The ‘control of nature’ is a phrase conceived in arrogance, born of the Neanderthal age of biology and philosophy, when it was supposed that nature exists for the convenience of man. — Rachael Carson, Silent Spring
While commercial Horse Slaughterhouses have been defunded and effectively closed inside the United States since 2007, a lucrative “kill buyer” pipeline continues to ship over 20,000+ American domestic and wild horses annually to slaughter facilities in Canada and Mexico, with live meat sales in Japan, and more sales in other Asian countries and the EU. . . We have seen the menial market of horse meat rise, over a short amount of time, i.e. the past 40 years.
With so many supposed Horse and Wild Horse Experts, and social media being an odd and distinct situation in regard to, is it a truth or a lie (social media is not science driven, keep that in mind) we see a lot of lies, innuendo, and promises “not keep.” The fact remains – in regard to American Taxpayers and government, as well as non-profits – They all Promise to Save Wild Horses; and yet, never happened over the 25 years I have been involved. Friends of mine also have 20 to 30 years into the Wild Horses, and watched, at first with enthusiasm, and hope. Nothing Happened. A lot of false information developed, “False Narratives” grew, and more astounding as time went on, and all of it “conflicts directly” with “Credible Science and Nature.
Fact vs. Fiction of Horse Slaughter
The ongoing practice relies on several major myths that contradict veterinary data and industry realities:
- Myth: It serves as a disposal method for old, sick, or injured horses.
- Fact: The USDA documented that 92.3% of horses arriving at slaughter plants were in “good” physical condition. Kill buyers actively avoid old, thin, or sick horses because they are unprofitable. Meat processors pay by the pound, meaning they heavily target healthy, muscular animals like young Quarter Horses, Drafts, Thoroughbreds, and wild Mustangs.
- Fact: The USDA documented that 92.3% of horses arriving at slaughter plants were in “good” physical condition. Kill buyers actively avoid old, thin, or sick horses because they are unprofitable. Meat processors pay by the pound, meaning they heavily target healthy, muscular animals like young Quarter Horses, Drafts, Thoroughbreds, and wild Mustangs.
- Myth: Slaughter is a form of “humane euthanasia.”
- Fact: Veterinary authorities state that slaughter is inherently brutal and not comparable to peaceful medical euthanasia. Because horses are high-strung flight animals, they panic in kill chutes. This makes accurate stunning with captive-bolt pistols incredibly difficult, often resulting in horses remaining fully conscious during dismemberment – that is, when they do not gut the Horse when still alive – and most at the Slaughter Plants know, but do not care, when trying to achieve a product-kill-ratios for profits at the end of the day.
- Fact: Veterinary authorities state that slaughter is inherently brutal and not comparable to peaceful medical euthanasia. Because horses are high-strung flight animals, they panic in kill chutes. This makes accurate stunning with captive-bolt pistols incredibly difficult, often resulting in horses remaining fully conscious during dismemberment – that is, when they do not gut the Horse when still alive – and most at the Slaughter Plants know, but do not care, when trying to achieve a product-kill-ratios for profits at the end of the day.
- Myth: Ending slaughter will cause a crisis of massive abandonment.
- Fact: Animal welfare data shows that fluctuations in the slaughter market do not correlate to increased rates of abandonment or neglect. The slaughter industry does not solve an “unwanted horse” problem; instead, it provides a low-friction financial exit loop for irresponsible breeders and owners.
- Fact: Animal welfare data shows that fluctuations in the slaughter market do not correlate to increased rates of abandonment or neglect. The slaughter industry does not solve an “unwanted horse” problem; instead, it provides a low-friction financial exit loop for irresponsible breeders and owners.
- Myth: Horse meat is a safe, sustainable food product.
- Fact: Unlike livestock raised for food, American horses are heavily medicated throughout their lives with drugs strictly banned from the human food supply. The most common equine painkiller, Phenylbutazone (“Bute”), is a known carcinogen to humans. Because there is no universal medical tracking system for horses, consuming their meat presents significant food safety risks.
- Fact: Unlike livestock raised for food, American horses are heavily medicated throughout their lives with drugs strictly banned from the human food supply. The most common equine painkiller, Phenylbutazone (“Bute”), is a known carcinogen to humans. Because there is no universal medical tracking system for horses, consuming their meat presents significant food safety risks.
The Wild Mustang Loophole
The debate has intensified due to several high-profile writers and journalists alike, exposing how federally protected Wild Horses are entering the slaughter pipeline. Here we demote the quality of writing, in a credible-scientific-perspective, as well as truth, the constant and over-looked history of Wild Horses’, and develop their objectives toward false-heritage or mythic history – In order not to lose advertisers demographically. Making it appear, bad, yes, but give people the False-Narratives that no reliable options exist, other than commercialized profit based manufacturing to assist commercialized endeavors of managing Wild Horses — Now we start to see where the conflicts are, and have been all along. Nature versus Commercialism = Intolerable and Destructive Outcomes!
We find the high-profile journalists in major cities, too often reflect a non-credible-history of Wild Horses, minds blocked by commercialism-values of monetary gain & demographics — or accept the BLM’s False-Narratives and non-credible science as facts (just looking at the Wild Horse population math developed by the BLM, and the 6th grade errors in the math, and we have more questions in regard to Population Counts, yet ignored by many), grabs the headlines of the truth being sterilized by the demographic response $$$ (i.e. more False-Narratives), “If it Bleeds, It Leads”, theory of today’s Journalism.
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) rounds up thousands of Wild Horses annually to manage rangeland populations (using questionable math, and also conflicts with Nature, as they assume Wild Horses have more than 1 Foal per year – some, according to BLM math, can have 3 or 4 Foals – evidence? We can tell when no one studies the math in the BLM population counts, because the errors quite obvious).
Under the BLM’s “Sale Authority” program, wild horses that fail to get adopted after three attempts can be sold outright for as little as $25. Although buyers must sign agreements promising not to sell them for slaughter, intermediaries and livestock traders exploit legal loopholes, selling the mustangs in bulk to out-of-country slaughterhouses for high profit margins.
Humane and Viable Alternatives
One day we were all sitting in a, what is rare these days, a Country Co-Op Hall. Many who are Horse Advocates or work at the BLM do not, or, are not familiar with these Halls, that use to be in every small township across the United States (every Saturday Night they had dances, when the weekend was important). These were large areas, often a free breakfast served, or the local VFW and American Legion Halls, would supplement the meetings. Many Horse People, Ranchers, and Farmers would gather and discuss things. A few weeks ago, we rented the CO-OP and invited friends, and people we knew to be honest, to discuses the situations of today, in particular about the Wild Horses. There were no Public Lands Subsidized Ranchers in the room, many made sure of it. I am speaking about Honest Folks, that would not take a dime from government.
There are two things we all left this meeting, of nearly 250 people, no fights, no arguing, but solid debate, on the next step for Wild Horses. A few Retired Scientists were there as well.
This summation is easily accomplished, as well as the short synopsis above. Centuries of experienced ranchers, et al., in the room, with deep bloodlines . . . e.g. Many were from Frontier Families. We all come to two obvious decisions. As all the other factors that we see ongoing on our Public Lands, unneeded – unnecessary.
We all perceived them as circumstances generated for Profit-Only. The fact is, government agencies wanting larger budgets for payrolls and job security, and non-profits wanting more money from Fertility-Controls – i.e. both non-credible-science-based, surrounded by False Narratives from the Corporate Sector.
Experienced People stood tall, and stated clearly, unanimously, I might add, that False Narratives do not float the boat when around knowledgeable people that have spent their lives in the country, or on ranches, or dealing with Horses, both Wild and Domestic. Fertility Control by Toxic Chemicals on Our Public Lands, by Unanimous Decision and Vote, must go. . .
The First Suggestion, is to put a Stop to government Management of Wild Horses. The government is both — not knowledgeable enough to manage them, and the government agencies that do so, are too far gone, in their corruption.
The second suggestion was very interesting (also unanimous), and can be supported by Truthful science – Not so surprising, here, the Experienced people supported the Science, and those who could over-see the situation, to allow the Wild Horses to Rome Our Public Lands, without an All-Controlled-Management-Paradigm. Yes, a “Leave the Wild Horses Alone” — and, have them do their job on our Public Lands. Our soil, our water, our air we breathe, our Country Side, and allow Nature, in its wisdom, to take-over. We as humans attempted the control of Nature, and have failed – also a Unanimous Conclusion from all in the meeting.
Surprisingly, it was the Ranchers in the meeting that brought up the fact of leaving our Key-Stone-Wildlife, and Terrestrial Ecology, to be left alone. That we needed Nature to become Nature once again. Too many lies, and to much non-realistic Conservation-Science has taken over – and we all were very concerned about all of it. Yes, the trust we gave to government is gone . . . For obvious reasons of our Lands being mis-managed, entirely.
We do have a ways to go, yet; but, we are getting there.” — John Cox, M.A. C/M
Preservation of America's Wildlife 