meat man

[thatsmygirl]

I have bought in lambs and piglets. I look after them well, give them the best life I can then I kill them on site (they're not used to travelling in trailers so I don't think it would be kind to travel them to an abattoir) and have them butchered and they end up in my freezer. I prefer to know exactly where my meat has come from, what it has been fed, that it has been treated with compassion and dignity to the end.

I was absolutely not joking when I asked my butcher if he had experience of butchering horses. Meat animals have to be cut up in a certain way to get the sort of cuts of meat we have grown to expect. It had occurred to me that given that these poor little native foals are fetching a guinea at market it would be cheaper for me to grow quality protein by buying a couple, keeping them until they were grown and then killing them here. Weaner pigs, say GOS X, are between £45 and £65 and I have to buy in food for them.

After all, that way I would know exactly how they had been treated from th
e moment they came onto my property, all through their growing up and right the way to my freezer. They would never have to suffer any further indignity or trauma being passed from market to market, bullied and frightened just a quiet peaceful life in with my others until one day it's "Ooh look a big bucket of fee . . ." *curtains*

In practice although I have no qualms about dispatching lambs I've bought in - or even bred myself - and pigs I suspect that I would find ponies too difficult to part wi


So the OP sending a horse to Potters'? Good on her, gets another dangerous animal out of circulation. Prevents more posts saying "Look at this ad, I can't believe it's so cheap" when the poor thing has been sent to yet another dodgy dealer to sell because it has manmade issues. Or worse the posts saying "I've bought a horse and now it's doing XYZ and I think it's too dangerous to ride, shall I do Parelli with it."

I'm sure I remember a post several years ago now where someone had bought a horse with known problems and a family member had been killed by it. She was wondering what to do with it next That is a truly awful situation to be in, better to make sure that that sort of thing won't happen.

And as for sending them to Potters' - how many of you horselovers who couldn't bear to send their ponio to Potters have ever considered WHAT is in the dogfood you happily dole out to your beloved pooches? Presumably you
want them to have a premium product, just as you want what is, in your opinion, the best for your horses.

VERY GOOD POST. I also know a horse who's rider died after a nasty fall where the horse went totally off his head, what happened to it??? He was sold via a well known web site for £400 ( very very stunning horse) oh and now his current owner has a broken leg. Come on guys if it needs doing, it needs doing. Don't be so bloody soft and get over it.
OP you are being responable to get him out off the ridden world, some people need to except life and DEATH.

 

[martlin]

Bathroom scales, one leg at a time.

Now, I'm not big on physics, but... I don't think it works that way
I suppose worth a shot (excuse the pun) anyway

 

[MizzPurpleKitten]

Personally, I could never do it....I know that it's all calm and dignified etc etc but I'm just too sentimental and just couldn't do it.

When the time comes, if I have a say in the matter, my boys will be put to sleep in the comfort of their home and recognised surroundings, with a big bucket of feed!

However, having said all that, I can see why some people opt for this way to end it, and, if that's the case it's entirely your decision.

I would be interested to know how exactly the pony is dangerous however....not that I am disagreeing with you here (having previously owned a dangerous horse I know how it feels) but just interested.

 

[Ditchjumper2]

OP is being a responsible horse owner and making the unltimate decision rather than palming the pony off on some poor unsuspecting person. Most of mine have gone to the hunt but I have sent one for meat. As long as it is despatched with care and humanity I don't see the problem. Congratulations I say....pity there are not more around like you.

 

[reindeerlover]

Bathroom scales, one leg at a time.

Works for me, I only weight 5 stone.....

I think the people who are against this (horse slaughter, not dieting) are thinking of their friends at home, the buddy that they take hacking and to shows. There is no way I would take my pet horses to an abbatoir. However, if I had a horse that I didn't particularly like, was dangerous or I bought to sell and it had problems I would certainly consider it. There is no indignity involved and the horses don't suffer, when they die they die and it is just a body.

 

[pastie2]

I dont doubt for one moment that the OP is making the right decision. So why not just get on with it, why make an issue on this forum about the price per kilo. To me it is a post designed to cause confrontation. Anyone with an ounce of sense will put a dangerous horse down, just that most people dont really advertise the fact.

 

[Elliegazzellie]

OP, dont get mouthy with other users they are entitled to their opinions you could have got this info from the tinternet you didnt need to come on here and ask a question, sadly a good percentage of horse owners/riders end up with a dangerous animal because they just cant/dont know how to handle it and basically are **** scared of it, and the poor pony/horse ends up at potters (thank goodness there is a potters and a turners). RIP poor pony. I certainly wont be standing with my hands outstretched for a measly +-£100 for my beloved horse when he goes - cos he gave me good in life, so i will give him good in return and he will not have the smell of blood up his nostrils and feeling of fear from others around him when he goes.

Well said. I totally agree.

 

[martlin]

I dont doubt for one moment that the OP is making the right decision. So why not just get on with it, why make an issue on this forum about the price per kilo. To me it is a post designed to cause confrontation. Anyone with an ounce of sense will put a dangerous horse down, just that most people dont really advertise the fact.

You need to know roughly how much money you can expect, so you can make an informed decision if it is worth the haulage... If OP was to get less money that it would cost them to get the horse there, I would imagine they might as well get a local knackerman to do the deed.

 

[Natch]

Nativeponies, do you know anyone who regularly takes animals to Turners, who wouldn't mind an observer coming with them for the day? I'm interested in visiting to make up my own mind, having heard differing reports. Don't think I'm quite up to volunteering to gather legs for Reaseheath yet

*tootles off to try the one leg on the scales at a time approach to weight loss*

 

[miss_bird]

I have found this post very interesting, having never used a abbatoir.
I have a knackerman, who will take the animals for whipsnade zoo or cremate them, i have had all mine cremated so far.
But i will never dismiss the idea of a horse going for meat, it all depends on circumstances at the time

 

[WoopsiiD]

Get a grip people!!!
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One leg at a time does not work!
Throw it in a swimming pool and work out how much water is displaced!

 

[3DE]

As far as I am aware, it is totally down to the discretion of the council? The only proviso I am aware of is that only pet animals may be buried, so it's down to the council to decide if your horse was a 'pet' or not.

Although off course some councils may have that provision about injection as their own policy, but I don't believe it to be part of the law.

If a horse has been killed by injection it is not allowed to be buried due to the harm to wildlife. It's hard enough to bury a dog in the country without it getting dug up by foxes and badgers

 

[martlin]

Get a grip people!!!
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.
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One leg at a time does not work!
Throw it in a swimming pool and work out how much water is displaced!

Sorry, no swimming pool and I would imagine I would need a rather large water container to measure the water displaced?

 

[mon]

in addition to meat money is the cost of having ponio shot and disposed of, i know when we sell cull ewes some dont make much but hunt want £15 for disposing of body so anything is better than taking to hunt businesswise.

 

[martlin]

in addition to meat money is the cost of having ponio shot and disposed of, i know when we sell cull ewes some dont make much but hunt want £15 for disposing of body so anything is better than taking to hunt businesswise.

My local knackerman charges £40 for a ewe
Some of my culls this year made really decent money, though.

 

[howengold]

Thankyou for posting this thread. Alot of people hate this sort of thing but I have been looking at the costs for my veterans when the time comes and even though many people think its heartless I need to know all my options for disposal as I won't know my financial situation until the day comes. When I make the decision as to what to do I want to be informed and not put my family in debt to get ashes to scatter and all the rest.

Do hunts also still take fallen animals or do the pts bit ? (sorry a bit of a hyjack here x). I know via the vets I am looking at over £400 for my one mare and although I would like to go that way my hubby couldn't justify that sort of cost

 

[TheEquineOak]

In theory, I have no problem with horses being sold and euthanised for meat. I wouldn't send my beloved but I can understand why others do.

what worries me are the 'stories' that pop up in the media. Potters for example have been known to leave an injured mare for 45 minutes after a long haul journey before being euthanised. They also apparently shot a heavily pregnant mare, then shot the unborn foal. In the same report, none of these horses were checked for signs of life.

These 'stories' were those of an animal charity investigating the goings on of Potters. How much truth is in it??? If the process was widely known, then maybe people's attitudes would change... I personally have no idea of the goings on at Potters. I can only assume a pony's final moments are similiar to that of cattle/sheep

 

[sprytzer]

If a horse has been killed by injection it is not allowed to be buried due to the harm to wildlife. It's hard enough to bury a dog in the country without it getting dug up by foxes and badgers

Not so Inky_and_Sunny...........i have 2 ponies buried side by side in my field, one shot and one with inj, and all i did was got permission from DEFRA, they sent me an email to show the digger driver what the regs were regarding water courses and the depth of hole and amount of soil that had to be on top of carcass.......at no time was i asked for proof they were pets1

 

[howengold]

Ok a bit of a dumbass question, but does the vet HAVE to arrange a horse being pts? Are you able to go direct to the crematorium (or what ever its called) also am I able to go direct to the hunt or knackerman to arrange it? I have to be able to give my hubby details of what to do in case I am not in a state of mind to be sensible.

Sorry again but with a 30 year old and a 37 year old I really want it all clear in my head and you lot do seem to know what your talking about xxx

 

[martlin]

The knackerman or the hunt can euthanise the horse (shoot it) without vet, the lethal injection however has to be administered by vet.

 

[maletto]

interesting, informative thread.

Thanks (most of you) for your knowledgeable comments and OP for having the nerve to post.

 

[Doncella]

interesting, informative thread.

Thanks (most of you) for your knowledgeable comments and OP for having the nerve to post.

I agree. I don't have any hunt connections, I don't have my own land and I don't know the details of any horse abbatoirs. Ergo I would have had to ask the same question as the OP.

 

[SNORKEY]

Hi, im not going to say anything against the post as everyone has different opions on it.
Is the horse that bad that you dont want to sell it to one of the dealers that advertises for horses with behavioural problems or sell it as a retired horse as a companion only?
You would get more for it and it would have another chance.

 

[Tormenta]

TBH, AA is considered a premium product because of clever marketing, not because of some special qualities of the breed

I happen to love Aberdeen Angus, beautiful beef. However, I love Water Buffalo too, locally bred and slaughtered in the same area, once again, beautiful beef

 

[YorksG]

or sell it as a retired horse as a companion only?
You would get more for it and it would have another chance.

and of course there are hundreds of people queieng up to buy dangerous horses as companions............
There are animals going through sales for less than £100 which are ridable, a reasonable age and NOT dangerous.

 

[Unbeliever]

You need to know roughly how much money you can expect, so you can make an informed decision if it is worth the haulage... If OP was to get less money that it would cost them to get the horse there, I would imagine they might as well get a local knackerman to do the deed.

Err, wouldn't there be a better way of finding this out than asking on a public forum? Is it all about money or the best for the horse?

 

[missyme10]

i'm a little confused on the passport issue and part of it being signed.

I've 4 horses, now 2 of them have the bit signed that I believe means they can't go for slaughter for human consumption.
The other 2 haven't as they are just filly's and as yet haven't had to have any kind of treatment that has needed this bit to sign.

So am I right in thinking that horses with that part of passport signed can't go to potters or turners? Also does this apply to meat to feed other animals, like the hunt or a zoo?

And if a horse is pts by vet, whether shot or by injection, is it still the knackerman who comes to take away to dispose of? But he can also shoot the horse himself?

I personally would choose to have mine euthanised at home and then sent for cremation, but when the time comes, my circumstances may have changed and I will have to consider other options.
I dont believe there is anything wrong with horses going to slaughter providing its done humanely, after all what is the difference between a cow and a horse, or sheep or pig for that matter.
I think you either believe slaughter is wrong and therefore are a vegitarian, or whats good for one mammal should be good for all x

 

[Tinseltoes]

OP, dont get mouthy with other users they are entitled to their opinions you could have got this info from the tinternet you didnt need to come on here and ask a question, sadly a good percentage of horse owners/riders end up with a dangerous animal because they just cant/dont know how to handle it and basically are **** scared of it, and the poor pony/horse ends up at potters (thank goodness there is a potters and a turners). RIP poor pony. I certainly wont be standing with my hands outstretched for a measly +-£100 for my beloved horse when he goes - cos he gave me good in life, so i will give him good in return and he will not have the smell of blood up his nostrils and feeling of fear from others around him when he goes.

or sell it as a retired horse as a companion only?
You would get more for it and it would have another chance.

and of course there are hundreds of people queieng up to buy dangerous horses as companions............
There are animals going through sales for less than £100 which are ridable, a reasonable age and NOT dangerous.

Thanks.

Couldnt you offer it as a companion,so it will have another chance in life????? If I had my own land Id take him off your hands.

 

[YorksG]

Thanks.

Couldnt you offer it as a companion,so it will have another chance in life????? If I had my own land Id take him off your hands.

The sanctuaries are full of unwanted horses and ponies, the market is flooded with unwanted horses and ponies, WHY WOULD ANYONE take on a dangerous horse as a companion?
Headdesk headdesk headdesk

 

[Doncella]

The sanctuaries are full of unwanted horses and ponies, the market is flooded with unwanted horses and ponies, WHY WOULD ANYONE take on a dangerous horse as a companion?
Headdesk headdesk headdesk

I totally agree. Thirty years ago I had a horse come to me to be broken, it really was deranged (only 4 years old). I sent it back and told them to get shot of it, literally. They sent it on to another woman who rode it on the road, it ditched her and was killed in the subsequent road accident. Verdict - a brain tumour. A few years ago I was presented with almost the same scenario. The girl did have the horse PTS and a PM, same thing. The horse was deranged. Some horses cannot be dealt with other than PTS.
Eventually they are too dangerous even to be companions.
We really must get away from the everything must be saved scenario.
Don't get me wrong, I love my horses, but as my previoius post, when the time comes I will have to be pragmatic about this and the OP asked a valid question.