I love horses, but my ? is why do people kill them?

Question

kill as in slaughter horses? it is mean an in humain please don't report this as abuse I just want to know why they are killed and who is against it. I am totally against it!

Answer 1

!? what? people dont kill horses...they kill cows, and pigs, but not horses...what are you smoking? and do you have more?

Answer 2

I am not against the slaughter of horses, I am against the agencies that raise animals who have no other choice.

Many slaughter house animals are "old" track horses (in actuality, they are often quite young), displaced feral and wild horses, and older animals who are no longer wanted as "pets".

I own a few retired Standardbred horses who I purchased at auction. They sell for cheap. And the people I generally bid against are often slaughterers.

The animas however often come from these disciplines in bad shape. They're distrusting, they're missing gates that pleasue horses are expected to have, they may be weak or have injuries, all sorts of things. And honestly, sometimes it really is more humane for them to just leave this world than to live a life lame and afraid.

There arn't enough people willing to take them in. Or those who have the time to devote to the task.

I'm not against racing. I'm just against some... Methods used by certain individuals that leave the animals totally broken.




But... On a side note. Some people love cows. And they slaughter those. We really can't pick and choose. Just in the West horse isn't something we see on our menus, but it's very common in Asia and Europe.

Answer 3

This happens for many reasons. If a race horse isn't quite good enough, they are often sent to slaughter. If a horse is getting old or is ill and the owners don't want to care for it any more because it's not useful, they often sell them to slaughter too.

Also...women who are menopausal often take hormones. They may not even be aware of where these hormones come from, but they get them from pregnant mares. Well, a horse gives birth after 11 months. In order to keep the mare producing hormones, what has to happen? They have to breed her again...so they wind up with an excess of babies. Often, the FOALS are slaughtered because they have so many.

I think it should be illegal. I will refuse anything but man-made hormones when I go through menopause for exactly that reason. I personally think it should be considered animal abuse to keep the mare's pregnant all the time like that, and the foals...I think there should be a 'foundation' of some sort, which allows city kids to join 4-H clubs with 'loaned' horses, so they can learn to care for them, and show them...and do something they can be proud of. It really would be beneficial. 4-H is like sports in that it can keep kids off drugs and out of trouble.

Answer 4

Horses are sent to slaughter for many reasons and usually end up as food for people in Europe or zoo animals in the US. It is not normal in the US for us to eat horses - but we eat cows and pigs and chickens and the slaughter practices for those animals are no better than the slaughter practices for horses.

I myself would never eat horse - nor advocate eating it - but I do eat cow and pig and chicken. When I think about humane treatment of horses that go to slaughter I also have to think about humane treatment of the other animals. I will not differentiate just because I like horses better than cows or eat chickens but don't eat horses.

Unfortunately legislation will not end horse slaughter and I question whether morally it should (we eat cows don't we?). Instead it will send our beloved horses to Canada and Mexico to slaughter plants where there are few regulations. Although the politicians will be able to declare "victory" in ending horse slaughter in the US, the end result will only be more misery and suffering for our horses.

Personnally I advocate allowing ranch butchers to kill and slaughter horses on their home farms like they can do cows and pigs. This is the least stressful death for the animal. Then the carcass can be taken (if it were legal) to whatever processing plant was chosen for the processing intended. If people in Europe want to eat horse and someone in Canada or the US wants to sell them horse meat then I cannot find a moral ground to stop them. But DO NOT make the horse suffer a long trip or fear in the process. We owe them that - and other animals as well. But that's another story - humane treatment of our meat animals.

Answer 5

I dont' blame you for being against it, and it does seem to be inhumane. However, some people may point out that other animals are slaughtered, and wonder why horses are more special...cause they are prettier or something. I kind of see their point, but I don't like hearing or thinking of any animal being slaughtered, especially in a painful way. And yes to the smarties out there, I do like hamburgers!

Horses have been slaughtered for years to make soap out of, if I remember right.

Answer 6

I love horses too, but one big reason in that when a horse breaks its leg, it can't go on living. It needs to be killed. I'm not sure why, but it just does. And I don't know why people just randomly slaughter horses. That's life babe, not always so fair...

Answer 7

Horses are slaughtered just like cows are in some of the very same plants where cows are killed.They are used for food in Europe. Here in the US we do not eat horse meat and they do not use it for dog food. Most of it is exported for human food in Europe.
Many PMU foals those are the ones from the pregnant mares used to produce Premarin the hormones for menapause are sold to rescues and placed in himes but many times once the mares are to old to breed they are sold for meat.
It is a disgusting thing but it happens here in the US.
There are groups trying to get the laws changed so they can not be slod for food and for slaughter but it is slow going.
Hopefully one day it will no longer happen.

Answer 8

I often ask myself the same question. I know hunters try to rationalize what they do all the time but is any living thing worth dying for an adrenaline rush? Because that's what it comes down to. Anyone who could kill a beautiful animal like horse is sick and doesn't deserve to breathe air in my opinion. But that's just my opinion.

Answer 9

i would love to be against it but we need the slaughter market. there are so many old, crippled, starving horses that people cant afford to take care of or put down.... if they cant take them to slaughter then they will just be suffering worse- starved-crippled-old that wont be takin care of...... if they people take them to sale at a action then they wont get sold.... no one can afford to take these animals if they aint going to use(riding, breeding, etc...). i hate the idea but we need the market.... too many horses that people cant sale or put down or care for will be starved and thats far worse then puttin them out of their misery

Answer 10

Who kills horses? I have never heard of horses being killed for anything besides chronic illness associated with old age or broken legs and that is not inhumane. If I was suffering I'd call Kevorkian (if the a**holes in power hadn't have jailed him.)

And as far as other cultures killing them for meat well we kill cows, chickens, and pigs but I don't hear you whining about that.

Answer 11

The sometimes kill them for meat (some dog foods still use horsemeat).