Is this irresponsible of me????

[htobago]

Last year, I donated a Tobago breeding to an auction for EMW (Equine Market Watch - a well-known and respected horse-rescue/campaigning charity).

They were delighted with this donation, which fetched the highest bids of all the items in the auction, and, they tell me, caused a lot of buzz and excitement.

As they were so pleased, I promised them that this would be an annual donation...but then stupidly managed to lose the contact details and forget the name of the woman who organised the auction.

So I emailed EMW direct, and also posted on another website asking if the auction was taking place this year, as I hoped to keep my promise.

Most people were really helpful and happy that I wanted to do this, but one person objected violently and said that she had cancelled her subscription to EMW because of my donation to the last auction. She felt that it was irresponisble of me and of EMW to be offering a breeding, when EMW struggles to rescue unwanted foals at dreadful markets. I think one other person agreed with her.

Everyone else jumped to my (and EMW's) defence, saying that EMW campaigns against irresponsible, thoughtless breeding of poor-quality horses - NOT against the breeding of high-quality, wanted horses from top-class stallions. And that nobody bidding substantial amounts for a breeding to an international champion, plus all the AI expense, etc. would be producing an unwanted, low-quality foal!

I had also already said that if I felt any mare was unsuitable, I would refund the winning bidder out of my own pocket, so EMW would not lose out.

But this upset me - I just can't see how anyone could think this was an irresponsible act, either on my part or EMW's??? If responsible people stopped breeding quality horses, there would just be an even higher proportion of unwanted fugly horses!!??

(Sorry - bit of a rant)

 

[Tia]

A horse rescue centre over here did exactly the same as you have done - they auctioned servings to a local (and decent) breeding stallion. I thought it made a mockery of the whole point of rescue centres. Sorry.

 

[the watcher]

There are people in the world who will always find something to complain about, and you seem to have stumbled across one of them.

I think your offer is very generous and obviously raises a significant amount of money for EMW, which is great.

 

[suebingham]

I think it's a fine idea, myself. There's a HUGE difference between breeding a foal that's wanted and one that's likely to end up in a Rescue Shelter (through no fault of their own of course and some of the cases are absolutely heart-breaking I know) If it generates a nice pile of cash for good works, so be it!

I've wrestled personally with this issue and after a lot of soul-searching, have decided to breed my mare (arguably a rescue foal herself) this spring to a local cremello QH. I've already got several people interested in buying her baby (thoroughly gentled and hopefully pretty as a new minted penny) when the time comes, cause they know E and they know the stud.

 

[JanetGeorge]

[ QUOTE ]

Most people were really helpful and happy that I wanted to do this, but one person objected violently and said that she had cancelled her subscription to EMW because of my donation to the last auction. She felt that it was irresponisble of me and of EMW to be offering a breeding, when EMW struggles to rescue unwanted foals at dreadful markets. I think one other person agreed with her.
....
But this upset me - I just can't see how anyone could think this was an irresponsible act, either on my part or EMW's??? If responsible people stopped breeding quality horses, there would just be an even higher proportion of unwanted fugly horses!!??


[/ QUOTE ]

You are going to have to develop a thicker skin - there are a LOT of stupid people in the world!

It was a generous donation and in no WAY can offering a breeding to a high class, pure-bred stallion (with a reservation re suitability of the mare) be considered irresponsible - or not in keeping with EMW's objectives.

Some people are never happy unless they're moaning and criticising others - so ignore them (then they can moan some more and remain happy!)

 

[magic104]

I understand where this person is coming from & they are intitled to their opinion, as is everyone. It is a fairly common way of raising funds & I suppose it is just because of what this charity represents that has caused this reaction. I would not worry about it, does it really matter what others think?

 

[Anastasia]

Htobago......you have to believe in what you do

, no matter what anybody else thinks or says. Everybody will have their own opinion on these kind of things.

If it feels right for you to do then you need to stand by your decision, and not start to question yourself....

 

[foxviewstud]

i can see why she objected BUT i also think its a good idea as it gives people the chance to see for themselves a good quality animal and therefore hopefully they will think twice about their breeding and pass on to their contacts does that make sense????

 

[bellaM]

If you have a look at rescue centres the majority of horses in there are either bog standard or fuglies, it is rare for a top- class horse to be neglected unless it has something wrong with it. There are plenty of 'bog standard' horses, that are just hacks or ok to go to a odd local show to go round and there are more than enough fuglies around, I have one myself (a proper moose, but a loved moose!) that I got from a horse sale, that I would never in a month of sundays breed but prior to me buying her she was(!). Yes people do need to think more about breeding as the majority is unneccessary and indiscriminate, the craze for coloureds at the moment hasn't helped this, but where you have a decent mare that has proved herself and the same with the sire the foal will probably have a good outlook in life.

 

[zizz]

i'm inclined to agree with tia, sorry! Just because an animal is well bred doesn't mean it won't end up at auction - just look at the number of in the purple ex racers that end up at potters.

 

[S_N]

[ QUOTE ]
i'm inclined to agree with tia, sorry! Just because an animal is well bred doesn't mean it won't end up at auction - just look at the number of in the purple ex racers that end up at potters.

[/ QUOTE ]

TBF though that is mainly due to over production.