[horse_crazy]

We breed Quarter Horses, and we dont breed any mares that arent "worth" breeding. They have to have an excellent dispostition, good conformation, and are people friendly. Although, all of our hoprses are all of these things, . When we buy a horse, we dont buy it just for hte heck of it, we buy because of what the horse has offer...ex. conformation,ect. Last year, we had a perlino colt born here. He was supposed to be my horse.....well it turned out...he wasnt really what I was looking for. He went up for sale as a foal. And was sold...really fast! He went to a great home. I think that as long as you are breeding for the "right" reasons...or if you are breeding once or so just for another horse for you family, thats fine. And if you have a good history for selling horses, thats even better! We only choose the best stallions that compliment our mare(s). Wre have always ended up with a nice, even tempered, healthy, people friendly, good conformation, good personality foal. And we hope to continue to do so. We go the extra mile with our horses, if they need something...its theirs...no question about money or anything liek that. All of our foals are handled daily,and so far have turned into some great horses.

[littlecelticpony]

Well, forgive me for re-posting the link to that site. The reason I posted it was for people to pass along to others - not to start another one of those heated discussions, nor to sound condescending to those already posting on this thread. I am opposed to the slaughterhouses in the US, what happens in other countries (regarding slaughter) I really have no opinion on.

[cowgurly02]

I am not against horse slaughter. It is sad, but I find it no different than slaughtering cattle or sheep, etc...Coltysheart is right, there is an overrun of horses. I'd rather see them killed humanely than left neglected and starving.

I live down the road from a horse and cattle feedlot/slaughter plant and my friend works in the cattle part of it. Here in Canada the horses are killed humanely with a bolt of electricy to the head. The horses must be LEGALLY dead before their throats are slit. There are also MANDATORY breaks that the haulers have to take if travelling far and the horses are not kept in the feed lots long and have a constant supply of feed and water and are in no way abused. They are killed just like cattle.

I am not going to judge a country for eating horse meat. I live in Canada, and in Quebec (the french province) horse meat is also considered a delicacy. If that's what they want to eat, they can. I personally wouldn't eat it, but if somebody wants to so be it. Some countries (India) think that eating beef is a sin and that we are disgusting for eating beef. Well I guess that's their belief, but I won't stop eating beef because of them so how can I expect others to stop eating horse?

I agree that it's sad, but I also believe that it is necessary. At least until the horse pop. is under control! Everything that Coltysheart said is true, so hopefully it will change some people's minds on breeding.

[HorseCrazy1981]

I am sure most people don't breed/sell their horses planning on sending them to a slaughterhouse.

You talk about backyard breeding, and you mention a registered TB racehorse, doesn't mesh. Anyway, if I cared that much about a horse, I would keep tabs on it at least twice a year (that was in my sale contract of our last colt, along with a clause about me getting him back if the owner ever decided he didn't want the foal).

[emsNkeeper]

I have never been against slaughter houses... no offense... where would some horses go that would just be neglected or abused because of back yard breeders ( I have been one myself but I choose carefully on the mare and stallion). Rather it's how horses get to the slaughter houses that's inhumane... I live not far from The NEW HOLLAND AUCTION

[emsNkeeper]

ok that was weird... I was just cut off... but it posted.

anyways...
new holland is one of thee worst meat auctions and there are always problems, though there are laws against cattle trailers... they sit about 15 miles form the auction where the horses are transfered from horse trailers to cattle/livestock trailers... or they wait just beyond the boarder. New Holland is a sad place to walk through... most of those horses look like they would welcome the slaughter house.

But yes... back yard breeders are the problem, and in this area (no one kill me) so are some of the amish (not all, just some).

[HorseCrazy1981]

I say if we want to change the way the horse industry is headed, we just need to change our attitudes, slow some of the breeding down, especially in breeding farms where so many foals are turned out. There shouldn't be a horse for every backyard in the world.

[OwnerofWillow]

I know by where my dad lives in PA the amish buy ex race horses as their horses. They dont breed them but I dont know if that is just that area.

[PawNHoofPrints]

I'm right there with you ColtysHeart. Same question should be asked before you breed your dogs and cats. Do we REALLY need another litter of kittens? of dogs? another foal?

[gdp1]

To put it simply: 3 of the rescue horses we have here now are the result of someone's breeding for the sake of breeding. As well as 8 cats and 4 dogs.