thank you so much for your help. The poor horses. It is really very, very sad.
But you have the possibility to help It´s wonderful.

A lot of people in Austria watch the story about these mustangs.
We all hope these horses can survive.

I wish you all good things of the earth and a lot of luck for your project.

(sorry, my english is terrible).

with best regards from Vienna, Austria
Susanne Soban and Galiwar (my horse; Shagya-Arabian)

I never try the impossible.

AND I WILL REPEAT…WHY ARE HORSES STARVING TO DEATH? SLAUGHTER IS STILL AVAILABLE! And the KBs don’t buy starved horses that much any longer. They don’t need to because so many owners are DUMPING perfectly healthy horses. Because those owners don’t want the care expense any longer. Isn’t that an ethical position on something that didn’t ask to be brought into this world and can live into their 30’s! Just have to love the human animal. “…destruction, kind and sensible answer….put down a lovely, six-month colt.”????? Do you mean chemical or bullet euthanasia? As to the colt, I hope there was some medical reason for the euthanasia. If you want to be kind…euthanize humanely and slaughter isn’t humane for horses and no one would take Dr. Grandin up on her truly dedicated humane horse slaughterhouse Mr. Redmond. Why is that?

And stop with essentially the “dumb animal” spittle…all animals have a will to live and frequently know when it’s time to die. And, who died and annoited you King?!

It is unfortunate that too many people, who are not truly knowledgeable about horses nor well informed as to costs, holler about the evil of slaughter. What I write here is not likely to convert them, but it may help them “get a grip”.

I have been around horses most of my life - that is close to eighty years. I love them for the great creatures they are and the noble characters of many I’ve known. Even so, I must and can accept that some must be put to death. It does not matter if it is called slaughter, humane destruction or some other euphemism. They must be killed because they are sick or injured beyond the capacity of veterinary care or because nobody can afford to keep them as pets or lawn ornaments. In the current controversy we are concerned only with the second type.

If none can afford to keep them or wish to keep them, what other course is open other than death? The cold water of reality should awaken all to the fact the actual issue is how it is to be done. Starvation is unlikely to be favored by anybody save one.

Consequences often trump intentions; even good intentions. That absolutely applies to the law that closed slaughterhouses in the USA. Instead of regulating the means and methods, it created a transportation business to uncontrolled countries. It is never too late to admit that error and do the right thing.

The right thing is to gather funds, not the multi-millions it must cost to keep them alive, but to meet the cost of paying for administration of drugs now used to destroy sick and injured horses. That cost is a practical, reachable figure. It could be brought more within practical range if the FDA is convinced to allow veterinarians to use the cheaper, faster chemical than those now mandated.

Of course, the carcass could not be used for human consumption. Isn’t it only the very idea of eating horsemeat that has so many up-in-arms? This answers their objections. It still puzzles me why many are so concerned with what other people choose to eat.

A horse has no plans for tomorrow. It does not have concern about the things that are constant concerns of humans. The kindest thing we can do for a horse is not to let it die from hunger, thirst or exposure. When there are so many who cannot, practically be given that protection, destruction is the only kind and sensible answer.

At some time, any owner may have to decide if his horse must be put down. The condition of the horse may make it seem an inescapable decision, but there can still be hesitation. A miracle may happen and turn things around. Believe me, a miracle is what it would take, still it is a tough call. I know from experience; most recently last Sunday, when it was my melancholy decision to put down a lovely, six-month-old colt.

So, I don’t lightly argue it is better to destroy the unwanted. I know it is the right thing to do, if it is done the right way.

A.E. Loder”
are in fact in an uproar about are the ways the horses are slaughtered. If hanging a horse, who is still alive and skinning him after the spike or hammer they used to whack him soundly in the head didn’t exactly work..then I guess I am one of those lost people also. Brutality is the key word here, not slaughter although that is a nasty word too. As for the horses standing in the pastures starving to death, then the OWNERS should have to bear responsibility and a call to the SPCA from someone concerned is about all it takes..and the horses, dogs, cats, birds even ELK or whatever is being abused or neglected will be taken and either brought back to health, placed in homes that care or euthanized if they are past the point of rescue..but not a slaughter house….oh yea and the owners will pay stiff fines and have to go to court and/or jail for their neglect. So I disagree with Ann. I stopped at a vet clinic on the way to buy feed one day because I saw a bull Elk who was so skinny that he could barely stand. It outraged me and I stopped in, said can you please call the SPCA for me..and told them why, they did and guess what the next time I went by the Elk was gone….I stood as the Vets called the SPCA and I believe they went out, collected the Elk and that is the end of the story for cruelty for that animal, it just takes one call, the morale to this story is don’t look out the window and pine for the animals to be slaughtered or euthanized because the neighbors don’t take care of them, ..get off your ass and call someone with authority to come and do something about it and promote making the slaughter houses, if this is in fact a really necessary thing to do, at least conform to a humane way of putting the animals down before being hacked to pieces!
Pam Byerley

A very simple response to your proposition and points:

Many horses are brought into this world or collected without thought to their ethical demise or final disposition. Many people “speculate” on horses lives that can very well live into their 30’s with proper care, without regard or committment to same’. They then in turn feed off that gravey train that is temporary (involvement, not committment) ownership (auctions, breeders, trainers, owners, pinhookers, kill buyers, et al). Not much unlike the stock market broker churning their wares with no regard to the purchaser or in this case the horse.

I believe Mrs. Pickens is trying to provide some type of solution and some breeders/owners are trying to do right by the horses. In the meantime, stop breeding or buying horses that are probably not part of any long term strategy or committment. Stop breeding or buying just because you can, unless you are committed. What’s the difference? When it comes to the metaphor of breakfast, the chicken is “involved”; the pig is committed.

Let me make this clear. IF A BREEDER CAN’T AFFORD A STUD FEE OF $5,000, HE/SHE CAN’T AFFORD TO BE BREEDING THOROUGHBREDS!!!

This is a perfect example of irresponsible stallion owners trying to create a market for a certain horse THAT DOESN’T EXIST….IT MUST STOP. I hope Mr. Greathouse stops to think about the horses HE is creating and whether they are really commercially viable, especially in this market…….GET REAL.

I came in this morning to read my Paulick Report and saw Mr Notapeta Member’s comments to his pain regarding my statements concerning the overproduction of horses in our country. First of all, Mr. Member, I, too, am empathetic to your painful dilemma of what to do with the thousands of horses for whom we do not have placement or homes to care for them. That’s why I wrote the response. I have lived with, cared for, trained, doctored, medicated, slept with, cried over, cursed, lied, and bragged about my client’s horses, and my own horses for more than 30 years. My wife has said more times than not that I love the horses more than her.
If you are reading into my response that I am, “… giving up…”, then you, obviously, don’t understand the points I raised. Generally, my point is this – we are the managers and caretakers of these animals, and as such, need to be responsible to provide and manage for them throughout their lives. We need to provide for them or place them – we will never, “…give up…” on them. We are their caregivers from the beginning to the end. If we cannot humanely and properly care care for them, then euthanasia is indicated.
My solution is this:
1. Identify the problem –
a. It is a fact that we have well over 100,000 horses being retired each year for whom we cannot provide adequate care.
2. Gather the data –
a. 450 rescue missions are currently operating at maximum capacity
b. The minimum cost to care for a retired horse is $3500
c. We need to raise $400 million each year to care for the new crop of retired horses
d. We need to generate $400 million for each previous crop of retired horses
3. Solutions –
a. Generate $8 billion in 10 years ($20 billion in 20 years)
b. Euthanasia
For you, Mr Member, to say that Dr Lawrence’s article was ordered up, “… by the same fools who won’t do anything about this….” sounds like a poor soul in so much agony that he has lost rational, logical thought. Dr Lawrence is a retired university professor who has spent a lifetime teaching, observing, and advising the horse industry about our economic facts. He’s seen it – he’s reporting it.
For you, Mr Member, to say that I am part of the problem sounds more like a chickadee jumping up and down chirping on the sidelines chastising the world around him instead of trying to be a mature, focused leader who can assimilate all of the inputs. My position is quite clear - I am identifying the problem while trying to remind those of us in the industry to focus on alternative solutions. As I said, “… the finances are a hard fact of life…”. This is reality, face it, Mr Member. Stand up straight, square your shoulders and face the facts that Dr Lawrence has presented. They are painful, I agree.
If you or Mrs Pickens can acquire the facilities (1 million acres), raise the capital ($4 billion by 2018 and $8 billion by 2028), then you are the true heroes and angels. I will applaud you. Otherwise, I welcome your alternative solutions. Dr Lawrence gave us the facts. I feel your pain, bro – think positive, give me solutions, not ad hominem chirping.

WRONG! WRONG! WRONG! You are just plain wrong. I’m sure someone will come here and post words more eloquently than I, but in the meantime:
(1) Humane euthanasia (and slaughter ain’t even close…it’s strictly disposal providing tainted meat to humans. No production records required like beef or pork) and feeding your horse is a part of ownership responsibilities. If you can’t afford that, then you shouldn’t own a horse.
(2) SLAUGHTER IS STILL AVAILABLE! Why are these horses starving????
(3) If you have knowledge that horses are starving, why haven’t you called the authorities? It’s against the law to starve any animal. Why haven’t you gotten together with other community horse owners and offered to help? Maybe you have done this already.
(4) Research shows that starving an animal has no correlation to the availability or unavailability of horse slaughter. It has almost 100% to do with owner psychology and education. And again, slaughter auctions go on everyday in the US.
(5) Because starving an animal may or may not happen does not justify horse slaughter. The logic that it is the lesser of two evils is your opinion and a fallacy of logic. Those acts are equally horrifying. In fact, I think horse slaughter is more horrifying for the horse than starving to death in a field without grass, shelter, water, etc. And that happens EVERYDAY in the US. And the double-decker cattle tractor-trailers just continue to roll, even as we speak. Horse slaughter is NOT a necessary evil. It’s a BUSINESS and a slimey one at that: liars, cheats, theives, profiteers, criminals peddling pain and cruelty at the expense of one of the US’s most dedicated servants.

I’m sure others can add more.