I have tried to ignore the issue of horse slaughter for many years. But the subject slapped me in the face recently, as a friend and I sat and watched approximately 30 head of mostly nice registered purebred horses being herded through a sale ring. We knew that there were two killer buys there, and almost every horse was bought by one of those two men. A fortunate few were rescued from the slaughterhouse fate. I was dumbfounded. I was disgusted. I was angry. But not angry at the men who had come to buy these horses and transport them out of the country to slaughterhouses. I was upset with the owners who had brought these horses to the auction barn. These owners had allowed their horses to meet this fate. They had allowed it by over-breeding, and by not equipping their horses with any skills. Skills that would make their horses valuable to a potential buyer. A horse that is run through a sale ring without even knowing how to lead is worthless to anyone except the killer buyer.

I think the slaughter plants are a necessary evil. I don't agree with banning them in the United States. Because then horses will be hauled out of the country to be slaughtered, where who knows how much abuse and suffering they will be subjected to.

The real problem is not the slaughter plant. It is the people who indiscriminantly breed large amounts of foals every year. Breeders who have no intention of raising that foal past weaning, and educating that foal so it can be of value. I believe that if a breeder truly loves horses, they would do everything in their power to ensure that each foal born has real value. We need to lower the numbers of horses being raised. As well as educate the foals that are born, so that they can grow into useful adults who don't end up at the slaughter house.