What Will The Effect Be?

[Mike Franklin]

It appears that horse slaughter in Texas is over, barring appeal. I don't think this will effect high dollar horse prices but I do believe that the bottom will drop out of the backyard horse market. What's ya'lls opinion?

 

[peg4x4]

I think there'll be lots of lowlifes that'll turn their horses out--Kinda like what happened with emus--we had them running around loose all over the place..... However,the horse thiefs will have to find another line of work ...

 

[clampitt]

I know since I'm not one of the educated crowed,What I have to say don't mean much on here.But the effect will be more devistating than the animal rights and the liberal know it alls think.They have never come up with a plan for,What are you going to do with these horses.When people can no longer afford to feed one because of a job loss or the owners health reasons or their kids just don't want to ride any more.The packer horse market does set the value in the majority of the horse martket.The high dollar horse will to a small degree be effected not as much.When it gets to where people just can't feed or take care of one like needs to be.This has come up a few times in just visiting at the feed store or an event.This is a thought there might be more just turned loose on the section line and abandoned and when they walk out on the road and a family hits them running 70 it will be like hitting a wall,I have seen a car hit a big cow and it is not a pretty sight.The feed stores,vets,banks people borrow money to buy trucks and trailers,tires,all this will be effected.I have a cow buying customer that also buys a lot of killer horses.He sends most of his to Mexico now.There are no regulations there as to the welfare of one before it is processed.They just unload and get the money.When the individual horse owner goes out it will take out so much more than is imagined.They are like any thing the small business man is the real backbone of the economy.Same here the amature horseman spends Billions of dollars every year.There are around 90,000. horses processed every year thats a bunch to have to deal with and then next year another 90,000 or so is coming along.Ask them what you going to do with that many.They have no answer because they don't think that far.All they know is it makes a factinon happy that will bring in several thousand votes for me.There are more of them than horse owners.Its all about controll and greed.Course like I said i don't know much

 

[tukie]

We see them all the time over here at auction.....the meat buyer ships them off to Canada. I don't have a HUGE problem with meat buyers, they have their place, but I have issues with how they are taken care of before they are slaughtered. I don't think the bottom will drop too much, mostly on unbroke horses. There are plenty of people who want good broke horses. But, there are going to be issues with abuse, neglect etc. like it was mentioned before with the hay problems, and nowhere to take horses that are sick, old or injured. I think it will be horrifying. Over here if a horse dies, it costs over $250 just to have it hauled off....people are going to have to find a different way to dispose of them. It's going to be ugly.
T

 

[tukie]

But, I guess we can eat 'em.
T.

 

[ALACOWMAN]

don't know where you get that idea clampitt. when you talk i always bend a ear.

 

[Horse Guy]

It appears that horse slaughter in Texas is over, barring appeal. I don't think this will effect high dollar horse prices but I do believe that the bottom will drop out of the backyard horse market. What's ya'lls opinion?

Its the backyard breeders, breeding unwanted horses who will have to learn what a marketable horse is. Plus the non horsemen that will either have to learn better ways or pay the price for the horses that they screw up.
Im under the impression they cant export the horses either for slaughter anymore. Going to need Coggins and stuff for export.
Anyway im glad horse slaughter is on its way out and the more non horsemen out of the industry the better.

 

[Waymoore]

It appears that horse slaughter in Texas is over, barring appeal. I don't think this will effect high dollar horse prices but I do believe that the bottom will drop out of the backyard horse market. What's ya'lls opinion?

Its the backyard breeders, breeding unwanted horses who will have to learn what a marketable horse is. Plus the non horsemen that will either have to learn better ways or pay the price for the horses that they screw up.
Im under the impression they cant export the horses either for slaughter anymore. Going to need Coggins and stuff for export.
Anyway im glad horse slaughter is on its way out and the more non horsemen out of the industry the better.

Weither you want to admit it or not horse slaughter does or did serve a function. It was a way to use an animal that was of no use to the owner anymore. Now instead of the UNHORSEMAN buying a pony for little Mary Lou as a gift when she is 12 then taking it to the sale barn when she outgrows it or it founders because of poor diets or it in fact does just get to old to ride.They will be left in a pasture and forgot about or worse yet dumped like millions of dogs each and every year.And as far as nonhorseman there will be alot more because the horse market will probably drop making a horse than much cheaper for the individual to buy then he\she will realize that the cost of a horse is alot more than they thought but they cant take it back to the salebarn and they cant give it to any of thier horseman friends cause it is just another mouth to feed then what happens to that horse? It will sit in inadiquate pastures eating weeds to survive untill the flies carry it off or the SPCA takes it and has to put it down. And as far as the horses getting screwed up by the owners oh well they are cheap enough to be disposable if trigger dont act right I will beat some sense into him gee that didnt work well maybe its the horse I will just get another. But on the brighter side if they do shut down the slaughter houses it will help out the imigration problem because the Mexico goverment will start controlling the boarders not to keep them in but to keep the horses out.Now I do admit like I said in an earlier thread the slaughter of horses needs to be diffrent than cattle but I also realize the importance it plays in our society.

 

[dewey]

It appears that horse slaughter in Texas is over, barring appeal. I don't think this will effect high dollar horse prices but I do believe that the bottom will drop out of the backyard horse market. What's ya'lls opinion?

Its the backyard breeders, breeding unwanted horses who will have to learn what a marketable horse is. Plus the non horsemen that will either have to learn better ways or pay the price for the horses that they screw up.
Im under the impression they cant export the horses either for slaughter anymore. Going to need Coggins and stuff for export.
Anyway im glad horse slaughter is on its way out and the more non horsemen out of the industry the better.

when someone gets a horse crippled with an injury that cant be fixed we can delivery the horse to you.

 

[spinandslide]

It appears that horse slaughter in Texas is over, barring appeal. I don't think this will effect high dollar horse prices but I do believe that the bottom will drop out of the backyard horse market. What's ya'lls opinion?

Its the backyard breeders, breeding unwanted horses who will have to learn what a marketable horse is. Plus the non horsemen that will either have to learn better ways or pay the price for the horses that they screw up.
Im under the impression they cant export the horses either for slaughter anymore. Going to need Coggins and stuff for export.
Anyway im glad horse slaughter is on its way out and the more non horsemen out of the industry the better.

I agree with the first part of your post, regarding breeding..Although Im thinking more of the entire horse market..Crappy horses are not selling, and I've seen PLENTY of folks selling out.

Big Paint breeder up in OK did afew months back. and a bunch of his horses ended up on the meat truck.

I don't agree with the rest of your post.

If I understand it right, it is going to be illegal to "transport" horses for slaughter..so what? You get coggins..that's it..most sales already require that and if Johnny Law stops you, you are hauling your sick cousin's horses so he can pet old Trigger one last time before he passes away :roll: . Canada slaughterhouses at least have some guidelines and inspections..you think Mexico's are that way? Nope...needless suffering of these horses through
-LONGER trailer rides
-inadeuquate facilties

The bottom is going to drop out of the market, lower end horses will be severly effected, it will easier then ever to afford a horse. And we all know the LEAST expensive aspect of owning a horse is the actual purchase..unfortuantly, not everyone else does.

I see horses beiing dumped in the pasture because their is no other place for the owners to take them to "Get rid of them".

I love horses, but I also feel that slaughter is a nesseccary evil. I also love cows, but again, I eat hamburgers and steak. Not saying I'd eat horse, but they are livestock, same as cows, pigs, chickens, ducks,ect.

I feel it's hypocritical for a person to be against horse slaughter, yet eat their bacon in the AM and their steak for dinner..Slaughter is Slaughter.

One thing I would like to see changed is the method of transportation and the actual process for horses..the captive bolt gunn is more effect on cattle then horses and can cause undue pain and suffering in a horse.

 

[Horse Guy]

"Ifeel it's hypocritical for a person to be against horse slaughter, yet eat their bacon in the AM and their steak for dinner..Slaughter is Slaughter. "

You see thats the real reason everybody on this cattle forum are pro horse horse slaughter.
You think your next. I disagree. Beef is way different than horses. You know it and so do I.
Then in the backs of your minds your worried about the public using public land for horses, eating grass that your cows should be eating.
Anyway coggins and paperwork<brokerage will keep them from coming to Canada because of the expense. Plus Canada tends to do whatever the States does 5 or 10 years down the road so I suspect horse slaughter will be on its way out in Canada as well.
Hey with the BSE feed restrictions in Canada what are they doing with all there old cull cows that they cant sell or render into cattle feed? They are actually building plants top turn the carcuses into electricty.
Anyway once the people who are breeding horses that nobody wants get out of the business because they are not making a go out of it the whole industry will be better off.
A bullet or a Vet is a cheap way to put down a horse if it isnt wanted.

 

[Waymoore]

Ok on one hand I can start to see where you are coming from as far as the slaughter issue for human consumption. I guess that is why you are against the horse slaughter right? And I also guess you are a vegetarian too? But then in your next statement you say something like they are building plants to turn the carcuses into electricity that is still slaughter. Then to go further you say to use a vet or bullet to dispose of unwanted or unridable horses that is just a waste in my opinion. Kill an animal then put it in the ground when you could use it to feed people or turn it into dog food. I am not going to start a religiouse discussion here but no matter what you believe we are the top of the food chain. With that we have the responsibilty to be wise in our choices of what we do with ANIMALS why not put it to use instead of just putting it in the ground? At least with the cattle you are talking about there is some use for it but what happens if that idea takes off then you will see the breeding standards for cattle go way down cause there will be a markett for unediable cattle.

 

[Horse Guy]

Waymoore said
Ok on one hand I can start to see where you are coming from as far as the slaughter issue for human consumption. I guess that is why you are against the horse slaughter right? And I also guess you are a vegetarian too?

reply
I have never said its about human consumption and im not a vegetarian. Its about decent treatment of horses and breeders who breed unwanted horses and people who wreck horses not getting paid for their actions.

He said
But then in your next statement you say something like they are building plants to turn the carcuses into electricity that is still slaughter.

reply
No it isnt. You dont get paid for the carcuses. You will call them up like a rendering truck and they will come and take the carcuses off your hands.


He said
Then to go further you say to use a vet or bullet to dispose of unwanted or unridable horses that is just a waste in my opinion.

reply
Its humane and better than slaughter where they try to handle horses like they would cattle and anybody who knows anything about horses know the problems this creates. Thin skined, high strung, grained up, strange foals, mares, geldings and stallions shoved together.

you said
Kill an animal then put it in the ground why not put it to use instead of just putting it in the ground?

reply
Why not expand cattle markets into what was formally being filled with horses?

you said
At least with the cattle you are talking about there is some use for it but what happens if that idea takes off then you will see the breeding standards for cattle go way down cause there will be a markett for unediable cattle.

Reply
??

 

[Mike Franklin]

Ya'll need to remember that it's not just wrecked, broken down, old or crippled horses that used to go to slaughter. There were plenty of healthy, fit, sound ponies being slaughtered. Every killer buyer I saw tried to get the best buy, nice heavy horses, that they could get.
I don't go to the local auctions anymore. Those that are have reported a huge drop in prices and some ponies not being bought. I guess that time will tell how this turns out.
For the record, I was not against slaughter but did believe that the transport and killing could have been done better.

 

[TAMARACKREG]

It appears that horse slaughter in Texas is over, barring appeal. I don't think this will effect high dollar horse prices but I do believe that the bottom will drop out of the backyard horse market. What's ya'lls opinion?

There will be an abundant supply of meat for those who butcher for themselves.

 

[mustangkoda]

i'm just glad i don't have to worry about saving miniture horses any more. how much meat can you get off of a mini anyway??? we've saved a couple that we bought ourselfs, the greatest little show horses, and then we bought a stallion that was going to market, sold him at a show, great bloodlines and confermation, and temperment. the new owners love him!!!! my mom also saved a quarterhorse/thoughrbred mix. 17 hands, gentle as can be, was used for a kids camp till he was "no longer making money", he'd foundered and was feeling tired and they could not "aford" to let him have a couple months off to recoop. we bought him, gave him rest, changed his diet, light exercise and after a couple of months was a new horse. we got him at 15 tired as can be, could barely walk, after a couple of months he was cantering with my brother. he died at age 23 of colic.

besides, if my horse got to the point that it was time to go i'd put him down first before sending him to a meat market. that's the thanks he gets for putting up with humans, working for them and putting up with our demands, just to get "your moneys worth" no thanks. i'd rather put them down first.

i have a mustang that after i had him for a few yrs, i found out he was half blind. i had several people ask me if or why i was keeping him?? just because he's not perfect??? he made and great 4 h horse for my neices and nephew. he learned to barrel race with them. my oldest neice, the only one i would trust to do this, jumped him over beginner jumps. he is now 19 and will happily live out his life here with us. he's earned it.

sorry to rant, but i for one don't like sending horses to slaughter, just because they are no longing of any use to us or past his prime

 

[msscamp]

sorry to rant, but i for one don't like sending horses to slaughter, just because they are no longing of any use to us or past his prime

I can and do understand where you are coming from with this, but people with large operations generally have too many horses for this to be a viable option. They cannot afford to put down animals that are no longer producing and absorb the loss - horses cost money, and a lot of it over their lifetime. There is also the fact that, when all is said and done, horses are livestock - just like cattle, sheep, pigs, and goats. True, horses are not generally thought of as food, and yes, they are generally more personable, and easier to connect with than other species - and that makes it that much more difficult to put them in the livestock category - but that is what they are and were designed to be. If that sounds cold and cruel, I'm sorry - but it is a fact. I am not a big advocate of horse slaughter, but it is a necessary evil and it does serve a purpose.

 

[mustangkoda]

guess if its a business it's a nessisary evil, but what i'm talking about are people who just don't want them anymore, must be someone out there who'd by med aged horse who still has some life to him, then there's the mini's. my smallest is about 240 lbs biggest 375. how much meat do you get from that??

 

[msscamp]

guess if its a business it's a nessisary evil,

I disagree - if there was not a need, the business would not have come about. I'm not going to get into whether it's a justifiable need or not, because that is a can of worms I don't want to open.

but what i'm talking about are people who just don't want them anymore,

I understand what you're saying.

must be someone out there who'd by med aged horse who still has some life to him, then there's the mini's. my smallest is about 240 lbs biggest 375. how much meat do you get from that??

I'm sure there is, but I'm also sure they are few and far between and, considering the cost of horses, they can't save them all. Probably not much. I think we are probably pretty kindred spirits on this subject - it's just that I've been forced to come to some kind of terms with it, whereas it doesn't sound like you have been in that situation yet. Please forgive me if that sounds patronizing - that is not my intent, I'm simply making an observation. If I have come to the wrong conclusion, I'm sorry.

 

[persianhorse]

Hi:

I wish a law put a stop to it for good.
Eating and slaughtering horses is disgusting.
I am a vegetarian.

Best wishes.