On all points including being able to carry on a civil and educational discussion. No reason at all why we cant disagree without being disagreeable.
What we all must understand here is it not well informed horse owners/breeders/exhibitors/judges/farriers/vets, etc. that were ever behind the movement to shut down horse processing in the US. It was, and IS the Animal rights lobbyist's and horses were just an easy first target. There will be more to come and I predict that meat goats will be next target for all of the same arguments they made about horses. i.e. "they are companion animals" "we don't eat goat meat in this country" "why should American goats feed people in other countries, let them raise their own goat meat" etc.etc. and that industry will either have to get off of their hands and learn from what has happened to the horse industry, or suffer similar consequences.
If HSUS and PETA really cared about was the welfare of slaughter bound horses they would have worked hard to improve all the process's involved, and work hard on educating people about supply and demand, then... offer real life solutions, and not just stop up a drain in a bathtub with the water still running into it full force. ( we all know what happens with that now don't we?)
The sad truth is they make a TON of money off of tugging at heartstrings, and they have no intention of even trying to get at the real root of the problem. i.e. over-breeding, lack of training, disease, catastrophic injuries, and all the other reasons horses end up SB in the first place. If they "fixed" the problem they would literally be biting off their own nose to spite their faces, or more simply put, go broke.
They are well organized, well funded, and politically connected. They are good at sensationalism and propaganda and pulling well meaning good hearted people into their lair without ever mentioning the unintended consequences of their actions or admitting that they are making things far worse for the very animals they propose they are helping.
Its time horse owners stood and and demanded realistic solutions to the unwanted, unmarketable horse problem before every single equine in this country ends up in that same category. If we think that cant happen, take a look at the dog and cat mess. Not to mention horses cant be "adopted" by people living in suburbs and apartments.
Karen G www.princesscarriage.com
--- On Thu, 2/18/10, Cari Kilborn <carik@partnercom.net> wrote:
From: Cari Kilborn <carik@partnercom.net>
Subject: Re: [haflingerfriends] Re: Haflinger slaughter in Europe
To: haflingerfriends@yahoogroups.com
Date: Thursday, February 18, 2010, 6:36 AM
I agree with all you said Kimberly!
~Cari
Kimberly wrote:
>
> There is something really important mentioned in this post by Sandy.
> It isn't the fact that slaghter houses exist but what happens when
> people fight to get them eliminated. Horses then have to face even
> more inhumane treatment for days on end because other slaughter horses
> do exist and the focus should not be on eliminating them, but on
> forcing them to have humane treatment every step of the way - from the
> time they buy or have the horses, during transit, and right up until
> the very end - including the way in which they are slaghtered.
>
> Yes, it is hard to think of horses as being raised or used for
> slaghter but when it comes down to it, their meat is just as good as
> cow or pig or any other type of beef animal. There is no crime in
> raising them just for that purpose or having them go to slaughter -
> especially if, in certain siutations, it is a better option. However -
> just like in any animal siutation - the focus of slaughter should be
> in making certain it is humane - absolutely every step of the way.
>
> The only other thing I would like to comment on is that I realize that
> there are topics that will excite people or make people span the
> spectrum of opinions - but please - there are enough places that we
> can go to and get frustrated and angry and slam people or their
> opinions. It's okay to disagree but can we keep this group friendly
> instead of accusatory. I enjoy having a place to go where we love our
> Haffies and where I can learn about the breed and actually feel like a
> community learning about others adventures!
>
> Kimberly
>
> --- In haflingerfriends@yahoogroups.com
> <mailto:haflingerfriends%40yahoogroups.com>, Str8nascar@... wrote:
> >
> > I belong to a group who claims responsibility for closing down the
> > slaughter houses in the U.S., and now that the economy is so poor
> and the
> > abundance of homeless horses is so great, the sale barns are full
> and the kill
> > buyers go to the sale barns, buy the horses and they now either go
> to Mexico or
> > Canada, prior to this they are kept in local overcrowded holding
> pens and
> > then they travel for days in crowded conditions, no food, no water
> during
> > the transport. I am not saying these are all Haflinger's but they
> are all
> > breeds. Horse meat is a delicacy in Europe and they pay high prices
> for it!
> > Take a look on youtube for "horse slaughter," I assure you your stomach
> > wont be able to watch, it is incredibly inhumane!
> >
> > Recently the Governor of Montana has talked about opening a
> slaughter house
> > there, fortunately, it was met with so much resistance, that it hasn't
> > been mentioned again. Now, they are talking about opening Carvel in
> Illinois
> > again. It is disgusting the treatment these horses receive and many of
> > them die before even making it across the boarders to go to
> slaughter. I
> > assure you, the fear in their eyes is horrific!
> >
> > I would be happy to go back through the posts from the rescue group,
> but I
> > can assure you, it's pictures you really do not want to see.
> >
> > Sandy (who will now go back to lurking)
> >
> > All I pay my psychiatrist is the cost of feed and hay, and he'll
> listen to
> > me all day. -- Unknown
> >
> >
> > In a message dated 2/17/2010 5:58:29 P.M. Mountain Standard Time,
> > leneandersen@... writes:
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > --- In _haflingerfriends@haflingerfrihaf_
> > (mailto:haflingerfriends@yahoogroups.com
> <mailto:haflingerfriends%40yahoogroups.com>) , briarcroft@, bri
> > >
> > >> Look at the ads with cuts of horse meat in the European Haflinger
> > magazines. <<
> >
> > Could you please provide some proof for your allegations. Or at least
> > names of the magazines in question. In which European countries do
> they eat soo
> > much horse meat that it has become a whole secondary industry? Or
> are the
> > meat used instead to feed zoo animals/ dogs and mink? In which case the
> > meat price would be very low and I would think a "culled" Haflinger
> would
> > bring in a higher price as a pleasure horse.
> >
> > I think I will investigate the current price of Haflingers in Denmark.
> > Good chance that they are alot higher here in US.
> >
> > Thanks Lene
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> >
>
>
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