[Beeks]

I just wanted to add, that if you have all the time in the world to sell, you can still get what you want for your sale horses, if the animal is priced fairly.

A friend of mine bought a 3 yr old unbroke jenny mule, saddle size mule for 125.00 at the sale last fall. He worked with her over the winter (he grows his own hay, so he does not worry about feed) and sold her green broke in the spring for $2500. He gets what he wants for his sales horses because he does not have to sell them. He just waits until someone comes along who can't live without the horse/mule in questions and cashes in.

He has a four year old Smart Little Lena bred mare, that he only just started this summer. Before she was broke, he was offered $3500 for her, but since he was in no hurry to sell, and he felt her pedigree just might be worth more, he held off. He took her to a team penning (her first one) a couple of weeks ago and was offered $7500 on the spot. She still lives with him and he will continue to be offered more for her.

There is a market if you are not forced to sell.

While slaughter has certainly not helped the number of unwanted horses, fuel prices are also HUGELY responsible for the horses being abandoned, neglected, starved and forgotten. These people in previous years, if they had fallen on hard times, could have brought the horse to the sale and gotten a few bucks because feeding a horse was not a wallet draining endeavor that it was the last couple of years. The economy has forced alot of peoples hands.

People needing to get rid of their horses due to economy plus, no commercial slaughter in the U.S. equals disaster for the horse belonging to the financially strapped or the mass breeder dropping foals by the 100's in search of that "special one".

[mftx4]

Your so right Beeks. Good grass hay here, is going between $1.50 and $2.00 for 50 to 60 lb. squares. Needless to say, my extra barn is full. I'm working on getting extra round bales for winter. They're running about $35.00, for 900 to 1100 lb. rounds. All kept inside.

[SaddleTrail]

wow, I wish hay was that cheap around here!!

I could probably find some cheaper but I can't afford a ton at a time nor do I have any place to keep it now. Ive been keeping the two or so bales I buy in the back of an old van I have parked out back. IT works but it's a pain in the be hind!

[Pigeonz13]

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

[merlin]

I wish slaughter can be stopped.

[mftx4]

I think that's a wish we all would like to see come true, merlin.