Then you must be some kind of ideologue. For otherwise, why would you suppose that I would personally turn a blind eye to the problem of the abuse and neglect of horses? Indeed, if I personally knew of any such circumstance, I'd jump in and do all I could do to help, including financial support or (better, with the right horse, provided I could manage it — and with the right horse, I'd find the means) outright adoption.
I just do not accept that the only solution to the problem of abuse and neglect of horses is to turn them into horsemeat.
I love these animals too much. I regard them as my "little sisters and brothers," fellow biological beings caught in the same net of space and time as I am. They are the nobility of the animal kingdom, IMHO. They gladly work with us humans for our human purposes, learning and executing their jobs as intelligent and able beings. Without the horse (and the Winchester), the great Western Expansion of what was to become the United States of America would not have taken place. They are beloved to me, and I imagine, also to God.
So, do you have any better ideas?
Seems to me the blame for the condition of the animals rests directly on the owners. They’re the ones deciding to not feed or water them. That’s some of the responsibility of being a pet owner.
Pets cost money, that’s just a fact of life. If you don’t want to pay for them, don’t have them in the first place be they horses, dogs, cats, fish, birds, whatever. There’s simply no excuse for mistreating animals.
Blaming it solely on the shutting down of slaughter houses is just blame shifting. People who abuse animals need to be held accountable.
I am just so tired of people jumping on a cause- without thinking of the consequences. If a solution would have been found for what to do with all the unwanted horses, I would not have an issue with those that fought so hard to close the slaughter houses. It just saddens me that so many were happy to sign petitions and contact officials to get slaughter banned and then most of those people went on to another cause without a thought about what would happen to all the unwanted horses when there was no place to take them.
Owners that were willing to sell their horses to slaughter are not going to suddenly become great horse owners- that is just common sense. Irresponsible horse owners are simply going to starve and neglect their horses even more now that they are not of value to them.
I don’t know what the solution is for all the unwanted horses, but they are worse off now, and few seem to worry about that. I wish all the people who fought against slaughter would now raise money and work just as hard to find a solution as they worked to end slaughter in the U.S. I just don’t see it happening.
I remember when people fought so hard to save the wild horses years ago; once it was not a fad any more, and most of the champions of the wild horses went home there was still the issue of what to do with the horses. Only a few are actually adopted to good homes, many are kept in feedlots at taxpayer expense. That to me is like a equine prison and not a solution for the horses. The wild horse issue has never been solved, and now another set of problems has been created with the ban on slaughter- so now there are even more horses that are unwanted.
It sounds good to think you have saved horses, but what future have you saved them for? If it is a life of neglect then did you really do a good thing?
You were the one applauding the ban on slaughter - how about you and your fellow busy-bodies come up with a solution ?
I loved your post - provided “you could afford it” you’d adopt one. One, of thousands ! Wow, how generous ! Thousands of horses are in that position now, costing at least a few hundred dollars a month in food and care, and all you can say is your concern is provisional. Got any friends just as “concerned as you” ?
Just like a liberal - act first by getting the government involved to do your dirty work, appear dumbfounded at the negative consequences.