Horse rescue on the move

[MichiganAuntDuck]

We are affiliated with a mission of rescuing abused, neglected and/or abandoned horses here in Michigan. It is my understanding that they have done away with the horse slaughter houses which helped with over population and provided extra protein to other feeds. WE need to look to our government to find out what can be done so that the owners have some sort of relief when the decision has to be made between feeding a horse or feeding your children. Also look at the problem it presents when people are turning their horses out on state land to fend for themselves after they're used to the domestic life. I love horses and wish we could house more but that is not an option therefore we need to appeal to the people. If you are interested in the horse rescue and how you can help please email me.

[michiganmom]

i hate thinking about the slaughter house but now look at the problem. Are these horses adopted out and if so how much is the cost to adopt one?

[WileyCoyote]

We are considering adopting a horse this next year. However, researching petfinder.com, there are literally hundreds of horses (thanks to the dropping of the Premarin manufacturing process, which used pregnant female horse urine) up for adoption. One can become quite overwhelmed, and you have my sympathies.

Most folks underestimate the cost and responsibility for care for a horse; they just think it "would be fun". I know of one teenager who insisted on having not one but three - and kept them in a small corral, and had to take them pails of water every day because there was no water access. She almost had one starve to death before she 'realized' that he couldn't eat and had to have his teeth floated! Between the exercising, shoeing, nutrition, health care, tack, stabling, grooming, and training (of both horses and their owners!) as well as the transportation costs, those who explore the options before purchasing or adopting a horse (like me) are frequently daunted. Where can I find a trailer that is compatible with my pickup, who will take care of him/her, is s/he trained to ride or draft, what sort of troubles/diseases do these adoptive horses have that one will have to deal with?

I wish that adoption agencies were more forthcoming, esp on Petfinder, on all of the costs and expenditures for each horse that they 'put up for adoption'. When I adopted my Afghan, the agency was VERY up front with not only her temperament and history, but her possible future medical treatment - especially since I was driving 300 miles to adopt her. Of course, she fit in the car!

Not saying anything at all bad about you or your particular agency, but please bear in mind that there are a lot of people out there who would make "good parents" - but better ones if they were given more information on the true needs and requirements than the sketchy hopeful blurbs most provide, as on Petfinder.

When I get a trailer come spring I'll probly PM you... we already lease our 60 acres and two pole barns out to one very old mare who is so spoiled that she MUST HAVE her Oreo from DH before she eats! We are looking forward to having - and affording - a horse of our own; but we must plan for it first.

[WRTN]

Unfortunately there is no such thing as a free horse. We have taken in 3 in addtion to one I bought for my daughter and we love them ALL. We even took in a Llama too. Food, ferrier supplies and equipment, medications, fencing, and countless other things make them anything but free or cheap.

In our case we have plenty of acreage for them to roam and graze on and they also save me the cost of bush hogging the fields so frequently.

I and my daughter don't mind taking them in but the cost of adoption many charge is ridiculous and most if not all refuse to transport the horse to our ranch. I am not paying for a horse trailer and I doubt anyone who wants to keep their horse trailer in good condition will loan one out. We have been fortunate in that the animals we've taken in were either close enough that no trailer was required or the owners transported or loaned up their trailer.

They are indeed beautiful and majestic animals and a wonder to watch especially when they are "feeling their oats" and running the fields as a heard.

Our latest adoption, Lady is due to have her foal any day now and look forward to a 5th. I have considered adding a Belgian to our band of merry equines but I think our plate is full.

[mtwildflower]

We are affiliated with a mission of rescuing abused, neglected and/or abandoned horses here in Michigan. *It is my understanding that they have done away with the horse slaughter houses which helped with over population and provided extra protein to other feeds. *WE need to look to our government to find out what can be done so that the owners have some sort of relief when the decision has to be made between feeding a horse or feeding your children. *Also look at the problem it presents when people are turning their horses out on state land to fend for themselves after they're used to the domestic life. *I love horses and wish we could house more but that is not an option therefore we need to appeal to the people. *If you are interested in the horse rescue and how you can help please email me. *

If you are serious about "looking to the government" ( Sorry, but I dispise looking to the government for anything other than our national defense.) then contact your senator and representatives and reinstate allowances for horse slaughter houses or at least allowances for shipping out the US into Canada where there are slaughter houses for horses.

Just as the whole population of wildlife suffers when hunting and culling are not allowed, so does the overall health and well being of horses suffer when allowances are not made to humanely dispose of them when they have no other use.

And perhaps a campaign in educating the public on the "necessary evils" of equine slaughterhouses is also in order. Do I want to eat horse meat? No, I don't, but there are people who will and do and that is a market we cannot afford to deny...particularly now when times are going to get harder and no one will be able to take care of an animals that do not have a purpose. You can only be friends with so many.

[fancyfowl]

You hit the nail on the head wildflower. There are worse things happening every day to horses than slaughter. I see the poor things passed from dealer to dealer for practically nothing, standing in trailers more than in pastures, underfed, under appreciated and neglected. For crying out loud, you have to keep your horse trailer padlocked or some fool will stuff his horses in it when ya arent lookin.

The only thing that will bring back the market is less horses. Every one with a mare or 20 thinks they all need to foal every year, makes me sick.

[WileyCoyote]

I am really confused about this, though. Where I live horses are still used to their fullest extent; my next-door-neighbor trains them to pull wagons full of feed and hay to the cattle, and horses are a valuable commodity - they are used every day on the range to herd the cattle still. Finding a horse - any sound horse - already trained to saddle is a godsend; most ranchers have to train their own, and they will have anywhere from 10-50 readily available. They have to, because they won't ride a horse into the dirt; they change out constantly. Horses that are further trained for barrel jumping and racing command high prices; and no, breed is not that important, staying power and mental stability are. I was just talking today to a rancher's wife and she says they are always looking for sturdy and amenable mounts. Horses are not pretty toys or pets here but valuable, hardworking participants in everyday ranch life. Even older horses are used to teach children to ride, rope, and saddle.

Maybe you just need to market them in the places they are needed and wanted?

[fancyfowl]

There is still a viable market for the good horses & ponies. Their prices are depressed also tho because there are just too many totally. Feed prices are up too which causes a hardship to many who must buy all or most of their feed.
Most horses going thru the sale rings have a problem, always been that way. now there is no good market for all these animals. Used to be any killer horse was worth 450 bucks to the buyers, now many go thru without a bid.

I see those who might have 25 Paint mares and every year they run a stallion with them. Now they have 25 more foals to sell, not even halter trained many times. No pedigree study to determine best breeding options, no attention to poor genetics, just breed em all. Of course that is how most animal multipliers do business, no matter what species they are multiplying. A very few breeders left today, just multipliers.

[silvergramma]

ok first i am not a horse expert dont claim to be one..
but i had heard and seen a video of a horse being slaughtered in the facility... and it wasnt humane...and i have worked the gas chamber inside a deep south "humane society" shelter.. it wasnt a job i kept very long i couldnt take it..
even tho there are horses that need disposing of.. i think one of the reasons they got shut down was the cruelty issue the others i dont know about
i I have six horses now..the first one we got would have been sent to slaughter ,, they hadnt been closed down yet
in my eyes there wasnt a thing wrong with him,, even tho he had special needs.
i didnt buy him .. but had a place for him so the owners gave him to me.. lock stock and both sets of papers
so he wouldnt be sent to a meat auction
the next three came as a package.. only one was a buy the other two came along for the ride the next one we bought because his feet were being neglected,, he couldnt trot or run.. due to neglect..
he is a big beast and a gentle giant.. but not a draft
the last horse we purchased.. from a man who bought him from an auction to rescue him.. a yearling
only one horse has papers..
they are my family and i am their gaurdian..they will have a home forever with me...we actually took in the australian shepherd that lived at the farm where the first horse came from...nobody wanted her cause she was elderly..she is buried at the farm where the two largest horses still are .. we have to find a taller trailer to bring them here where i know live
a horse trailer is a must....a live stock trailer will do for those around 14 hands
but for 15 hands and up you need to get a good horse trailer...even a side by side.
the vets here wont come to the farm unless your animal is down...and you cant manage to get them back on their feet
and finding a vet to come out for a mouth exam.. it aint happening i've had an offer to take a paint gelding but i think i'd rather get these settled and sheltered before i bring him up.. i see him everyday and he has to be rehabbed before i can ride him
my friend here is a pet therapist and she does amazing things with animals and she will be great for these guys that would have otherwise been lost to their previous owners..
i keep their pics when i can get them developed on my internet profile so their previous owners can know how they are doing..
if i had more land and some buddies up here on the farm it would be great to take on unwanted livestock that someone can no longer care for but i cant do it by myself so right now this is my limit
the horses here must have a purpose..i have a cart.. built like a racing surry and another vehicle that is a sled /wagon combination..wheels removed in winter to attach sleigh runners...
when the shtf i will have transportation.. no matter what

[walls0stone]

the trouble with horses and the horse markeet, is every doodaa who get's 20 acres thinks he's gota have a horse to be a hobby farmer. Then they find that it's a big investment in time and money. Those 2 things are what that person once spent on making a living and before you know it, the white shirt worker has got his head back on right and has removed himself from the world of hard work, putting the horse on Cragslist for free.

And the cyclee goes round and round. People who have no skill, owning animals that take total focus.