Showing posts with label owner responsibility. Show all posts
Showing posts with label owner responsibility. Show all posts

2/21/10

The Economic Reality fo Scarce And Toxic Horses

from horsetalk.co.nz

The economic reality of scarce and toxic horses


February 17, 2010


I was not surprised that Dr Tom Lenz, past president of the American Association of Equine Practitioners, readily credited the organisation for coining the phrase "Unwanted Horse" in his article "The Unwanted Horse in the United States - International Implications". It is a coup d'etat of language choice for those American equine practitioners lobbying hardest to maintain a US export market for horsemeat.
Dr Lenz manages to equate "unwanted" with "slaughtered for human consumption" and with "should be slaughtered for human consumption, but aren't, because we need additional slaughter plants on American soil".
Slaughter advocates might consider it nothing short of a stroke of genius.
The phrase "unwanted horse" may well play a role in much of the mass confusion in the debate on horse slaughter among the American general public, horse-owners and horse welfare advocates alike.
Horses slaughtered are neither privately nor socially "unwanted", for they command a positive price both at auction and at the slaughter plant gate - and I suspect that if they did not, we would not be having this debate at all.
As any Economics 101 student can tell you, positive prices signal not "unwanted-ness", but scarcity.
There is no question - and what drives fear into the most vehement supporters and even some opponents of horse slaughter - that a universal ban on the slaughter of American horses will eliminate a source of demand for horses in the lower end of the market, as slaughter plant buyers and associated dealers exit.
This shift down in demand - in the efficient second price auction markets that are by far the largest source of horses to slaughter - will unambiguously reduce equilibrium prices, thereby increasing private ownership of auction-intermediated horses, and reducing private supply to those markets.
However, even better news is that this credible, permanent contraction in financial rewards to disposal of low-value horses through auctions will, assuming that breeders are rational decision-makers, reduce the incentive to produce such horses at all.
Over a period of time, such a reduction in supply at all prices will, by increasing scarcity in the American equine industry, raise equilibrium prices and - one would hope - the average quality of horses produced.
Natural results will be a substantial contraction in auction intermediated sales of horses and, ultimately, a higher value and higher quality horse market.
All of which leads me to wonder why the elimination of horse slaughter is so hotly debated at all, for reducing the excessive production of poor quality horses will presumably render the American equine much more "wantable".
In a very important sense, Dr Lenz is correct, however. The issues of his "unwanted horse" and the horse processed for meat cannot be separated.
In announcing its response to new EU restrictions to assure horsemeat safety, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has acknowledged what has (presumably) long been known. Phenylbutazone - or "bute" - an extremely common equine non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication, is a banned substance in horsemeat for human consumption.
Specifically, the CFIA classifies bute as a "veterinary drug not permitted for use in equines slaughtered for food", its residue causing permanent toxicity in horse meat, with no period of quarantine being able to eliminate that toxicity.
This public and socially responsible CFIA acknowledgement brings a new clarity to the "unwanted horse" debate.
After all, of Dr Lenz's "unwanted horses" - the old, the injured, the sick, the unmanageable, the incurably lame - how many have not had bute administered at some point in his or her life?
As one public example, a brief glance at the Daily Racing Form is sufficient to confirm that the vast majority of American racehorses, who are known to ship frequently to European Union-licensed plants in Canada and Mexico for slaughter and export to European diners, certainly have had bute administered.
So let me suggest that Dr Lenz's "unwanted horse" be renamed "the toxic horse" - unwanted but not slaughtered, unwanted and slaughtered, unwanted and should be slaughtered, it matters not.
The flesh of "unwanted horses" is acknowledged to be toxic when consumed by humans. And who among the politicians, equine practitioners, and veterinarians lobbying to prevent a ban on the slaughter of American horses - in the name of equine welfare - would wish to be responsible for the deleterious impact for human welfare associated with promoting the slaughter of toxic horses?

Caroline Betts holds a PhD in economics. She is an Associate Professor in the Department of Economics at the University of Southern California. The views expressed in this article are her own, given in a personal capacity, and do not represent those of the university.

Horse slaughter in the news

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7/20/08

What Is WRONG With People?

If you show in the Big Time, and you have a trainer who does everything with your horse except sit on his back in the ring, please, please click on this link. Even if you don't show and/or have a trainer, please check this out anyway. I thought the physical hazards - not to mention ethical considerations - of tail blocking were well known, but I guess not...

The Horse: Tail Blocking Gone Wrong

Okay, did you read the article? Those people were paying the trainer to do that to their horse without having a clue as to what it actually involved. My God! There is no excuse. And how about that brat of a kid who was pissed off because she "worked so hard" to get where she was and it was all "taken from her." Taken from her? What about her horse? He's lucky to be alive and not permanently paralyzed. Does this kid give a shit? NO. It's all about her. If she were my kid, she'd never have another living thing to abuse and neglect, but the parents don't have a clue either. GEEZ!

Okay, say you don't show Quarter Horses where the tails have to hang like they were dead to get pinned. How about Tennessee Walkers that do the "Big Lick"? Want to make a little wager as to how many of those horses are doing this grotesque gait because they're sore? What say? Soring doesn't go on any more? Why then at a recent show where USDA inspectors were on hand with sophisticated equipment to test for soring, did so many exhibitors leave without even unloading their horses? So many left that they hardly had enough to go on with a show. What would you do if your trainer elected to not show your horse rather than submit him to a USDA check? Would you do anything?

As a Morgan owner myself, I know how most Morgans carry their tails - jaunty and away from their body, even at the walk. But, that's not good enough for Big Time Showing. Oh no, you need to stick some ginger up their butts so they'll really high tail it. And this is legal! If you think this practice is okay, drop by sometime and I'll teach you first hand how it feels.

I'm only hitting the high (!) spots in regards to what goes on in the world of Big Time Showing. Of course there's all the infamous politics that's always present. But, you know what? I don't give a damn about all that. If the exhibitors feel abused, stop showing. They have that choice. The horses have no choice, and the abuse that they are forced to endure is all that concerns me.

But, "everybody's doing it" and "that's what it takes to win" Holy CRAP! What kind of reasons are those? If you think winning is an excuse for abuse, you don't deserve to own a pet rock, let alone a horse. What is WRONG with people?!

Oh yeah - it's the trainer's fault for doing anything that they believe will give them an advantage.. It's the judge's fault for pinning such ridiculous idiocy. It's, it's - YOUR fault. If you own such a horse, the buck stops with you.

There is plenty of culpability to go around in this sorry mess -

Why would any judge even consider, let alone prefer, a horse that was doing things so unnatural as to virtually require artificial/abusive "training" methods. These horses should be dismissed from the ring, not pinned for God's sake!

Why would a trainer do these things - other than to win at all costs of course. Oh, but they have to to win, and they are paid to win by owners like the ones in the story - ignoramuses who don't care enough to educate themselves about what their trainers are doing to their horses in order to give them those wins.

My greatest Why however - and my greatest contempt - is directed at the owners of these horses. Why would an owner allow this to happen? Why would they not educate themselves about what their trainers are really doing to their horses and what the consequences might be? And, most importantly, why would they put the glory of winning ahead of the welfare of their horse? At least the trainers can claim economic necessity, weak argument though that is. The owners are willing to sacrifice their horse's well being and possibly his very life, for a worthless ribbon!

You know who you are. What the freaking hell is WRONG with you?

6/3/08

Homes for Horses Coalition Launches Web Site

Another much needed resource for unwanted horses.

clipped from www.thehorse.com

The Homes for Horses Coalition has launched a new Web site, www.homesforhorses.org.

The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), along with the Animal Welfare Institute and several other groups, formed the Homes for Horses Coalition last July. Keith Dane, director of equine protection for the HSUS, said the coalition was designed to support equine-focused nonprofits.

read more at http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=11320

5/4/08

The Best Of Times; The Worst Of Times - Plus Six

I can hardly believe it's been six years since Indy first set foot on this property. It seems impossible to me that it has been that long. May 5th, 2002. I had lost my precious DJ on March 6th, and I was very much still in shock.

I'd spent my time - day and night since I couldn't sleep - searching the Internet for another Morgan. I knew getting another horse was the only thing that would get me and Ami through, just as finding DJ all those years ago got me through losing Sirron. Normally, I would have looked for a different breed like I always did with dogs, but being with DJ for twenty years had convinced me that it had to be another Morgan. Not a flaxen chestnut though. DJ was my flaxen chestnut.

Since I was looking for a different color, I was surfing the Rainbow Morgans web links and happened to find myself at Valley Stables in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. It so happened that they were reluctantly offering for sale a green coming four year old colt named VS Golden Desperado.

The more I read about this horse, the more something inside said, "Yes!" It was eerie - I felt exactly the way I had when I set eyes on DJ. DJ was only a few weeks older than Indy when I found him; he was very green - with only the basics under saddle - just like Indy; the month was May when I found DJ, and both horses were foaled in May as well. DJ was foaled in 1978, Indy in 1998. I bought DJ without having ridden him myself, and the same would be the case with Indy if I purchased him. I watched DJ's trainer ride him; I got a video of Indy's trainer riding him. The similarities go on and on.

Now, I'm quite the skeptic when it comes to the paranormal and all that, but Indy hooked me like a fish on the line - just like DJ. After seeing the video of his first ride under saddle - as a three year old stallion in mixed company! - I was more convinced than ever that he was Mr. Right.

His breeder, Brenda Vincent, was being extremely careful about who she sold her precious Indy to. We talked on the phone several times and exchanged a number of emails before she agreed that he and I were meant for each other. However, she asked for my word that if the time ever came that I couldn't/didn't want to keep Indy that she get first refusal. That's what I call responsible breeding. Too bad more breeders aren't as conscientious regarding the horses they bring into the world.

Of course, I could not leave Indy as a stallion - no matter how much Ami screamed and cried - so Ron and Brenda had him gelded after my purchasing him was a done deal. Then they would deliver him themselves after about a month.

Those weeks passed quickly, and before we knew it Ron and Brenda were at the gas station where we had agreed to meet them and lead them on to our place. I looked into their trailer, and there he was. He looked at me as if we'd known each other forever, totally relaxed and peaceful.



It only took a few minutes, and we were pulling into the field and up the hill where Ami was anxiously waiting. She missed DJ as much as I did, and her cries for him were unbearable. Now she watched this trailer on high alert.



She stood like a statue as Ron unloaded Indy and Indy started to calmly munch on the grass.



When Ron took Indy over to meet her, they both acted as if they had known each other forever - just as Indy had acted with me. There's just something about Indy - he seems to love everyone and everything, and it never seems to cross his mind that he might have anything to worry about.



Ami was obviously interested in making Indy's acquaintance.



And he was equally interested in making hers.



Ron let Indy graze for a few minutes to let everyone settle down. In all honesty though, no one seemed to need to settle down, because they weren't worked up in the first place.



After those few minutes, I lead Indy into the large paddock, and he and I walked up and down in our first walk together. Except for one big look at the huge rock by the outer gate, Indy was perfectly relaxed.



Then we turned him loose to graze in the big paddock and watched as he and Ami continued getting acquainted over the fence. No squealing or kicking - they just continued to sniff and get to know each other.



And, that's the way it's been for the last six years. Indy has more than lived up to his promise - for me and Ami. He is sweet, intelligent, mischievous but willing. He has an overwhelming curiosity that gets him into everything, and he seems to fear nothing.

I was still very much in grief mode for DJ, but no one could fail to love this golden stinker, and he soon made his own place in my heart.

4/7/08

Acute Spring Fever

Is spring finally here? I cannot remember a winter more miserable than the one (I hope) just past. That's quite a statement from someone who's always hated winter anyway.

It wasn't just the cold - although it was very cold very late in the season - which is always hard to take - it was me, my body and mind. My back, always touchy due to congenital lumbar stenosis, decided to have a fit at the worst possible time. The heavy clothes I had to wear to the barn made my back scream, which made my legs scream, which made it difficult just to walk back and forth to the barn, let alone do anything when I got there.

Twenty-five years of making a living using a keyboard have left me with severe tendinitis in both hands and carpel tunnel syndrome in both wrists - both of which are quite sensitive to the cold. The extra effort of working in heavy gloves greatly exacerbates the tendinitis, making gripping anything very painful.

Definitely not helping matters was the fact that there was so much stall cleaning to do, especially in the morning - my very worst time. No, it wasn't Indy and Ami. They are pretty darn neat in their stalls, even in very bad weather. Rather it was the barn cats. Yes, I said cats - about 20 of them using the stalls as litter boxes. Ewwwwwwww!

Not only did we have to practically sift the stalls to find it all of it, cat poop makes horse poop smell like Channel #5. Not great exactly the greatest on frigid mornings when one already feels like Dead Person Walking - under 15 lbs. of layered clothing. The worst of it was that all this took so long that it was almost time for their lunch by the time we finished.

Several times I was so exhausted when we finally got back in the house that the only thing I could do was crash so I would be able to fix Indy's and Ami's lunch and take it out to them - which of course involved getting all dressed again. I was truly miserable. There were mornings when I honestly questioned whether I would be able to get dressed - no small feat at 10 degrees - stagger to the barn, clean up, mainly after the cats, stagger back to the house, get undressed, rest for maybe an hour before lunch.

So, on those mornings while I was lying in bed wondering if I could make it through another bone chilling morning, did I wish I didn't have to go out in the cold? Certainly. Did the thought that I might be better off without horses ever cross my mind? Certainly not.

Why not? Because my life would be so empty without them. Because, for me, horses are Magic. No matter how bad I feel and for whatever reason, the moment I'm with my horses I'm fine. These glorious creatures are as necessary to me as the air I breath - air preferably wafting the warm, earthy smell of horses my way.

I was born addicted to horses, and I will die addicted to horses. It's no more under my control than the color of my eyes or the fact that I happen to be left handed. It just is. And I am so grateful for it.

Well, then, what about all those cats? What can I do? I mean, I couldn't get along without Princess, or Precious, or Zip, or Cudzy, or Tab, or Ranger, or Scout, or Pepper, or Blue, or Bobby, or Scritch, or Frosty, or Nose, or BK, or Speed, or Mr. Gray, or Bash, or Bunny, or Boots, or ...

Oh well. They hardly ever use the stalls when the weather is decent.

3/16/08

The Gift

My farrier, Matt, was over Friday to trim Indy and Ami. Neither of them wear shoes, but they need their regular trims just the same.

Matt is not only an excellent farrier, he's a great friend, and he only lives about ten minutes away. Over the years that he's taken care of my horses, we've come to know each other very well, and we discuss everything under the sun.

Friday we got talking about the whole slaughter/unwanted horses/owner responsibility thing. We agree that slaughter is not - or at least it shouldn't be - the answer to "unwanted" horses. We've both felt for a long time that owner responsibility - or the lack thereof - is the root cause of all these surplus horses, and that's what needs to be addressed. Owner education is the only real and humane solution.

Then Matt said something that I'll never forget. He said that we - that is, horse owners - seem to have forgotten what wonderful gifts our horses offer - the gift of riding them; the gift of working with them; the gift of just watching them; the gift of smelling their breath.

I think it was that last one that got to me the most, because it is a gift, just to smell their warm, sweet breath. I know many of you horse lovers know exactly what we mean.

What then is our responsibility to these unsurpassed creatures who give us so much? Is it - as Matt and I think - to keep our horses for the rest of their natural lives, or, failing that, make sure they go to a good home? At the end of their lives, is it our responsibility to ensure that they have a peaceful and painless exit from this world?

Or, is it okay to "dispose" of a horse that can't/won't fulfill the purpose we envisioned on purchase in any way available? Should we sell them to anyone who will meet our price without regard to what that person might have in mind for them? Should we send them to slaughter - with all it's attendant frightful possibilities - instead of providing them with euthanasia by a veterinarian? And, if slaughter is the best we feel we can do for our horses at the end of their "useful" lives, should we ever have owned them at all?

I've already stated my own opinions about these questions. I offer this post as food for thought.
"From my earliest memories, I have loved horses with a longing beyond words." ~ Robert Vavra