Sending unwanted horses to slaughter

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poiuytrewq

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Am I alone in thinking this a bit vile? I'm totally not against having a horse pts to prevent suffering either if an owner can no longer afford or just can't keep it and no home can be found or many other circumstances. I'm on the edge of it myself but would pts at home not send 100 miles to a slaughter house!
 
PTS at home costs money. I wouldn't do it with mine, but better sent to a slaughter house than abandoned & neglected.
 
I've known horses sent and am not anti it. Like with any animal I don't mind it as long as it transported in good conditions and slaughtered appropriately. Last one I knew got £400, rather than spending £400, so can see why people do this.

Personally mine would be shot on site and then body to hounds if possible. I'm attached to them though.
 
I too will put to sleep when my boys time comes. I think a horse that has served its owner well deserves a peaceful death (shot at home or PTS at home) rather than transported in a very stressful journey to an unknown place where it can smell blood and fear.

JMO.
 
I don't think it's vile and abattoirs play a vital role in horse welfare.

Mine would also be destroyed at home if needs dictated; but I wouldn't judge anyone that chose the abattoir over selling at low end sales or to an unsuitable or neglectful home.
 
Certainly not vile and a much better thing to do than selling on an old unsound horse but not what I would want for one of mine either.
 
The use of slaughter houses for horses is an essential part of the industry and horse economics, that I accept.

However, sending a loved pet or competition horse to slaughter instead of spending a bit of money and PTS at home does not sit comfortably with me at all I'm afraid.
 
I don't have an issue with it. As said before, far better than being abandoned. Not all horses are pets.

I was brought up in a country that eats horse meat and have eaten it myself, although not my first choice. I have a very good friend who breeds the most incredible show jumpers and he loves his horses - his favourite meat is foal however.

Different cultures; different approaches.
 
I certainly wouldn't be sending my horse there, ever. I would rather pay out to have him pts. I could never bring myself to send him to a fate like that.
 
Mine would never be sent to Potters but I really don't have a problem with those who do. Reading the comments and seeing threads like this in the past, it seems the "pet" horses rarely do go to slaughter.
 
I'd do it at home, no matter how skint I was. But if someone is too tight to do that an abbatoir is better than neglect, or selling or giving away to an uncertain future. As to horses pretty much raised for meat, such as abroad (or a lot of dartmoor hill ponies & low end breeders) whilst I don't like the idea, provided its a short journey & its done humanly, its no different to any other animal raised for meat. So in theory I feel I'd be a hypocrite to object to the principle of raising horses for meat. However I don't think much of people who send horses they've bought for other purposes originally to abbatoirs instead of pts at home, regardless of circumstances. But, since some people will always be the scum who pass on, or neglect unmarketable horses, I'd like to see more uk abbatoirs & live export banned.
 
I understand why some people send their horses to slaughter but it's not something I could ever feel comfortable doing with any or my horses, mine are always put down at home.
 
Mine have always been pts at home, but slaughter houses play a huge part in reducing the potential suffering of unwanted horses.
A dead horse is not a suffering horse.
 
I also understand that some people may do this as no other option available finance wise.
I woild never send any of mine to a slaughter house. I would also try and pursuade rest of horse owners on my yard not to send to slaughter.
Having said that, often there is no other option and I would hate to see a horse suffer :(
 
However broke and in debt I was I always had the money for PTS and disposal ring-fenced in a separate savings account. It eventually cost less than £550 which I don't think was particularly expensive and I got what I wanted how I wanted. £500 doesn't buy you much anywhere else. It would be hypocritical to say its ok to slaughter old/redundant cows and sheep but not horses. They are all living creatures which deserve a quick and humane end.
 
I have taken horses to the abattoir. The people there are professional, kind to the horses (if for no other reason than frightened, distressed horses are much harder to deal with) and quick. None of the horses I have taken (for an employer, and once with one of my own) have ever "smelled blood" or become distressed. This is often a better end for old, lame or unwanted horses than just being left, uncared for or sold on.
 
Depends on how you define "unwanted".

If you mean unwanted as in a horse that has reached the end of its useful and/or happy life (as in, the horse is no longer happy or comfortable) then personally I wouldn't send my horse to slaughter, no. I don't think it's vile but it's not the end I would want for one of my own.

If you mean unwanted as in like the many, many horses who are a by product of the racing industry (for example) every year then I don't see a problem with it. It's far better to send those horses for slaughter than pass them around from pillar to post, usually ending up with fluffy numpties who think they can "save" them from a dreadful fate. At least the horse who goes to slaughter has a secure fate. Those who end up passed around, maybe with behavioural problems (thus labelled because the person who bought it doesn't understand or know how to handle/ retrain the horse) or vices, will have an insecure and very sad future. Same goes for the old, lame or difficult horses where the owner might otherwise just sell them on. I'd rather see that horse PTS humanely than end up passed on.

So it depends on the situation. I wouldn't want to have my own horses slaughtered but it's the best thing in some cases.
 
Yes, I think it is vile, but no more than sending any animal to slaughter. I don't see why a pig, sheep or cow should be any different.
 
I do not have a problem with horses being raised for meat just like cattle etc like Dartmoor hill ponies going for zoo meat (although perfectly happy for people to 'rescue' them if that's what they want to do), but I would find it really strange for someone to do this to a loved family pet or a comp horse that had been winning money once upon a time. I just feel these horses have given you a part of themselves even if that sounds silly, and its the least you can do to PTS peacefully at home.

I would not be against a loved animal being used for meat as at least it is not wasted, but its the long journey there and the stressful experience that would bother me a lot. They probably can smell blood and fear at some point even though that is quite emotive language, but horses are sensitive animals.
 
I have always been torn with it.

I've heard from a few people that they don't smell of death and blood - however having had my horses many years ago near a Pig Ab, I had many experiences of smelling them from the property.

I am "for" slaughter, because I would much rather that ending than one of suffering and neglect (and horses in the UK often do not suffer the horrors many do in other countries).

I personally would seek other options before sending one to be processed. I wouldn't send my personal horses as I want them cremating.

I would be hypocritical being upset about a horse going to a plant when I eat chicken, lamb, venison and a little pork. They are amazing, sensitive creatures, chickens are too. Horse has changed history beyond any measurable amount.

I feel they are a necessary 'evil'. Though the procedure may be much more graphic than slipping away by LI or a bullet, if done correctly by trained people, they are still cared for and handled in a sensitive manner. My *big* issue is with foreign travel conditions for horses. That is truly sickening and no creature should live through such things before their passing.

In an ideal world, we wouldn't need this. However nature in general is fine with the regular killing for the food chain, it's just our human sentiments that get in the way. Our attachment makes things harder. It is saddening to see the poor inbred/overbred/unwanted/broken horses being milled off each week for processing, but there aren't enough people nor money to care for them. It's a wide issue anyway, starting with the breeders.
 
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Not for mine

They would be shot by the kennels and transported to the hounds

Its them knowing that they are going into the slaughter house that would upset me they are so intelligent they would know when they got there that is was going to happen. Again though instant death is better than neglect :(
 
ihatework said:
The use of slaughter houses for horses is an essential part of the industry and horse economics, that I accept.

However, sending a loved pet or competition horse to slaughter instead of spending a bit of money and PTS at home does not sit comfortably with me at all I'm afraid.
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This.
I could never ever ever do that to Ned. It wouldn't be a good end for him at all :(
 
Springy said:
Not for mine

They would be shot by the kennels and transported to the hounds

Its them knowing that they are going into the slaughter house that would upset me they are so intelligent they would know when they got there that is was going to happen. Again though instant death is better than neglect :(
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I agree with you, in that my own horses have almost all gone to kennels when the time came, but those that I have taken to the abattoir, and several were sensitive types, did not react any differently than if they were at a new yard or competition venue - just my experience.
 
I personally would always have mine put down at home but if other people want to do differently that's their choice. As long as the horse is not suffering I don't have a problem with it.
 
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