Drop us a quick email if you know of a show, event, roping, etc..coming up in the middle Tennessee area and we'll post it on our calendar of events page.   DillyDallyArena@aol.com

RANTS....

8/20/08

Lately there are a lot of things bugging me in regards to horse/pet ownership and care (or lack thereof) that I have witnessed.....so, I am starting this 'rant' page in the hopes that it will cause more awareness of issues facing the horse industry and our community. 

In the past two months I've had a dog, 3 cats and a whole litter of kittens dumped on me.  My nextdoor neighbors have had 3 dogs and 2 cats dumped on them...not to mention the ads I see on the internet for unwanted horses...lets see, this week someone posted 'a 22YO mare healthy enough that she still could produce some nice colts".   

Yeah, just what we need, a backyard breeder with a 22YO mare producing MORE babies that wont sell and will go unwanted!!!!!  The internet is full of horses looking for homes right now...a lot of them are under $500 or even free.  I hope that someone will help this poor old mare out and all the others like her....and I hope her retirement will be as a companion instead of a money-making (ha!) broodmare.  Its a long shot, but some good soul may see the ad and go get her. 

I actually bought a 'rescue' horse several years ago that my vet wasnt sure would make it...he thought the horse was already in liver and kidney failure from starvation and lack of water....but thankfully, we got him in time and he is now a healthy, well-loved member of our family.  Nursing this horse back to health was a real eye-opener....what he went through because of his ignorant owner was inexcuseable.  If it hadnt been for the owners daughter SEARCHING for a new home, I shudder to think what would've happened to this horse.  She was so persistent that I finally went to look and once I saw the horse, I knew I couldnt walk away.

This is a problem.  People dont have an 'easy' way of discarding their unwanted horses today and since we Americans are so 'busy', ole Hank just stands out in the dirt 'field' and waits for someone to bring some hay and grain and fresh water (dont even get me started about some of the nasty 'water' troughs out there!) 

Before the slaughter houses <SHIVER> were closed, the auction barns were full of pathetic animals and kill buyers....now Craigslist is brimming with posting after posting of horses people are desperately trying to get rid of....  it is so sad, the horses are certainly getting a raw deal...and from the looks of the pictures, I have to wonder what their 'breeders' were thinking.  Many are totally ugly and most are conformationally challenged!  Crooked legs, straight shoulders, sway backs, hammerheads, ....HELLO!?! Why were these animals bred???  Was it a mistake, break in the fence, or did the mare owner just want to raise a cute lil baby?  (yeah, all babies are cute, but thats not the point here.)   If you want proof, just visit the internet....you can probably find multiple postings today on craigslist of horses that should never have been bred.

While some folks have celebrated the 'victory' of slaughter houses being shut down in America; again, I wonder whats best.  Unfortunately many of the unwanteds are now forced to travel even farther in crowded, unsafe double deckers to an even more inhumane death in neighboring countries.   Dont be decieved, the kill buyers are still out there cleaning up the mess that BYB and greedy/stupid horse owners are making by breeding horses that should NEVER be used as breeding stock or buying animals that they are unable to care for or they know nothing about.   

The simple answer is to QUIT breeding ugly horses.  This is even easier and cheaper than the spay/neuter program with dogs and cats.  You dont have to spay your mare...just dont breed her!!!  And stallion owners....if you have a mediocre stallion, geld it....if you have a really nice stallion, be CHOOSY in regards to mares that you accept....dont cross breed and dont breed your nice stallion to a funky, badly conformed mare!!!  My vet says there shouldnt be more than 1 stallion per state...I laughed when he said it, but he's got a point!!

I've called the humane association about the animals that have been dumped at my house...it is almost certain death if I have rabies control pick them up....so, I've adopted the dog (to the tune of $350 vet care).  As for the cats, there is a group in Lebanon that does the Nip and Clip...when the kittens are old enough, hopefully this group will take them.  They will be spayed/neutered, vaccinated and have their ears clipped...then turned back out to be feral mousers.  I'm not exactly sure how it works, but from what I understand, if you have a farm or area with a rodent problem, these folks will bring the 'nip and clips' to you.  At least they will have a purpose, a home, a fighting chance to survive and not be out there reproducing more unwanteds.

 

Rant over...if you'd like to comment or send your $.02 email DillyDallyArena@aol.com

       

 

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