There seems to be a huge war over this concept: Unwanted Horses
Over the last several weeks, I have been watching people damn near come to blows over "unwanted horses".
Here are some of the things people have to say (often ending in a Battle Royale on blogs and social networking sites):
1. There is no such thing as an unwanted horse---it's IRRESPONSIBLE OWNERS who are not willing to put their horse down and pay for that.
2. There is no such thing as an unwanted horse---the KILL BUYERS are just buying them and taking them before other people can.
3. The AUCTIONS are to blame for unwanted horses---they are condoning people dropping off horse and making a huge profit on this act.
4. The Pro-Slaughter side is making up lies about the number of horses being abandoned to make people think there are more unwanted horses then in reality.
5. The Anti-Slaughter side says since the number of horses being exported has not changed since before the ban, it proves there are less unwanted horses
6. Breed registrations are responsible for the mess---they need to stop registering so many horses and then all horses will be wanted.
7. Grade horses are the only horses that are unwanted---if ALL horses were registered then we would not have any problems (usually this is accompanied by a tirade on back yard breeders)
I could sit here all day today and tomorrow and probably well into February listing the comments people make about "unwanted horses". It goes on and on and on and on and ZZZZZZZZZZ-----ooops slipped into a boredom induced coma listening to the drivel!!!!
I think part of the confusion is there is not a universal definition concerning this term. Perhaps it would be in everyone's best interest if someone could come up with a definition that would clearly and concisely explain exactly WHAT an unwanted horse is (and at this point, I am not sure who would have the wisdom to created a working definition). But----BUT----is there really a need for this term?
For here is MY OPINION on the fact or fiction debate of the unwanted horse-----
Just like UNICORNS, they do NOT exist.
Someone ALWAYS wants the horse----it's the WHO wants it that everyone is really arguing about.
(Think on that and get back to me!)
Very good perspective. I had not thought about the WHO before! Now...let's tackle the issue of abandoned horses that supposedly don't exist.
ReplyDeleteAgreed, Candy, Agreed!!! For the record, I don't think of abandoned horses as unwanted. I think of them as a product of the present economic crisis and a by-product of policies that obviously did not work.
ReplyDeleteAnd now you have to distinguish which horses are only wanted by the Kill Buyer :) Are they old and sick or broken? If they are, they aren't acceptable candidates for slaughter under the new EU rules. Hi'Ya NT! I've missed you big fella!
ReplyDeleteMy lovely and charming, Helen, I have missed you as well. I know this may be unpopular with some; however, I think UH may be onto something with their no-slaughter i.d. system. Ii also saw someone state they would like to see EVERY BLM branded mustang turned away as the intent of our wild horse laws is not to turn them into steak. And, as I know your stance on slaughter and respect it, I hope you do not find me rude in saying this, "If no one else wants the horse and the kill buyer does, is the horse still not wanted?" I also need your help with something if you would not mind----as I know you have eyes and ears on the FL, could you do a head count of the number of BABIES (not mares in foal) but actual long yearlings on down that are on the lot and report back. I have been reading some interesting things lately-----
ReplyDeleteIf asked I believe everyone would say tey "want" a horse. That doesn't mean they should have them. Many of the "unwanteds" that I've seen are the product of spoiled Susie wanting a pony (glitter farting unicorn kind) and then realizing its work to have one. Weird vegan lady who saves one and then tries to be its best friend by the parelli doctrine and gets injured horribly when a 1500 lb animal with no real training decides that he doesn't want to be her best friend. People with good intentions who really do have plenty of love but find that in this economy it is expensive to have horses, hell, it's expensive to have an aquarium for Gods sake! While my stand on slaughter is very much undecided, for my horses it isn't even an issue, none of them will ever experience it but since I don't own every horse it's not my final decision but maybe enlightening people on what it is to own a horse is the key. When I was growing up all of us who had horses were in pony club, 4-h or some sort of equine community type organization. We didn't have grooms and braiders. While we did have trainers for the sticky bits in the beginning, professionals who could put the basics on a horse so my father could carry on with all 6 kids basically intact, we did not have the luxury of handing a horse off weekly and telling our instructor "it's broke, please fix it". We had to ride through the nastys and learn why they were doing it and how to correct it. We had to feed them, groom them, clean them and clean after them. When I bought my horse I kept his trainer on to show him, period. She has been doing so for 8 years I think she's the girl for that job and I just don't care to do so. She does not, however, ride him daily or even weekly, that is MY job. She may tune something up for a couple weeks before a show but for the most part it's my responsibility and if I don't do right by him, she gets all over me. Our ignorant mentality in this country with ALL things not just horses is its broke, get rid of it, I'm broke, sell it and wow I didn't know I actually had to care for it. Thatdoesnt even begin to describe the dummies who breed 50 for one good one or the people who are constantly coming up with some odd, mutated specialty mix (this goes for dogs as well as horses). So, now that my rant is over I guess my point is they're not necessarily "unwanted". They are homeless.
ReplyDeleteI would if I could, My Handsome NT, but we work with an honest to Gawd FLO not a simple Kill Buyer. This guy holds a contract to sell #1 fats so that's what he buys -We rarely see 'little ones' anymore.We only see them when a 'herd' is purchased and they are included with the others. I'll ask around to see if my friends at the Auction Rescues have a better perspective...To answer your 'other' question, I don't believe there is a single answer. We all know why the Kill Buyer 'Wants' to buy the horses.But People take horses to the auctions for all sorts of reasons and I'm constantly amazed at how many do not seem to know about the possibility of those horses ending up on a slaughter truck -Even the ones that do recognize the dangers might have chosen a different path if they had been given other options.. Low cost Euth services, crematoriums for disposal, gelding clinics..The Registries are reporting a drastic decrease, around 20%, in the registries of foals. So the Breeders seem to be doing their 'bit' to lower the numbers. I believe if the option of Slaughter was removed, the 'Market' would even itself out. American's might be the most Quarrelsome People on the face of the earth, but we can be Clever when we HAVE to be :)Unwanted, outgrown, too expensive to be afforded, the loss of a home, the death of the Owners, a divorce in the Family, even stolen and sold for a few bucks. Who knows why these horses ended up for sale.We need to give people more options. I just don't think Slaughter can ever be Humane so I don't think wholesale slaughter should be supported as an option :)
ReplyDeleteAh, my dear pippacat, your definition is exactly correct as well. Homeless horses are definitely a problem!
ReplyDeleteSo glad you have your own home and I'm sure you will be criticized and attacked by the fugtards but glad I can have constant communication with you. I am truly flattered that some of those glitter farters think we are one and the same, must be the color of my stump necked proven geldings, who knows? I'm not a lover of slaughter but I am also not a lover of puppy mills so until we find a way to control retards with the next designer crap (can you say zonkeys?) we are in a place of un homed animals. Do I eat horse or support it? No, a very large and resounding NO,however, if others eat it, that is their choice. I can say, because I studied as a chef in Europe,I have actually been required to prepare it. Part of school, I wasn't willing to flunk out based on personal beliefs. Personal beliefs are NOTallowed in the professional world, those who overdo are still struggling. I passed,I didn't like it but I prepared it. You do what you do when you have tens of thousands of dollars invested in an education. They eat it and they will continue to do so. I grew up on a farm so my motto has always been this "if you know you're going to eat it, don't name it, sleep with it or bond with it" I think they get that the ones they ride are not the ones they eat. My horses are not in any way in peril but the ones who are . . . Well, maybe if I has a gazillion dollars to save them all, maybe they
ReplyDeleteSorry, iPad gave up...... As I was saying if I had it sure, I would stop it from happening but my responsibility is at home, I do what I can when I can. In the same breath I will say, no slaughter is truly "humane". Pigs are WAY more intelligent than horses, they are just as frightened yet they are slaughtered on a much larger scale than horses. I believe in farming and raising livestock in the way that it has been done by the farmers of my youth, be it pig, cattle, chicken and, yes, even horses. Food is food. If its what you eat then who am I to challenge another's beliefs? I see too many equestrian vegan wannabes who ride their animal in I'll fitting leather saddles with all leather tack. Horse slaughter is so not a real issue. We were better off long before retarded radicals got involved. Again, that does not mean I am pro slaughter but at least if it's going to happen(and it IS going to happen) then let it happen at home.
ReplyDeleteI can never do anything but smile at you Ms. PCat. I can do nothing but bow down to you as the Queen of Reality Statements with your statement "Slaughter is so not a real issue". I would think that starving children in our own country, bullying ending in the deaths of young people, and the sluggish economy might be more issues that we should be directly attacking.
ReplyDeleteI cringe when I think about the many different faces of the radical wannabe vegan kool-aid drinking equestrians, who as you pointed out are toting around all leather tack and pulled up in a BMW with kid leather interior. I had a conversation with one such lovebug. I was having a PRIVATE BBQ with the barn owner----just her and I sitting outside the barn grilling up some steaks. This little snit walked by repeatedly, turning her nose up at our feast. Finally, the BO turns to her and says, "Is there something you want?" She sneered and said, "Yes, I simply cannot ride with the smell of your dirty meat stinking up the arena. It scares my horse my horse and grosses me out." When the BO got done laughing, she made three simple statements, "First, this is my home and I let you keep your horse here. If you do not like that I eat meat, then move your horse elsewhere. And, when you give up your leather tack, leather seat luxury vehicle, and every other product made from an animal, I might consider asking you how you did it." To which this stupid girl replied, "Well the least you could do is just cook chicken since chickens are just birds and not real animals." Um---okaaaay.
This is the face of some---not all---but a great number of the people who are weighing in on horse slaughter. They do not really understand classifications of animals or the science behind much of our world. They are egocentric, mindless followers who believe anything "reality" t.v. and youtube videos show them. It's scary to think when we are sitting in rockers on our porches, these people may be in charge of our world.
My favorite comment ever was on that "other" blog back in the day, I was told by a self-proclaimed vegan with leather tack that leather was NOT a bi-product of the meat industry . . . WTF? Huh? It's amazing what an ignoramous will tell themselves in order to justify their coach bag and their leather tall boots. Apparently we have hole herds of cattle who we shear the skin off of like sheep and return them to the herd to regrow! As for what happened at your barn, well, this is EXACTLY why I don't allow others to keep their horses on my property. a comment like that one would probably have just made me faint, allowing 1800 lbs of spotted love to possibly eat me, yes I do believe Deco would leave his vegan ways if he ever once got to taste a piece of bacon.
ReplyDeleteI loved what you wrote BTW on the blog that seems to be finding a better rythm these days. I'm still not necessarily pro slaughter but that's only because, honestly, right now I just DO NOT CARE! Yes, I said it, I don't care. As you clearly got it from my reality statements, yes I am very much more concerned about the rising number of foreclosures, the homeless, the starving, the unemployed PEOPLE! I'm truly sorry for someone's my pretty pony getting dumped on a plate but I am WAAAAAAY more concerned with someones mother starving and cold because her social security doesn't cover the cost of groceries or a family of 4 being forced out of their home because a two-income family can no longer afford to live.
Sorry, I guess my blogger decided to change my name - pippacat
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ReplyDeleteIt a real same how the economics of the country has really effected abandonment of pets. I have seen lots of horses in my local area which look to have been abandoned. We have taken in a couple of horses from a local sanctuary which does not even have enough horse riding saddles for all there horses now. It really getting bad.
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