Abattoir horses

[MrA]

there is quite a lot of controversy over the Dartmoor hill ponies in that some people are trying to develop a meat market for them to have some value to the owners and others are completely opposed to this and want numbers reduced and more effort to add value to the ponies by handling them and passporting them. there are some fillies for sale that were taken out of a meat lot and are passported, haltered and had some handling and are for rehoming at £100 each rather than the £10 or so they go for at the sales where they are thrown away. I am not sure if that's how they end up their short life on the moors is that wonderful if wild ponies are going to be sent for slaughter and terrified in transport.

My 'wonderful life' comment comes across wrong what I mean is that compared to all the animals intensively farmed I prefer how they are kept. But you are right it doesn't mean they should be scared and injured during transport and suffer horrible deaths

 

[MrA]

What I really don't understand is why there are all these laws preventing suffering for animals that don't seem to apply at certain times, ie. when it suits humans not to

 

[diplomaticandtactful]

My 'wonderful life' comment comes across wrong what I mean is that compared to all the animals intensively farmed I prefer how they are kept. But you are right it doesn't mean they should be scared and injured during transport and suffer horrible deaths

if you go onto some of the welsh sites, some of the wild ponies don't have a great life and are being supported by volunteers taking water to them all summer as their owners don't. plus a lot get killed on the roads, ditto new forest. also they have introduced some ponies who are non native ie were not bred and raised there, big cobs, who can't cope with the conditions. rather than keep having foals, if they had stable herds and there was some welfare payments for them as conservation stock to graze would be better than the foals just going for meat. I have very mixed feelings about the wild horses, having gone to the new forest quite a bit in winter and seen pretty poor skinny mares in foal again.
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[diplomaticandtactful]

What I really don't understand is why there are all these laws preventing suffering for animals that don't seem to apply at certain times, ie. when it suits humans not to

I find it hard to understand that while we are part of the EU the sort of legislation we take for granted does not apply in Italy - where they can slaughter in foal mares - or in say Romania where the cruelty to cats/dogs is endemic. Mind you think we are getting worse as well.

 

[Lissie]

I had a horse put to sleep this summer by gun, local huntsman did it and horse went to kennels to feed hounds. Can't think of a better ending for a horse who loved his hunting and hounds. We followed those hounds on opening meet and in my mind he was getting another run. I hope he's now in a place where the huntsman never blows for home. After seeing how quick and humane it was I'd always choose gun in the future.

 

[diplomaticandtactful]

I had a horse put to sleep this summer by gun, local huntsman did it and horse went to kennels to feed hounds. Can't think of a better ending for a horse who loved his hunting and hounds. We followed those hounds on opening meet and in my mind he was getting another run. I hope he's now in a place where the huntsman never blows for home. After seeing how quick and humane it was I'd always choose gun in the future.

perfect way for him to go, unfortunately mine have been colics, fractures etc so emergencies so vets involved

 

[Lissie]

perfect way for him to go, unfortunately mine have been colics, fractures etc so emergencies so vets involved

Thank you, it was right for him. very quick, respectful and humane. Yes, there are times like those when I would of course use the vet but this was a planned thing.

 

[diplomaticandtactful]

Thank you, it was right for him. very quick, respectful and humane. Yes, there are times like those when I would of course use the vet but this was a planned thing.

none of mine so far have been planned, I thought Aimee this autumn might be but she has picked up and seems to be happy enough, a bit frail, a bit bony, but still with a huge bray and tells you off all the time when you don't do as she says....