house.

I'm not in a situation where this would be a problem, but many people are.

I have seen a number of horses put down by vets that needed multiple shots, who banged their heads against the wall during the process, etc. Even doing it the "humane" way is not that humane sometimes. Anything is better than letting them live in starvation and abuse, though.

I am all for bringing slaughter back!!!!!! i think we need it. People need to be realistic and think a little bit. having it banned is screwing a lot of things up. like the horse market . people cant get any money out of horse that are actually worth a lot of money. lets take one of my horse for example. he is worth over $10,000 easy. but because the market sucks we cant even get $10,000 for him. so therefor he is standing out in the pasture eating away and getting out of shape just bacause people are screwing with the market by not growing up and being realistic . Another example of the stupidity of banning horse slaughter- my family and i were on our way to the BHSS just last month and we came across this little run down barn with a HUGE pasture around it. we looked out in the pasture and we could see horses EVERYWHERE. and there were a few bails of stuff that shouldnt be considered at hay scattered out in the pasture that were hardly touched. the "hay" was so bad that the horses were choosing to try to fine something to eat in the pasture which is impossible considering here in South Dakota it is winter and there is snow on the ground and its below zero most of the time and there is no grass. as we were driving down the highway we could see that all the horses were very skinny and just in the few seconds that we were passing by the pasture we saw over 10 dead horses lying there. and that was just right next to the fence that we could see so ther more that likely was more. so people are saying that you would rather see horses being neglected and not being fed and left to starve and die other than being able to either sell them or just putting them out of their missery. So personally i think i would rather have them put out of their missery than stand there and starve. and for those of you that are goin to post after i do and saw that im a horible person and i dont care about horses and i dont love horses, i do love horses they are my life but i think for you that are going to post that or just thinking it. i think i could say the the exact same thing to you because you are choosing to let those animals that you love die of starvation. so before you go telling me that im a horrible person for writing this huge post maybe you should take a second and think it over again.

I think we need it but not if the horse r really young

The way I see it, this issue is much like abortion. Should you allow the baby to have a life ,if it would be a terrible life and sad life? or should you abord it and not give it life but take off the suffering it may eventually face?
I believe that killing the horse is never an option, because that horse has life-it may be a bad life, but why not let God handle the rest? Why speed the process up and mess with God's plan? The answer for me is not death, but to somehow decrease the amount of abuse. Why take this out on the horse and take their life away for it? All they wanted was a free life.
Horses are our lives, do you agree? We love them almost more than anything, agree? They are there for us when we need it, no matter what the situation, agree? And then in their time of need and suffering, we dispose of them? Yes, that is a way to ease them of their pain, but aren't there other ways, that DON'T iclude DEATH. The way I see it, death is never the option, but the path of life is always the way to go!

Ok people its time to open your eyes a little and look around. I have been around horses my entire life and they mean more to me than any of you!! But I also have the common sense to see what is happing to the horse you people are trying to save. Horse’s get old, they get sick, and lets face it people they eat a lot.
When I read that it says in the Bible that it was bad to slaughter or kill animals with a single toe I sat down immediately. Thank you for providing a Verse to prove that your statement was true. The Book is Leviticus chapter 11 Verses 3 and 26. It dose NOT say any were that it is unjust to slaughter these animals.
Now moving on to another point, I think that every one is well aware of the economy and the horse market as my friend pointed out ever sense the outlawing of horse slaughter it has made the price of the horse plummeted and with the price of hay many people cant afford hay to feed there horses. They eat more than there are worth so why keep them. Most people don’t…. with no place to take them where they can server a purpose they are taken on some road and shot, or released on to other peoples land.
These horses now home less and already starved will eat what ever they can find. They eat farmers crops witch bring us back to the economy. I know that you don’t sit around and think I wish I could pay more taxes. Well all the crops the horses eat, trample and all together destroy you pay for. These farmers are reimbursed with taxpayer’s money for their loss. After farmers see what these horse do they go and they shoot them. The ones that don’t get shot will eventually starve to death. Think about it, no horse is released and lives a happy life in a field of flowers and lush green grass. They are not released any where close to other good breeding stock, they are driven in to the most god forsaken land available and dumped. Because a few bunny huggers thought they were doing the horses a favor. In the world we live in to day there simply isn’t room for every horse to live its life happily on some farm. Life is cruel, it’s not fair and things must be done that don’t seem right. If you don’t want to see horses slaughtered help your self to every old, sick, unwanted horse. I’m sure you would be more than happy to feed a few thousand more horses.
I can not think of a reason not to bring back slaughter. It never hurt any one when we had it. So for every one who thinks that I’m some horse hating fool please feel free to comment.

I'm pro-slaughter. Too many people think that because they own a mare, she should be bred. Until start using their heads, the market is going to continue to be over-run with too many horses and not enough homes.

Hey Just saw this! Um, yeh.... do you even want to know the number of horses abandoned in the Ocala forest in FL. Last I checked ...horse don't eat palmetto bushes. They starve AND are scared. Yeh, that is more humane. Bad either way...but way worse one.

i think that slaughter houses have to potential to be a good solution, but are mostly bad. Slaughter houses today and inhumane and in no way a solution to the horse overpopulation. If slaughter houses were regulated, and made sure every horse was comfortable until their death it might be a good option. If the way in which they we killed was more effective and quicker, it would be better. Without regulations the slaughter house industry will be controlled by people who care more about money than the horses themselves and that is no person any horse should ever be given to.

everybody go to www.habitatforhorse.org

i help out this organization there are braclets tshirts and other objects on the website for sale to help STOP SLAUGHTER HOUSES

its not the fact that horses were being slaughterd. its the way they were being treated going to the slaughter houses. and being treated at the slaughter houses.

my friend is thinkin of a idea to do, like make some med to give the horses to put them to sleep, or like somethin so they cant feel the pain if anything happens to em.i wouldnt want em to go through all that sufferin.

ummm idont know about u guys but do u really want to have a horse that is being killed like just miles from ur house!!! I am alll for Non-slaughter. I don't want to drive by a slaughter house and see a bunch of horses beeing mixed in with cows knowing that they will soon die... I know they will die in other countries too but I mean seriously... I wouldn't be able to bear to see a horse at a slaughter house =[.... this is one of the many reasons I'm a vegitiarian lol. besides u really do not want horses being slaughtered in the U.S. ... think about it, if you saw a horse being killed wouldnt you be shaken and terrified.... just like there was a reason we had them there is also a reason we don't have them anymore... This is a reason y I want to start a rescue program wen I get older... besides a horse I want to rescue is very skinny and he might have been sent to a slaughter house if no one rscued him and now i MIGHT get him..... I just wouldn't be able to bear it if he was killed in my country... possibly even my state. NON-SLAUGHTER!!!!!!