Kentucky overrun with unwanted horses

Very interesting article. In Texas, since the Humane Society is the one who started the lawsuit with the appeals court, I sure hope they have a lot of places to house horses, because that's what's coming - I foresee horses literally tied to their fence downtown.

Kentucky Overrun With Unwanted Horses
By JEFFREY McMURRAY (Associated Press Writer)
From Associated Press
March 14, 2007 11:01 PM EST

STAFFORDSVILLE, Ky. - The bidding for the black pony started at $500, then took a nosedive. There were no takers at $300, $200, even $100. With a high bid of just $75, the auctioneer gave the seller the choice of taking the animal off the auction block. But the seller said no.
"I can't feed a horse," the man said. "I can't even feed myself."
Kentucky, the horse capital of the world, famous for its sleek thoroughbreds, is being overrun with thousands of horses no one wants - some of them perfectly healthy, but many of them starving, broken-down nags. Other parts of the country are overwhelmed, too.
The reason: growing opposition in the U.S. to the slaughter of horses for human consumption overseas.
Public backlash - and state bans or the threat of them - have led to the closure of several slaughterhouses that used to take in horses no longer suitable for racing or work. Auction houses are glutted with horses, and many rescue organizations have run out of room.
There have been reports of horses chained up in eastern Kentucky and left for days without food or water. Others have been turned loose in the countryside.
Some people who live near the strip mines in the mountains of impoverished eastern Kentucky say that while horses have long been left to roam free there, the number now may be in the thousands, and they are seeing herds three times bigger than they did just five years ago.
"There's horses over there that's lame, that's blind," said Doug Kidd, who owns 30 horses in Lackey, Ky. "They're taking them over there for a graveyard because they have nowhere to move them."
It is legal in all states for owners to shoot their unwanted horses, and some Web sites offer instructions on doing it with little pain. But some horse owners do not have the stomach for that.
At the same time, it can cost as much as $150 for a veterinarian to put a horse down. And disposing of the carcass can be costly, too. Some counties in Kentucky, relying on a mix of private and public funding, will pick up and dispose of a dead horse for a nominal fee.
The cost is much higher other places, and many places ban the burying of horses altogether because of pollution fears.
Sending horses off to the glue factory is not an option anymore. Adhesives are mostly synthetic formulations nowadays, according to Lawrence Sloan, president of the Adhesive and Sealant Council. And because of public opposition, horse meat is no longer turned into dog food either, said Chris Heyde of the Society for Animal Protective Legislation.
Eventually, anti-slaughter groups insist, the market will sort itself out, and owners will breed their horses less often, meaning fewer unwanted horses. When California imposed its slaughter ban in 1989, they point out, the number of stolen horses dropped while there was no significant change in the number reported abused or neglected.
"Once you remove slaughter, you remove a release valve for irresponsibility," Heyde said. "These are animals. They're not a pair of shoes."
Nelson Francis, who raises gaited horses, a rare, brawny breed found in the Appalachian Mountains, said the prices they command are getting so low, he might have to turn some loose. He houses about 57 of them, double his typical number.
"I can't absorb the price," Francis said. "You try to hang on until the price changes, but it looks like it's not going to change. ... What do I do? I've got good quality horses I can't market because of the has-been horse."
"Kill buyers" used to pay pennies a pound for unwanted horses, then pack them into crowded trucks bound for slaughterhouses that would ship the horse meat to Europe and Asia.
However, public opposition to the eating of horse meat has caused the number of horses slaughtered each year by American companies to drop from more than 300,000 in 1990 to around 90,000 in 2005, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Only one U.S. slaughterhouse - in Illinois - still butchers horses for human consumption.
"What do you do with them all?" said Lori Neagle, executive director of the new Kentucky Equine Humane Center in Lexington. "What do you do with 90,000 head of horses? That's something that has to be addressed. It'll be interesting to see if people financially can do the right thing or if they will leave their horses to starve."
Federal law prohibits the use of double-decker trucks for transporting horses to slaughter. Many members of Congress have also been pushing a national ban on the butchering of horses for human consumption.
While California is the only state that has expressly banned horse slaughter, in a 1989 ballot initiative, similar measures are under consideration elsewhere, including Kentucky, Maryland, New York and Illinois. Connecticut has made it illegal to sell horse meat in public places, and many states have tightened up the labeling and transportation requirements governing horses bound for slaughter.
A federal court ruled recently that Texas must start to enforce its long-ignored 1949 ban on the transportation and possession of horse meat. That put a stop to horse slaughter for human consumption at the two slaughterhouses in Texas that engaged in the practice.
While the market price for horses has plummeted, the cost of food, lodging and veterinary care has not.
Kathy Schwartz, director of Lisbon, Md.-based Days End Farm Horse Rescue, which adopts abused and neglected horses, said that rescue operations that choose not to euthanize horses are generally full.
"We had one horse we brought in that was a rack of bones - in pain both from starvation and parasite infestation and injury," Schwartz said. "His owner thought life was better than going to slaughter. Well, life is - if you're going to feed it and take care of it."

That was a great article, and I'm like you Shiela, I'm setting here wondering where all those poor horses are going to go. Here in AZ, our dang market is so bad, you almost can't give a horse away. There's always a market there for the $10,000.00 and up horses, because those people have the money to pay that and more, very easily. It's the average market, between abput $1,500.00 and $7,500.00 that's been hit the hardest, and it's not just in KY and AZ, it's starting to really happen everywhere.

I think that instead of focusing on shutting down slaughter houses, they need to open them back up to take in horses and focus on the transport and better ways to put them down once they get there. Ya know, there are some horses out there that are just danged gone in the mind, they're going to get people hurt, auctions are a great place to mask something like that. Most people will keep trying to sell said horse instead of shooting him. If it ever comes right down too it, to the point where I can't sell any of my horses and I literally can't afford to buy their food and I can't give them away, well, there's about 15,000 acres of open range behind us where people run horses and cattle, guess I could do the same. But, here's to hoping that never happens. We all know that there are some horses out there that just don't belong in people's homes, it's sad, but true. There are bad horses just like there are bad dogs and bad people. Bad dogs get put down or shot, bad people get thrown in jail (the really bad ones get fried), but what about bad horses? And ya know, I've been in that position to have to make the choice of wether or not to shoot one or call the vet, and after seeing a horse be put down, I'm not so sure I'd ever pay $150.00 to watch a horse struggle for their last breath again. But hey, that's me.

Another thing a lot of people don't look at is another reason why horse population continues to go up. Look at the medical advancements in veterinary medicine. There are things we can do now to help horses live longer, etc. that ten years ago, we wouldn't have even thought of. We also live in a semi-nutritionally educated horse world, where people are learning what is good and bad to put into their horses bodies. All of this kind of care results in horses living longer, being used longer, for breeding or riding, whatever. The fact is though, horses are living longer now than they used too, plain and simple. I've heard a lot of pro-ban people talk about how it's the breeding that's affecting the market so bad, well hey, have you ever actually been to an auction or a slaughter house? Cause I've been to both, and I know what happens at both. Most horses there aren't under a year old, most of them are older and broken down, middle aged horses that are injured, or horses that are unmanageable. I know you have to breed to get those horses there, but it's more than just that. I will admit that there are some nice horses that go through the auctions and such, and I'm sure they have been picked up by slaughter houses, but here's the thing. What if the person selling it can't afford to feed their family or their horse? What if death is a better option than living? I like the last sentence of the articel. Life IS better *IF* you can feed it and take care of it.

I will agree that there needs to be some serious changes in how the animals are treated and slaughtered. I agree the plants need to be opened back up. I will however disagree on other points.

It is not because we know how to keep animals alive longer that we have this problem. We have this problem because people are breeding too many animals period.

I keep hearing people say the prices are so low that you can't sell/give away a horse/foal. Then STOP breeding what can't be sold. Supply and demand, that is what it boils down too.

I am very careful who I breed to because I am already thinking what if I do not want to add this foal to my own program, how marketable will this foal be? Am I selling it for 500-2K? if I am then I am losing money. Also I am adding another horse into an already overpopulated world.

There are many many reasons why we have this problem and it starts with the breeders. People breeding grade horses, horses who are not even the quality that need to be bred...before you breed your horse that horse had better be structurely correct, appealing, form to function etc etc.

Take a hard look at what you are breeding, don't wear blinders look what is selling or not selling and there will in most cases lie the answer and clues on producing horses people will knock your door down for.

All of what I have said is speaking in genral not aimed at anyone but it is my views on what I see and I may or may not be right but take it as MY opinion not something I would force on others.

Now on the subject of shooting an animal instead of having it put down? that is cruel. I have had to have animals put down and never once did any of them suffer, maybe the vet who did yours messed up. But to say you would rather shoot the animal? what if you are off a fraction and have to shoot the poor animal again? I sure as hell would never take a gun to end the life of an animal UNLESS there was no other option and the animal was in need of putting down right then and there.

I have to agree with everything Tara said 100%. I was going to post a very similar answer, so know need to repeat the same things. The only thing I think I need to say is, I also have had to put some animals down in the last 2 yrs. I have not seen anyone of mine suffer. My vet tranq's them first, then finishes. My mini was kinda like in a sitting position and when the vet was finished he was still sitting in the same position. So I think it is all how the vet does it.

My son who does not believe in shooting anything had to borrow a gun and shoot a long time friend (pet), there was no waiting for the vet to get here, it was the WORST thing I have ever had to see. I HOPE and PRAY this will never have to be done again this way.

OK, only my 2cents

Yep just made copies and mailing this article to the congress/ Reps of Kentucky and getting to say I TOLD YOU SO! Since I wrote them before they voted this Crap in. The Stupid poeple. @*%#*# What did they think was going to happen!

The vet that put down our horse didn't use any tranquilizers, and the horse struggled a lot. It was a really bad deal.

As far as the prices being low, just an example here. I just sold a filly with an NRHA money earning sire who's line goes right up to Hollywood Jac 86 just one off this filly's papers and every horse in that line has done very well in NRHA events, not to mention Doc O'Lena, Major Bonanza, and Skipa Star all either on this filly's papers or one generation off, she's got champions all over her actual papers, she's a helluva futurity prospect for NRHA and AQHA events... Real nice filly, very correct, has a lot of pretty too, I mean, it's hard to find horses built nicer than her... She just sold for $800.00. In our area, horses that two years ago would have sold for six or seven thousand are being sold for $1,500.00 now. That has nothing to do with breeding poor quality horses, it has to do with the economy.

About breeding grade horses, talk to any roper, barrel racer, reiner, or cutter, and they'll all tell you, you can't ride papers. Now, I give to the fact that there are proven lines in all of those events, but I would also like to point out that some of the best cutting, roping, reining, and barrel horses have come from nowhere. I agree that you need to start with quality, but papers don't mean quality.

I never said breeding wasn't a problem, I think it is, I think too many people breed horses that should never be bred in the first place. But, for every medical advancement made, horses live longer, which means they are in the population longer, which makes the numbers go higher. I mean, nowadays it's no miracle for a horse to live to be 27 years old, even 30.

I didn't mean to sound like just because a horse has papers that it equates to quality. BUT it does mean you have a larger selling market IF its quality to begin with, it all is what is in demand.

Big market for top name foals for the most part. Does that mean the horse without top names is any less quality? nope but it sure does mean you will have less people looking at that horse.

I know when I breed I try to breed to horses who first meet the requirements as far as disciplne, temperment, conformation etc. If I look at 2 stallions who both meet those guess who I will pick? the one with the most recognizable names on the papers. Names sell foals/horses.

Also I have been going to auctions for about 20 years and the majority of slaughter horses were grades, rogues and well just plain not high quality horses. Sure every so often you saw a horse go through you took a double take at but that was rare.

The main fodder for slaughter houses are those horses who were grade, mean, not show quality even at a 4-h level. Most of the horses are products of bad breeding, and now with the denial of registering hh foals those will be looking for somewhere to go.

The good horses you can find at the local sales didn't go to slaughter, now the slaughter buyers did one good thing, they set the price someone had to pay to get that good horse. Now with no slaughter houses? I know of a mare own daughter of Ima Tru Skip, foal at her side and rebred back went for 450 dollars at a sale last month. Wish I had been to that sale let me tell you.

The same article was printed in our paper today. :)

I haven't read everyone's posts here, but I do think the slaughter houses should open back up. Sometimes that is the only option for a dangerous or unwanted horse.

QHorse163 wrote:

The same article was printed in our paper today.

I haven't read everyone's posts here, but I do think the slaughter houses should open back up. Sometimes that is the only option for a dangerous or unwanted horse.

My personal opinion is that the slaughter of the horses wasn't the problem - it's the inhumane treatment of the animals up to/during the process.

I find it funny that so many people went into an uproar over equine slaughter, but you don't see any canine shelters being shut down. How many dogs are euthanized every day? Is it ok just because it's not for human consumption?? If you're going to kill the animal SOMEONE should use it (not that I would want to eat horse/dog meat or anything - but if someone chooses to then that's their own business).

Silverbuckle, you're right, most of the horses in the NFR don't even have papers. Couple of years ago, there was a big write-up in the Western Horseman - okay, I actually read that one, about how they weren't registered.

Tara, you're right. However, I've seen some nasty, nasty looking suckers that have papers out the wazoo, and I wouldn't even take them trail riding - no way! Course, we've had this conversation before on the board.

I'll tell you this, though, when we came back from that Winnsboro sale, I told Rick that if we can't put the babies on the ground that we need, then the mare is gone - pure and simple. I'll not sit here and feed and breed another so/so one. Just not going to do it. So thus, we have only two broodmares now... HA! Jazz will make three next year. I look first at conformation, and if it's a filly, later to see if she'd match with Kid... papers aren't that much... especially if I show 'em. But that's just my opinion. If I can make them in the showring, papers will help, but those points are even better... plus, if you look at what some of those people are doing to their horses to get those "outstanding" stallions... well, they can keep that mess - see my other post on that hoolah.

Also, I'm not against horse slaughter at all. However, I do think they need to redo the transportation and the actual doing of it where that's more humane. When slaughter horses were going for $1 a pound, regular horses were going from $1.50 a pound up, which was great... mediocre horses went for $1,500 and up.

Truthfully, I wish I had a whole lot of money to go to some of these auctions and stock up on broodmares, quality broodmares, the particular ones I'm looking for, and can afford to feed them. That's part of the problem is the cost of feed and hay at this point - it is just totally outrageous! But when your feed bill is more than your danged house payment and all your utilities... I step back and say, uh, now wait just a danged minute here. It'd be different if the horses were paying the bills, but very few people can say that... I sure can't!

Quote :

About breeding grade horses, talk to any roper, barrel racer, reiner, or cutter, and they'll all tell you, you can't ride papers

EXACTLY! None of my horses have papers and Ive won several hundred dollars between them. Would it matter if they had papers or not. my friend has a whole bunch of registered horses, does that mean their worth a damn or not? Would Kate run faster if she had a fancy name and a couple of peices of paper that said she has bloodlines? Pinto is one of the best damn horses Ive ridden. He has a good mind, and even though young, hes capable of doing all different kinds of classes. Theres nothing wrong with a horse with no papers. Anyway, thats my deal over the "unworthy" horses.

As for slaughter, good riddance. Id rather see the world overpopulated with horses than see them go through a ridicu;ous amaunt of cruelty. IF they made a bunch of changes (which was mentioned) I would support it.

Well, horse prices are going down here, but not as much. Most people dont have show horses around here. Theres mostly rodeo horses. A good barrel gorse would bring a good price here. Ropers are also selling good here. My friends BF just sold a nice little built colt, going on 4. Been started on roping and heeling. He brought $6,000 dollars for him. I mean, he had very good potential and he was doing really good. He won about $30 dollars of him at one little roping, and $40 dollars at another.

Honestly though, there are a lot of horses out there that shouldnt have been born. Too many that dont have a purpose.

Anyway you argue, your wrong sometimes. And I realize you mght think I said the same thing. But to sum it up, I think people should watch their breeding. It doesnt mean that all horses need to be papered, but all this overbreeding crap needs to be stopped. There are tons of studs out there, that do not need to be studs.

Anyway, my 2 cents....

No one said grade horses were crap, no one said papered horses equal awesomeoness X 100. I was talking about marketablity plain and simple. The market for grade horses is small compared to that of a papered horse.

Well, I know no one said anything about grade horses. But im defending it against anyone who might come along mention it. Beacause I know there are people out there who will bring it u and brad about their registered horse. Ive seen it and I think it is ridiculous.

Humans are the problem here... Why should the animals pay?

Its my opinion that slaughter is a means to an end. I know some idiots in my area have horses with severe parasite infestation, suffering from severe malnutrition, and any other ailment you can imagine. Now I believe that death is a much more appealing option than the cruelty these people expose there horses to. And for what? I don't understand. Why do these people feel the need to own living breathing things? They need to go out and get some breyer horses for gods sake. I believe there is a place for those people.

I also agree with tara. Its my experience if you have two horses of equal value/training, its easier to market the papered horse. A reg. horse is appealing to a greater number of people than a grade. Its is also my OPINION that a grade horses (*Edited to say* the horses bred with no intended use other than to create a baby) should not be the goal of breeding. If people don't agree thats fine but lets face it, its too easy for idiots that have a desire to have cute little babies running around, with no method to the madness, or no goal for the foal.

Nevermind. Im staying out of this one before somenoe ends up Hating on me.

Super Sunday wrote:

Its is also my OPINION that a grade horse should not be the goal of breeding.

I think THAT hit the nail on the head... if you have a grade horse - fine... but should you BREED that horse? Papers are more than just names - it's a history and a means of identification for the horse. You know where it's been and what bloodlines and potential issues you might have. Look at all the genetic problems that have come up in the past 10-15 years.

Does a trail rider CARE if a horse has a WC on it's papers? Probably not - but I would be willing to bet that 90% of the NBHA, NRHA, etc horses ARE registered horses.

No one is bashing grade horses! In fact as a former eventer I can tell you that most sucessful eventers are well bred WB crosses. The key words being well and bred. I know people who cross breed anything, good, bad, or indifferent with no intended use other than to have babies. And those are the types of horses I am speeking of. I can also tell you that I don't love my horse cause of the paper that is attached to him, but his attributes I credit to his breeding and someone doing their job.

I would beg to differ most ropers, reiners and cutters competing at the national levels and winning would be able to tell you the papers/bloodlines that they prefer to ride and what their current horse's lines are. I know you don't have to have a registered horse to compete in the NCHA or NRHA but most of those horses are registered and the trend isn't to look for a big named stallion it is to find a big named mare if you don't have mare power you won't be able to sell you foals. Your mares must have foals with winnings, or have money earnings themselves or you are spinning your wheels in these markets. Trainers won't look twice at a foal out of a mare w/o a proven record. That is what I am being told by the big names around here...

And it scares me to think that people will think that turning horses loose is an option. Already in Nevada the wild horses have problems when I was living in Reno and going to school in the winter the horses would come into the outskirts of the city to eat because they were starving from lack of food. I live out in the country and you wouldn't believe how many people throw out cats and dogs in the country thinking they will just "return them to nature" what a bunch of crap these are domestic animals and the horses we are raising and have domesticated should not be turned loose into the wild to fend for themselves either they need to be humanely euthanised if people aren't willing to deal with them anymore. I don't want them in my back yard starved and sick with God only knows what kind of disease and hurt and broken because someone didn't care enough to do right by them and couldn't be bothered anymore. I have heard more than one person say just turn them loose and this just makes my blood boil so sorry if this sound like a tanget because it is! If people can't be responsible they shouldn't have animals, children etc....

Responsible breeding is the key and breeding marketable horses has to be the desired outcome. Natasha made a good point when she said papers are more than just ink and paper but that they are a traceable genetic history for that horse, which could be important in tracking genetic diseases. I agree that slaughter is necessary, but needs to be more humane.
I think there are just too many "pet" horses in this world. I drive around and see so many horses standing in pastures doing nothing. They are fed, but what is their purpose? Horses are much too expensive to be pasture ornaments for people who never ride or even play with their horses. And when, these people are tired of these horses they try to sell or auction these poorly mannered , poorly trained horses. Less horses means better horses, better prices, better bloodlines. Stop irresponsible breeding and ownership and slaughter will be less necessary.

Good point, less horses. Since the ability to transport semen came into the picture prices have steadly gone down. The market is FLOODED with the top names plain and simple.

When you used to have to haul your mare to the stallion, that made that foal much more valuable. Now with the influx of a mare being able to produce more then one foal a year you can bet that will further knock prices down.

There are certain bloodlines out there, I won't name names that are as the saying goes a dime a dozen. It is a shame for sure. I am quickly coming to the conclusion that buying what I want is alot more cost effective in the long run.

It is now March 16th and neither of my mares are bred, my cutoff for breeding them is the 21st so unless one of them is ready in the next few days I will not be having foals again next year.

Yeah, now that you mention it, I bet transporting semen has done alot to creating more horses and ultimately adding to the slaughter problem and lesening the value of all horses. Mares can breed more often and stallions have a much bigger clientele, but their stud fees have gone way down and the prices of the horses they produce are less, so what has this accomplished? Just more horses for slaughter or neglect in the long run. When I was a teenager riding Arabians you would not believe the stud fees of some of the stallions out there and you surely wouldn't breed an inferior mare if you were paying those prices. Now with prices way down on stud fees because of semen transport, people are more willing to breed just any old mare.

Yes before transported semen people were alot less likely to just breed any old mare LOL. There is a line of horses by one particular person, I lost count at 400ish I got tired of counting them all.

That is flooding the market, and they were all by the same stallion!

Right now we have a problem in QH racing with a FLOODING of STALLIONS! Every Tom, Dick and Harry is standing at stud. There are some incredibly well bred horses that didn't run worth a hoot that are standing and there are some great runners that haven't produced a horse that is able to run faster than I jog!

All said - if we each try to be responsible, geld the ones that don't need to reproduce and avoid breeding those that lack preformance/production we will be doing well.

If you can sell your babies for enough to pay for the stud fee, mare care, vet bills, feed and blood-sweat-tears that go into them, breed away and be merry. If you can't...quit. At least that is what I have to do since I can't afford for this to be a pure hobby.

I have learned over the past few years to look at stallions in a whole new light - Do I have a mare that is good enough to cross on that stallion? In other words, every stallion has faults - is my mare going to bring those out or help them out? I want as close to perfect as I can get. Every mare needs help - I want a stallion that is better than my mare ever even thought about being! I want the stallion to help my mare!