Solving the Problem of Unwanted Horses
|
|
I think it’s agreed in the horse community that unwanted horses are a problem. A University of Minnesota publication claims there are 92,000 to 138,000 unwanted horses in the U.S., based on the number of horses previously sent to slaughter. These numbers are from 2011, and in fact, the number may be even higher as not all unwanted horses were slaughtered, and that number doesn’t include unadopted feral horses housed by the BLM. The same publication offers four options for dealing with an unwanted horse: private sale, horse rescues, auction sales and euthanasia.
There are some problems with each of these ‘solutions’. Firstly, unwanted horses are hard to sell. They’re often even hard to give away. Horse rescues are overflowing. Many rescue stables struggle to keep horses well cared for. If we’re trying to keep horses away from slaughter, than taking them to auction doesn’t seem to be an effective solution. And, euthanasia doesn’t make sense if a horse is sound and healthy and able to do a job. Even those who are pro-slaughter would probably agree with that.
Related: Five Reasons Not To Breed Your Mare
Related: A Visit To A Racehorse Auction
Related: The Five Dollar Horse In The Shed
Related: Horse We Purchased At Auction Was Drugged
Obviously, there are a lot more unwanted horses than there are possible solutions for dealing with them. It seems to me that what makes many horses unwanted is a very human decision. Could solutions in dealing with unwanted horses have anything to do with changing how we regard horses? What could we do to make otherwise undesirable horses more desirable? What am I talking about? Let me share one little thing that bothers me, makes some horses worth less, and that we could change simply by making a decision.
Good quality, well trained ponies can command big prices. A few years ago, a pony came into our hands. My daughter started it for the owner, and the owner hoped that with the training and experience it could be sold for a profit. The little mare proved easy to handle, wonderful to ride and was everything a youth rider would want. She would have been perfect for the hunter ring. But, for one thing. Barefoot and well trimmed she measured just over 14.2 hands. That effectively put her out of the large pony market, and she was automatically worth much less than if she was a half inch shorter. Now this horse wasn’t really unwanted, but she was greatly devalued because of this human-made rule that did not affect her conformation, training, talent, temperament or intelligence.
What if we made the decision that ponies were, instead of 14.2 hands and under, were under 15 hands? Anything 15 hands and over would be classified as a horse. Would that change the worth and desirability of some horses in 14.2 ½ or 14.3 hand size?
I don’t know what percentage of the horse population is in that size range. Unlikely there aren’t enough to entirely solve the problem of unwanted horses. But, what if instead of trying to fit horses into our often times arbitrary rules, we create more sensible rules? What if we made eligibility into breed registries based on training, performance or conformation rather than just bloodlines? Some registries already do this, and it’s uncommon to find those types of horses in rescue stables. Perhaps all it would do is create more unregistered horses. I don’t know. But I really believe that to solve the problem of unwanted horses we need to be more creative in our thinking than sell, surrender, auction or euthanize. It may take many small shifts in the way we see horses, and what we believe is desirable in a horse. What do you think?
--
http://www.extension.umn.edu/agriculture/horse/care/humane-options-for-unwanted-horses/ |
|
|
More News by Winniefield Park
|
|
3P *Starring Ruth* has captured two spots on the leaderboard joining * Queen Of Hearts. Starring Ruth is a 17.1 hand Friesian mare out of the PythonPonyPalaces stable and was foaled September 7, 2023. She not only was #1 ranked ho ...
|
|
DNA testing can tell you a number of things about a horse’s risk of developing a hereditary disease, coat color, genetic markers for speed, temperament and gait and can give some insight into a horse’s breed. In this video, The Cl ...
|
|
Here is a story of how a passion for horses led one woman to a life of secrecy and dishonesty. Over twenty years she built a life of glamor and competitive success. But many people asked how she funded her extravagant lifestyle th ...
|
|
One of the world’s rarest breeds is the Suffolk Punch. Native to Britain, these stocky draft horses once had pride of place in agricultural work, hauling artillery, pulling public transportation vehicles like busses and towing bar ...
|
|
*V For Victory* is entrenched on the leaderboard and still holds the Best Streak with an 18,792 run and a jumpoff record of 29,444 - 19. But two mares have taken over the Top Rank and Highest Jump records. At 16, the 17-hand Crown ...
|
|
Get your daily dose of nature with this 49-minute video of wild horses travelling to a water hole in Sand Wash Basin, a BLM managed area in Colorado. The small herd drinks, grazes and swish's flies in the semi-arid desert environm ...
|
|
Halloween is just around the corner and it's time to consider costumes for you and your four-legged friends. A recent viral trend is dressing your pet as a ghost. Some sheets and paint are the basis of this costume, and you can se ...
|
|
Good riders do what they can to make their horse’s job easier. Especially when jumping, your position can help or hinder your horse as it adjusts its strides and balance between and over obstacles. Here’s a video with good suggest ...
|
|
|