From: blythedr@infonode.ingr.com (Dennis Blythe)
Subject: Re: sentementality
Organization: Intergraph Corporation, Huntsville, AL.
Date: Tue, 6 Oct 1992 02:58:10 GMT

>
>This thread has really gotten me thinking.  My other horse, Asa, never gave
>me the chance to put him down.  He died before the vet and I could make a
>decision.  But now I have Reba who, many of you may remember, has bone spavins.
>I am still riding her but if I want to get into serious riding, I am going
>to have to look at getting another horse.  Since I cannot afford two horses,
>I want to find a good home for her and will not look for another horse until
>I have found a home for Reba.  The thought keeps crossing my mind that with
>her bone spavins, I may not be able to find a good home for her and I would
>rather put her down that risk her going to a bad home.  
>
>Now the hard question.  I do not want to start any flame wars but if I have
>to put her down, do I have the vet do it or do I sell her to the meat
>market and get some money out of her.  I know this sounds cold and I really
>agonize over it.  I hear horrible stories of how horses are treated on their
>way to the meat market, then I hear other people say the horrible stories are
>just rumors and horses are not treated that way.  How do you know? 
>
>Like I said, I do not want to start a flame war, but does anyone out there
>have any thoughts on this subject?
>
>***************************************************
>	Linda Harbin       Hillsboro, Oregon 
>	503-696-2261       linda@littlei.intel.com
>***************************************************


   
  I will try my best not to make this a flame. I am sorry if 
it comes across as one. If you were concerned about selling your
horse to someone who might not care for it due to its health problems
etc. then why would you want to sell your horse to the meat market?
I can't think of anything more cruel than for a horse to spend it's 
last days in torture and painstaking cruelty. 

  Most horses that are taken to the meat market are packed in filthy 
over crowded pens and practicly starved to death because the most 
strongest and biggest horse will fight for the food.
Then they are hauled in the most filthiest smell of death trailers 
that are only the size to haul goats, pigs or cattle. They are jammed 
in so tightly that thay can hardly move. Trailers are usually jammed 
so full that they travel at night to avoid weigh stations. Some
of the horses die in the trailer because they are crushed to death,
sufficate or from dehydration.
  
 When the horses cause a comotion the drivers some
times have to poke a stick in the side holes, poking out several eyes 
and clubbing horses on the head.
 
 All this so the Europeans can have this on their dinner plate.
I think that everyone ought to write their congress man and complain 
about the lack of equine transport regulations and the need for
changing live export laws.

   I am sure there is someone out there that can give it a 
good home Whether the stories are true or not I can't see taking the risk.
For money or whatever reasons I would never want my horse on
someones dinner plate, whether my horse was kindly euthinised or not.
These animals are too kind and forgiving.
   
      Pam