Horse Trust.....reply to "rescue sites" Email

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I agree Dubs, education is the key, trouble is, they work on raw emotion, try and have a debate with them and they become very defensive - one wrong word and *poof* your gone from the site.

I got banned for suggesting that Devils Claw would not be enough to help a horse with severe navicular.

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The mind boggles...
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I do wish people could see that rather than being 'anti', we are all pro horse welfare.
Suffering through ignorance, is a fate far worse than death.
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I do wish people could see that rather than being 'anti', we are all pro horse welfare.
Suffering through ignorance, is a fate far worse than death.
frown.gif


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Y'know Dubs that is so much part of the basic problem.

However well-meaning they are, their lack of knowledge frequently doesn't stretch to the understanding that these horses are often suffering in their new existences.

I think just being alive at any cost seems enough for them.

On one site, a Comtois being led in hand round a ring as a 4yo is classed as a great achievement, and an indicator of 'what a temperament'.
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By that standard, all 2yo thoroughbreds at a racecourse also must have fantastic temperaments, especially considering they go into stalls as well.

Scary.........
 
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'And she said: “To say we are fuelling that trade, is similar to saying that anyone who purchases an animal from market in the UK, out bidding the meat man, is also involved in the trade.”'

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I think that comment misses the point, deliberately or otherwise.

If a person or organisation decides to rescue sheep from the meat trade and starts attending auctions and buying sheep above the price that meat dealers will pay, then this does two things to that particular market: It shows an apparent increase in the demand for sheep, therefore pushing the prices up, this in turn encourages the farmers to breed more sheep in order to fulfil this new demand and to benefit from the higher prices.

Now, I accept that you would have to buy an awful lot of sheep to have any real influence, but in the case of horses, especially those from the Eastern European countries, a small increase in the prices of certain horses will very quickly start a search for more horses of a similar type, and you can be sure that those supplying the horses to market will be only too aware that they are feeding demand from UK rescuers or 'suckers', as it is their business. You can also be sure that a proportion of the horses being supplied are likely to have been stolen, after all, the profit margins are better if the cost for the animal was nothing!
 
I can't see what the fuss is about.
It thoroughly pisses me off when people get into other peoples business. I should know, I've had enough people trying to get into my life and tbh, it's annoying.

If they want to rescue horses from france, so be it.
If people want to rescue from the UK like I have many times, go for it.
Hell, Comtois and Welaras are my favourite breed, both of which are slaughtered on a daily basis. I don't make an uproar about it.

Like if someone went onto a beef club and was against slaughter of cows, it automatically would be over ruled. Because as much as the UK eats lamb, beef, pork etc; france and italy eat horse.

I personally only eat pork and poultry, all other meat makes me lethargic and generally ill.

Whatever really, I don't let it get to me, I'm on the fence really, while I see many good points on the french rescue side, I see good points on the not for french rescue side.

I'll stick to my UK rescues.
 
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This is a link to the published reply by said 'rescue' site;

http://www.thisislocallondon.co.uk/news/4472384.Horse_group_hits_out_over_charity_s_criticism/

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At least in the article the 'rescue site' calls it trade [ QUOTE ]
Mrs Hughes said: “There is free trade within Europe and we live in a free society. We would wish to be allowed to continue to do so without further attack.”

[/ QUOTE ] If only on the sites they would stop referring to it as rescue and called it trade instead I am sure a lot less people would be sucked in!
 
My problem is that these 'rescue sites' are trying to have it both ways:

on the one hand, they are engaged in free trade, which they are free to do,

but on the other, they describe their transactions as 'rescues' and put emphasis on their welfare credentials.

If they are rescue organisations they should fund raise, buy the horses themselves, treat them, assess them and then LOAN them out to suitable homes, maintaining ownership and control for the rest of the animal's life.

If they are trade organisations they should clearly state that they are acting as dealers in the purchase of possibly ill, possibly behaviourally challenged horses with no guarrantees as to fitness for purpose other than unhandled companions.
 
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I can't see what the fuss is about.
It thoroughly pisses me off when people get into other peoples business. I should know, I've had enough people trying to get into my life and tbh, it's annoying.

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The 'fuss' is about:-

Horses being brought into the country with NO health checks, therefore putting every single one of OUR horses at risk from EIA and other diseases.

Horses being travelled OVER the legal travelling times.

Horses being 'rescued' and then sold on

Horses being 'rescued' by people who have no idea what they are taking on, to the detriment of said horses.

If we love horses and are concerned for their welfare it IS our business

I won't even go into the emotional exploitation of people.
 
It's a super response from the HT.

I do think it's a shame that the response to the HT's point about helping horses in the UK is always met with such negativity by the rescue sites.

It seems to me that apart from wanting to import horses from France because of the kudos (and for some the very genuine concerns over welfare), many import from France because it's made very easy to do so by the rescue sites.

Point in case - it's very easy to spend your money via your sofa and laptop - but not so easy to go and do the leg work yourself. By that I mean visiting the markets, getting to know which ones are best to obtain the horses and ponies destined for the slaughter house, or never ending circuit of running through the sales ring - until they end up in the slaughter house.

Respondants to the HT email say that there are very few if any horses available via UK charities that can be ridden. Well actually, many of the horses that these people import can't be ridden. Either because they are youngsters, to old or too knackerd. So that argument holds no water, I'm afraid.

So as I say - easy to do it from your armchair - but how much rewarding to go out and find your 'rescue'??
 
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If they are rescue organisations they should fund raise, buy the horses themselves, treat them, assess them and then LOAN them out to suitable homes, maintaining ownership and control for the rest of the animal's life.


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Not sell them on via Project Horses.......
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My problem is that these 'rescue sites' are trying to have it both ways:

on the one hand, they are engaged in free trade, which they are free to do,

but on the other, they describe their transactions as 'rescues' and put emphasis on their welfare credentials.

If they are rescue organisations they should fund raise, buy the horses themselves, treat them, assess them and then LOAN them out to suitable homes, maintaining ownership and control for the rest of the animal's life.

If they are trade organisations they should clearly state that they are acting as dealers in the purchase of possibly ill, possibly behaviourally challenged horses with no guarrantees as to fitness for purpose other than unhandled companions.

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Agree with TGM, that is very well put. So much so I quoted it to have it repeated.
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I can't see what the fuss is about.
It thoroughly pisses me off when people get into other peoples business. I should know, I've had enough people trying to get into my life and tbh, it's annoying.

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The 'fuss' is about:-

Horses being brought into the country with NO health checks, therefore putting every single one of OUR horses at risk from EIA and other diseases.

Horses being travelled OVER the legal travelling times.

Horses being 'rescued' and then sold on

Horses being 'rescued' by people who have no idea what they are taking on, to the detriment of said horses.

If we love horses and are concerned for their welfare it IS our business

I won't even go into the emotional exploitation of people.

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The ones I've seen have nothing wrong with them.
Nothing apparent anyway.

Like I say, I sit on the fence in this, even though I support one side I see good points from both.

Free country, I'll just roll with it.
My favourite breed is from france, while what everyone does is there business, I'll go over myself and pick one out from a well know supplier of french horses or whatever.

The only thing I don't agree with is letting them in with no full vetting.

Again...free country. People are entitled to whatever they want.
It's just getting boring now, squabbling, bickering and generally throwing tantrums isn't the way to go...for anyone.
 
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