One-off cull of Irish Horses

Lisamd

Lisamd

Well-Known Member
Joined
6 September 2009
Messages
687
Location
Down the hill on the right
Visit site
I was saddened to read in this weeks H&H the potential 'free' one of cull of unwanted irish horses.

I have 3 beautiful irish horses and the thought that this could have happened to one of mine is unbearable.

I understand and agree that the state of the irish horse industry is a mess but what about a forward plan to stop this happening again?

I suggest that they offer they cull as proposed and also instigate a monetary reward for all gelding of un-passported/sub standard stallions with no performance record. A few quid in a stallion owners pocket would prevent further unwanted foals and a subsequant replay of last winter when foals were dumped on roadsides, just days old and left to die.

I know that i am partially to blame for this situation. I have bought 4 horses in 2 years direct from Ireland, 2 of those is less than perfect condition. I hope that this situation is sorted out soon as it breaks my heart to think of these poor animals enduring another cold, harsh winter in the elements with no food or shelter.
 
It saddens me to think things have got to this stage but I cant see a way out of it other than to offer the free cull.

There but for the grace of god goes the UK mainland .....indiscriminate breeding is rife here too and I can see the same scenario happening here in the future.
 
In the long term I guess its a positive against indiscriminate breeding. Just hope the culling is done humanely - have heard horror stories about culling in America.
 
Well its actually been happening in one part of Ireland for quite some time, an amnesty where you hand over your horse no questions asked no payments needed, they are just spreading this out across the country as far as I can see.
It is mostly for the dublin region and inner city horses.
Please dont tar all of Ireland with the same brush.
Most horse owners breeders dealers take fantastic care of their horses, the minority dont.
In my opinion Its a good idea.(for the inner city horses) alot of them have a terrible life and are better off dead before this winter starts again.
Lisamd how are you partially to blame for this?
Saying your are partially responsible because you bought horses from Ireland is a silly thing to say.
 
Aww no! That's really sad.

I suppose if it has to be done it has to be done. I'm all for quality of life. At least it might make stupid people realise how stupid they to help stop it happening again.
 
sam1am said:
Well its actually been happening in one part of Ireland for quite some time, an amnesty where you hand over your horse no questions asked no payments needed, they are just spreading this out across the country as far as I can see.
It is mostly for the dublin region and inner city horses.
Please dont tar all of Ireland with the same brush.
Most horse owners breeders dealers take fantastic care of their horses, the minority dont.
In my opinion Its a good idea.(for the inner city horses) alot of them have a terrible life and are better off dead before this winter starts again.
Lisamd how are you partially to blame for this?
Saying your are partially responsible because you bought horses from Ireland is a silly thing to say.
Click to expand...

I don't think i'm taring all of Ireland with the same brush. I adore irish horses and all bar one in my life has been bred in ireland. I see 95% of the horses i look at in good condition, so i would agree that the majority are well looked after.

When i said i feel partially responsable for this - i meant that all people who purchase direct from ireland are fuelling the demand for more horses at a good rate. Of course i am happy to walk away with a bargain - which i did with one horse in March this year. I paid under £2k for a well bred jumping horse who had rain scald, was under weight and very difficult to handle. At 5 years old how was any profit made from the purchase price? They would have been lucky to break even. He is now, 4 mths on, an amazing animal who would jump the moon. He's happy, confident and blooming - so i feel good. I do on the other hand wonder where he would be now if i hadn't bought him on that cold, wet dark night? In the cue for the abattoir? This was what i meant, if you understand - sorry if i rambled!
 
Seriously, it's better than what is happening to some of them right now. I think it is the best option.
The welfare organisations are at breaking point, horses are being turned loose on the roads or in the mountains or starving to death and lying rotting in fields in *some* areas.
 
This really is too sad and unfortunately a sign of our troubled times, possiblly set to get even worse. I agree with CaveCanem, there are worse things that can happen to an unwanted horse than being humanely pts in a controlled environment.

If I had unlimited land and unlimited money I would love to help all horses in this situation, but as it is I will be lucky to hold on to my own 2 over the next few years.
 
"i meant that all people who purchase direct from ireland are fuelling the demand for more horses at a good rate"


I really dont want to get into an argument but you bought a well bred horse. NOT a crapply bred piece of rubbish from smithfield market for 30 euro who will not stand up to any work etc etc, This is what the cull is intended for.
If you had then you would be fuelling the market but you didnt.

The Irish sell horses to the uk this will never stop and I for one hope it dosnt, Alot of horses over here are treated as stock not pets
Sometimes this means they will not be plaited up and shiney for you when you go to see them.
This does not mean they are neglected or in line for the slaughter house!
2k is not a that much of a bargain tbh glad you have a nice horse out of it you could find quite a few nice horses for 2k atm.
Not to say these horses next stop is the abotoir
Im really struggling to put into words what I mean.
Just please dont think that by buying an Irish horse you are fuelling neglectfull breeders, the majority ARE sensible.
 
sam1am said:
"i meant that all people who purchase direct from ireland are fuelling the demand for more horses at a good rate"


I really dont want to get into an argument but you bought a well bred horse. NOT a crapply bred piece of rubbish from smithfield market for 30 euro who will not stand up to any work etc etc, This is what the cull is intended for.
If you had then you would be fuelling the market but you didnt.

The Irish sell horses to the uk this will never stop and I for one hope it dosnt, Alot of horses over here are treated as stock not pets
Sometimes this means they will not be plaited up and shiney for you when you go to see them.
This does not mean they are neglected or in line for the slaughter house!
2k is not a that much of a bargain tbh glad you have a nice horse out of it you could find quite a few nice horses for 2k atm.
Not to say these horses next stop is the abotoir
Im really struggling to put into words what I mean.
Just please dont think that by buying an Irish horse you are fuelling neglectfull breeders, the majority ARE sensible.
Click to expand...

I do understand what you mean. The reason i posted this is because i agree with the proposed cull, but would like to see a plan for moving it forward so that we can avoid the situation again. The UK is not much better - i have a 2 year old in livery with me who was bred by the owner of the mare as she was lame. Put to a very average stallion, the outcome is a plain, long backed, brown filly that will poss scrape 16hh (to small for non-riding owner)
By the time she is 4 and ready to ride she will have cost her owner in excess of £12k livery - why bother when you can get a nice horse that is right for you for a fraction of the price. Where will she end up? Although very sweet she will become another of the average horses. I hope she will prove me wrong!

I don't want the trade of horses to stop - i just want the right thing done for the future and the quote re majority are sensible - the proof is in the pudding - class horses coming out of ireland - i agree.
 
sam1am said:
"i meant that all people who purchase direct from ireland are fuelling the demand for more horses at a good rate"


I really dont want to get into an argument but you bought a well bred horse. NOT a crapply bred piece of rubbish from smithfield market for 30 euro who will not stand up to any work etc etc, This is what the cull is intended for.
If you had then you would be fuelling the market but you didnt.

The Irish sell horses to the uk this will never stop and I for one hope it dosnt, Alot of horses over here are treated as stock not pets
Sometimes this means they will not be plaited up and shiney for you when you go to see them.
This does not mean they are neglected or in line for the slaughter house!
2k is not a that much of a bargain tbh glad you have a nice horse out of it you could find quite a few nice horses for 2k atm.
Not to say these horses next stop is the abotoir
Im really struggling to put into words what I mean.
Just please dont think that by buying an Irish horse you are fuelling neglectfull breeders, the majority ARE sensible.
Click to expand...



*thumbs up*
 
Gosh I had no idea this was going on! If Ireland is so over populated with horses im suprised more people dont buy from over there rather than paying some of the 'daft' prices asked here!
 
The horses would be disposed of in the same manner as any other horse that is brought to the abbatoir.

I believe this is a good scheme.
 
alpha1 said:
Gosh I had no idea this was going on! If Ireland is so over populated with horses im suprised more people dont buy from over there rather than paying some of the 'daft' prices asked here!
Click to expand...

Because the 'surplus' horses are NOT 'quality' animals (except for some of the slower TBs)! In many cases, even if reasonably well-bred, they haven't seen a wormer or a farrier in their lives, let alone been properly handled.

A few years back I bought half-a-dozen 'cheapish' horses from Ireland (the seller owned over 100 horses - kept in rented fields dotted around the County - and threw a big bale of haylage into each field once or twice a week!)

This was one of them on arrival!

Tim-before.jpg


Poor as a crow, feet you wouldn't believe, wild as stink and frightened of everything! Underneath it all was a nice little horse - but he look a long time to find! It was more than a year of hard work to turn him into THIS

TimandPolly.jpg


Happily I found exactly the right buyer for him and they are still blissfully happy with each other! But I lost a small fortune on him! :rolleyes:
 
Sounds disgusting to me, man breeds too many horses, and then kills them, then what, breed another load for killing in a year or two's time, once again, animals suffer for mans greed and stupidity.
 
Pedantic said:
Sounds disgusting to me, man breeds too many horses, and then kills them, then what, breed another load for killing in a year or two's time, once again, animals suffer for mans greed and stupidity.
Click to expand...




exactly the same for the dog's in britain - thanks to back yard breeders............
 
i am in a posistion where i can offer the care and homes for a few of these neglected horses. does anyone know who i can contact to offer special homes to these horses?
 
But the problem is, people are breeding when there is no demand - of course there is a demand for well bred good quality horses, and these are the ones that are well looked after.

IMO the cull if done properly will be a good thing in the long run - it may mean people think twice about putting their mare in foal or keeping a horse as stallion if they are just going to end up dead.

I suggest that they offer they cull as proposed and also instigate a monetary reward for all gelding of un-passported/sub standard stallions with no performance record. A few quid in a stallion owners pocket would prevent further unwanted foals and a subsequant replay of last winter when foals were dumped on roadsides, just days old and left to die.
Click to expand...

This is a good idea, but the fact is Ireland is broke and still in middle of recession - newspapers lie. Govt. cant afford to throw money away to people who will do it again and again just to earn some money from their useless crop of foals. And there will be people who will breed to exploit!

I hate seeing horses in misery - it was bad enough the past winter, but dread to think what the horses will be like come this winter :(
 
alpharomeo said:
i am in a posistion where i can offer the care and homes for a few of these neglected horses. does anyone know who i can contact to offer special homes to these horses?
Click to expand...

Me too! Both my horses that i have now were in quite poor condition when i bought them. Would be more than happy to offer care and lots of TLC for some of these poor horses and would love to know who we could contact to help? Obviously not going to solve the problem but surely every little helps
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top