Reflections from the front-lines

NEW HOLLAND

 Kelly Smith

10:17pm · July 3 2016

I would like to share something with you about something that I have personally witnessed over the last 20+ years of my life.

Photo: C. Knoll

It’s the same building, the same hay feeders, the same windows but what’s not the same is the horses who stand in this exact same spot, week after week, month after month, year after year.  The surroundings have not changed and the outcome for many of these horses has not changed but the faces of slaughter change week after week, month after month, year after year.  The poor souls of the discarded and unwanted await the unknown.

Photo: S. Mattern

Yes its true some will find homes, some will be bought, sold, traded, bought again and traded again, but the reality is many who have stood in this spot are gone, for them they were lost to the horse slaughter trade, maybe that doesn’t mean much to you, maybe you think awww,  it’s not that bad, maybe you don’t want to know, but the sad fact remains these horses have been betrayed, abandoned by their owners, some on occasion stolen.

I am here to tell you this is not a pretty or pleasant subject but unless you, I and everyone else makes a decision to actually do something and just stop talking about it, these same spots will be filled this week, next week, next month and next year. The horses will continue to pay the ultimate price with their lives.

I can’t make anyone care, see this for what it is or fix the messed up system that we have.

Photo: CHDC

Horse slaughter is NOT now or ever has been or will be humane euthanasia. Today I was looking at photos of many horses that I photographed at this place and I am saddened that this still goes on.

What difference does it make if only one horse gets out? It makes a difference to that one horse. I will say it again and again and again, we need affordable humane euthanasia clinics set up around this country that would be affordable.

We need breeders to TAKE A GOOD HARD LOOK at what happens to all the horses who are produced who are now faced with this.

We need quality and affordable training for our young horses.

Did you know that a big majority of slaughter bound horses are young under 6 with little to no education?

Did you know that not gelding that colt and not handling it equals a death sentence?

I see all the pretty pictures on Facebook of people and their horses, trail riding, winning ribbons those are good things but the reality of what I see day in and day out is not good.

Mom’s Dream is an example of that, a 17 yr old tb who won $109k racing, then she became a broodmare and then, at 17 yrs of age as she became of no value to her last owner, she was sold into the slaughter pipeline.  Mom has had no training since leaving the track all she has known is how to pop out foals, so what becomes of horses like Mom?

Mom’s Dream
Photo: K. Smith

Most do not live their lives out in a beautiful field most get sold for a few hundred bucks and have a one way ticket to slaughter. We live in such a disposable society?

Don’t like it, don’t want it, that’s ok you can get rid of it and bring in the new.

That’s where I get to see the end for these horses. Never can I possibly put into words what it feels like for me and others like me to see the animals that are now only valuable by how much they will weigh on a scale.

Tomorrow there will be another show, race, trail ride, polo match and the next day well there will be that open spot at the auction barn waiting for the discarded and unwanted, and, no, I, like you, really don’t want to see it, face it or deal with it, but God willing, there will be, hopefully, someone with grit, guts and dedication who will do what they can, even if it’s just for one horse.
Think about it, are you willing to be part of the solution?

Will you donate some time or funds?

Will you decide not to breed that mare one more time and, most importantly, will you plan a humane ending for your horses when that time comes.
In the end they deserve so much more.

Please consider supporting your favorite rescue!

 

Halters from horses who shipped Photo: S. Goocey

Their lives are counting on it.
Goodnight.  Kelly.

 

Kelly Smith has been rescuing from auctions for several years and is involved with Omega Horse Rescue.