Is it right to rescue.?

[ester]

Excuse my ignorance, but are abattoirs in the UK handling horses for meat at all any longer? I don't live there, you see. Certainly here it is always possible to get a meat price (well, almost always, depending on medication) for a horse which is surplus to requirements which does help with matters to an extent.

There are 2 abattoirs that do, only one (in somerset) is currently functional due to ermm standards issues at the other.. So a) they often have a waiting list as they don't kill every day of the week, b) the cost of transport from most of the country would be more than the meat price/not worth bothering.

 

[Cherryade]

Not sure that would work. Most of the low end horse breeding in France is for the meat market. The one thing that drives meat pony prices up is people buying them to rescue them from slaughter.

There's also an alarming amount of people out to 'save' and 'rescue' all these poor horses. 70% Of sale attendees fall into this category and whilst some may do a fab job at rehabilitating the ponies and giving them a secure future, most are just out to 'save', out bid the meat man. They do not care what they buy, breed, height, colour or even ailments as long as they can label it a 'rescue'. This IMO is fueling the market, supply and demand. Its giving these dodgy breeders more finance to buy/breed more and they are guaranteed to sell at auction. If I tried to sell someone a Tv with only the sound working on it and no plug they would laugh, however a hopping lame horse they throw money at, and I know its not that black and white they are living animals but as long as people keep buying through pity the dealers/breeders will continue.

Not only this but they also do a quick turn around with the ponies/horses so they can 'rescue' again and sell them on, into an already flooded market, meanwhile genuine horses privately advertised are being over looked and are slipping down the ranks.
Simple fact is there's only so many horses(too many) and so many homes-it does not matter if you take the best bred one from the top or one from the bottom of the pile unless you reduce numbers the same amount are going to receive the same fate. A cull sounds great but again you would have people up in arms about it and even out to 'save' more . I'm not by any means bashing people who go to sales and BUY,nor do i know the solution to the ever increasing population but I know acting know is better than later.How long do we let it continue for?

 

[hairycob]

I think the welfare charities are going to need to be much more circumspect about which horses they rehab & which they pts straight away.
The trouble is it's the real sob stories that keep the donations coming in - you know the "poor Flossie can never be ridden because the appalling injuries & neglect she suffered means she will never be sound, is on ££££ of meds a month & has behavioural issues but will always have a home here & can be sponsored at £x per month".
What the situation needs is
1) less breeding
2) more owners to PTS rather than pass on unsound/difficult horses
3) The public to understand that PTS is the best thing the charities can do sometimes & that the Flossies of the world are the equine equivalent of bed blockers.
But quite frankly I despair of any of the 3 actually happening. Personally if a welfare charity said they would assess every horse that came in & PTS any that were unlikely to have a useful life I would prefer to donate to that charity, but I suspect the majority of the population would differ.

 

[competitiondiva]

I think the welfare charities are going to need to be much more circumspect about which horses they rehab & which they pts straight away.
The trouble is it's the real sob stories that keep the donations coming in - you know the "poor Flossie can never be ridden because the appalling injuries & neglect she suffered means she will never be sound, is on ££££ of meds a month & has behavioural issues but will always have a home here & can be sponsored at £x per month".
What the situation needs is
1) less breeding
2) more owners to PTS rather than pass on unsound/difficult horses
3) The public to understand that PTS is the best thing the charities can do sometimes & that the Flossies of the world are the equine equivalent of bed blockers.
But quite frankly I despair of any of the 3 actually happening. Personally if a welfare charity said they would assess every horse that came in & PTS any that were unlikely to have a useful life I would prefer to donate to that charity, but I suspect the majority of the population would differ.

exactly, my thoughts entirely, but the one charity that openly does not have a non kill policy is continually hauled infront of the press for the animals that are pts!...... Which in turn affects donations....

 

[FairyLights]

lots of good replies here. there are far far too mazny horses around, of all types, not just piebald cobs.