This message is from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > tend to comply with standing in tie stalls, catherized for > months. )
These mares are not catheterized. It's a free catch system (at least the ones I know of). Also, the mares do get a required amount of time for turn out. The mares are brought inside in the fall and spend the winter indoors (not a good time to be outside in Canada anyway). During this time they do get periods of turn out. Then in the spring they are turned out to foal. Yes, it's not an ideal life of a horse, but I think their life is better than the image most people have. I'm sure there are some farms that are more reputable than others, too. But with all the recent publicity, I'm sure this will change. > > I also do not stomach auctions that sell horses to the (always there > in the > back row,) meat guys. > I don't like to think of this either, but what are we supposed to do with all the surplus of horses? It pains me to think of some horse that has provided good service and/or companionship to its owner and then is crammed into a trailer with a bunch of others and taken to slaughter. But what is the solution? I have a client with a sadistic sense of humor. He deals in sport horses and everytime I tell him a horse is not fit for his use due to some injury, he tells me "You've just made some Belgian boy very happy" (i.e. this horse is going to slaughter). It irritates me when I have a client that has a mare that they want to breed because "we think it would be good for her" or "it would be fun to have a foal around". OK, but what is going to happen to that foal when it grows up? Also, I think with the scare of mad cow disease in Europe there is going to be even more demand for horse meat. Lisa, these comments aren't directed at you. Just my general ramblings to the list. Steve Steve and Amy White Prairieholm Farm Waterloo, Nebraska
