Posts Tagged ‘backyard breeders’
Nice horses!!! Cheap – $100
Apparently we’re using the term “nice” to describe anything and everything these days…
“Older couple trying to sell out! Herd number got outta control selling cheap for fast results. Percheron thourobred crosses, quarter horse, and thourobred. They have 1 curly mained palimino mare very sweet 9 year old is broke to ride just been a while $100, bay mare x jump horse 15 years old registered rode 6 months ago is tenderfooted on front end $100, quarter horse mare sorrel blonde main 5 years old very pretty $100, 2 blackish fillies around two years old one real gentle one has never been handled $50 for one $75 for the other, grey stud thourobred percheron cross $50 2 year old, FREE older thourobred grey 17 hand gelding one knee bigger then the other rides just been a while, FREE older percheron mare poor, not gentle only be good for breeding, FREE arabain pony never been handled stud 3 year old.FREE crippled filly and black gelding the gelding is sweet.”
Since when do mares get pregnant, drop a foal, and get pregnant again in the span of mere weeks? Gosh, you’d think something like that would make the news. Does the accelerated aging/growth continue past birth or is it limited to in utero foals? Perhaps these people would be kind enough to explain to us how this is accomplished. And, if they haven’t already, let’s patent it and make a fortune! Hazza!
Oh no wait, we know, all of a sudden their horses spontaneously and concurrently reproduced via mitosis? Now that could generate quite the herd!
No? Not buying it? Neither are we. But honestly, those are the only scenarios we could conceive of wherein their herd numbers could get “outta control”. Given that a mare’s gestation period is approximately 11 months – how the fuck does the growth of a herd sneak up on someone and become “outta control”?
More than likely they’re just complete fucktards who have their heads so far up their own asses that they lack the basic deductive skills to calculate the following
1 stallion + 1 mare = 1 more mouth to feed
“bay mare x jump horse 15 years old registered rode 6 months ago is tenderfooted on front end $100” –WTF is a “jump horse”? THAT IS NOT A BREED! Hmm 15 year old horse with tender front feet… we’re taking bets on navicular vs. laminitis/founder - anyone want in on that action?
“grey stud thourobred percheron cross $50 2 year old” and “FREE arabain pony never been handled stud 3 year old” Good gawd, please don’t tell us they’re the sires of any of your “outta control” herd. *face palm* If they aren’t contributing to the gene pool yet they will be if they’re not rehomed soon!
“FREE older percheron mare poor, not gentle only be good for breeding”. What in that sentence makes her “good for breeding” – just because you can’t do anything with her? Over at Snarky Rider we have a saying: Just because it has a uterus doesn’t mean it needs a baby. Applies quite nicely here. Seriously, we’re going to start putting that on bumper stickers or something and start mailing it to asshats like this.
And last, but certainly not least, we unfortunately have “FREE crippled filly and black gelding the gelding is sweet”. So the crippled filly isn’t sweet? Could she perhaps be a little bit ornery because they’ve somehow crippled her? Ok, it’s a bit of a leap to assume these people are the cause of the filly’s lameness, but come on. It’s not exactly a stretch of the imagination in this case.
Why is it that people like this can’t get it into their heads that just because their horse isn’t suited for the show ring doesn’t mean they should be popping out babies! A fugly, useless mare is not magically transformed into a useful horse when you have it impregnated. All you’ve succeeded in doing is compounding the problem. In 11 months you’ll have 2 useless mouths to feed! You know what’s sad? These people are apparently an older couple – they should know better. In our society, age is somehow equated with wisdom – presumably the assumption stems from people gathering life experiences as they age and learning from them, however, this is clearly not always the case. People like this serve as nothing more than a reminder that we should always think for ourselves and be very careful who we choose as role models.
Damn, that got a little preachy. Oh well 
The Slaughter Debate
Going through the many, many submissions for the FHOTD writer’s job, a theme very quickly became apparent. Horse slaughter and the recent change in US law are very popular topics (forgive us, but; duh). It’s funny, because before we even started going through all the emails, we were making big plans for our first post. We wanted to address something topical and a little controversial, something that would really fire up a good debate. We wanted a topic that we felt strongly about. You guessed it – we were going to write about horse slaughter!
Since reading all the submissions, instead we’re going to throw this one out to the other writers who were hoping to contribute to Fugly. There were a lot of well written articles submitted. From those we’ve chosen two that we feel took an original approach to the topic.
———–
This first piece is by The Naughty Tobiano.
The Black Market Horse Meat Industry—Could Domestic Slaughter STOP this Atrocity?
While the debate of should horses be slaughtered has been a very hot, hot topic since the late 1990s; and it’s heating up even more with Obama’s signing of a bill that would repeal the ban on USDA inspectors essentially making it legal to slaughter horses again the U.S. except for in CA and IL. Both sides are vehemently arguing their points.
The anti-slaughter side argues that slaughtering a horse is inhumane and cruel as horses have souls and feelings; and that they should be considered pets or companion animals—not livestock. They point fingers at the breeding industry, back yard breeders, incentive programs offered by registries, and the money hungry horse dealers who only see $$$$$. They demand more laws, in some cases suggesting restrictions on who gets to own a horse is the answer. Others state a “foal tax” is the answer.
However, many of the horses standing in kill pens waiting to die are in the prime of their life: 8-15 yr olds, born BEFORE the ban on USDA inspectors went into effect. It is this point as well as some of the suffering slaughter bound horses face that have many pro-slaughter advocates suggesting Obama’s signature was a good thing. They argue the horses are suffering in Canadian and Mexican slaughter houses where the method of slaughter is NOT regulated. Evidence suggests horses’ throats are slit and the butchering begins before they are dead. The pro-slaughter side argues they want to lessen the suffering of horses that are presently bound for slaughter by tightly controlling the manner in which horses are treated at the new “equine processing plants” and ensure the slaughter is humane. They further cite how re-opening slaughter will reduce the unwanted horse population and restore the once lucrative economic market that the horse industry brought to all parts of the U.S.
Some people worry about the BLM mustangs. Some people worry about the race horses.
There is another argument that has little to do with the welfare of horses but instead focuses on the human consumption element of horse slaughter.
One anti-slaughter argument points to repeated European bans on U.S. horse meat (http://www.pennsylvaniaequestrian.com/news/EU-ban-1009.php ; http://www.foodproductiondaily.com/Quality-Safety/Tainted-US-horse-meat-puts-world-consumers-at-risk-welfare-body ) and state that it is ethically wrong for the U.S. to slaughter horses and export the meat when many American horses have been treated with medicines that clearly state on the label “not intended for use in horses for human consumption”. On the flip side, reports are showing there is little evidence that bute , ivemectrin, pyrantel, and other equine drugs stay in the horse’s system long enough to cause harm to humans. The paleo diet movement actually encourages horse meat, stating that humans were meant to eat horse: http://www.marksdailyapple.com/horse-meat/
But there is a much, much darker side to the unavailability of domestically processed and inspected meat: the black market for horse meat.
The following links are actual news stories concerning a growing problem in Southern Florida. Horses are being STOLEN and butchered on the side of the road, often while still alive, to supply meat for the black horsemeat market.
WARNING…….The videos are graphic and photos horrific.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61rD3rBC2L4&feature=related
http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=6478115
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7VMcna1PAE
Though presently focused on a trend in Florida only, is black market horse meat reaching other ethnic communities around the U.S.? Though it appears the killers for this market are sticking to a small locality of Florida, what makes people think the horse meat is not traveling through the underground market to other states with heavy populations of Hispanic communities. Furthermore, is the desire for horsemeat reserved for the Hispanic culture or are other ethnic groups also feeding the greed of the black market.
Having said that, is it reasonable to believe that if the USDA began offering inspected, legal, domestic horse meat would the black market disappear?
This same argument has been made for the legalization of marijuana.
But….it was also made long before that in another still heated Pro Vs. Anti fight: Abortion. Prior to the legalization of abortion, thousands of women died while having an illegal abortion. But, once legalized, the back alley, black market diminished and women could safely make the choice concerning their own body.
Could this rationale not be applied to the black market for horse meat? Is it not reasonable to assume that IF people who wanted to eat horse meat due to their culture or their own personal health beliefs had access to a safe, legal source the black market would essentially disappear?
Obviously the current situation is grim as there are repeated reports of horses being stolen and simply disappearing. The anti-slaughter side points their fingers to the current “kill buyers” but I sincerely have my doubts that the dealers who sell to the feed lots are all running around Southern Florida snatching up family’s beloved horses? Why would they when there is a myriad of FREE ones on craigslist just a short trailer ride from many auction houses and feed lots.
So…..would the black market crumble if horse meat were domestically available? No matter how many videos of a captive bolt coming down on a horse I see, I cannot compare it to the terror and pain a horse like Geronimo suffered at the hands of the butchers who took him from his barn and tortured him just a half a mile from his family.
It may be a very distasteful thing to think about; but, under tightly regulated USDA supervised situations, could humane slaughter stop this atrocity?
———–
Check back tomorrow for another submission on this issue.
Clyde the Wonder Stud
It’s been mentioned a few times, and we’ve received a few emails requesting it as well, so we’ve taken the hint and have a couple of very special craigslist ads to share with you today! This is, afterall, a topic that is very dear to our hearts; one of our favorite things to post about, in fact.
Someone commented on a post yesterday that they were disappointed we hadn’t come out with anything new since their last visit and provided links to two craigslist ads as entertainment for everyone while waiting for our next post. (We want to predicate the following sentence by stating there’s no sarcasm intended!) We’re very sorry to keep you waiting! We thought we’d take those two ads and throw some of our own snarky commentary at them.
First up on the chopping block comes to us from Wisconsin. Now, there may be some people out there who are going “oh ya, Wisonsin, eh? Didn’t see that coming!” Or maybe that’s just us… Wisconsiners! You’re not helping yourself by posting this kind of crap! This is not a good advertisement of your stallion!
Breeding stock Appy Stallion – $200
“Clyde is an 11 year old Stallion. Not Broke not Registered. No training.. “
We wish we were kidding, but you can’t make this stuff up! First off, if you’re not familiar with the Appy (Appaloosa) breed, you may be wondering where his spots are. Well, it is possible for an Appaloosa to be a solid color – it’s not very common, and certainly not what the breed is known for, but it happens. From wiki: “Not every Appaloosa exhibits visible coat spotting, but even apparently solid-colored horses that carry at least one dominant LP allele will exhibit characteristics such as vertically striped hooves, white sclera of the eye, and mottled skin around the eyes, lips, and genitalia.”
Next we have the two excellent selling points the current owner thoughtfully included: “not broke” and “not registered”. There are just so many things to be said about this horse not being broke to ride that we’re unsure where to start! Is he unbroke because you’re lazy or because there’s an underlying medical cause? Or perhaps the horse is barely halter broke and is too dangerous for anyone but an honest-to-goodness, bronc ridin’ cowboy to break? Next to being unbroke the fact that he’s unregistered pales in comparison. Sure it brings to mind the question of whether the owner was too lazy vs. the horse actually being unregisterable – which brings up one last question to ponder (and also kind of sums up the ad as a whole): What exactly about this horse makes him viable “breeding stock”?!
Our next contestant is another stallion, this time an AQHA.
AQHA STALLION must go soon – $2250
“needs a new home. he is a good horse. sweet in all ways and rides too. very nice blood lines. owner having twin boys and no time for the horse. grandson of KAY CEE LEAGURE. “
First of all, we’d like to commend the owners on their bravery in including that particular photo in the ad. It’s rare these days for people to have enough self-confidence to say ”who cares” to the world and showcase their potentially beautiful stud in a puddle of water so frakking deep you can’t see his hooves. You really have to have a “who gives a flying f#(%”-type attitude to show the world that you feel it’s ok to keep your horse (we hope it’s not horses) in these sorts of conditions. Hell, maybe they used this photo because the water successfully hides his feet (toes so long they make him look like he’s on skis?) and his head/neck hides his front legs completely. Then again, if you follow horsey news you can easily believe this stud has it better than lots of other horses out there. At least he has food and water! Perhaps it’s all a matter of perspective. Oi, now we’re depressed. Moving on.
This boy has all you could ever want in a stud! He’s “a good horse” and he’s “sweet” – and not just in one way, in all ways! (bonus!). As if that wasn’t enough, he also rides! Awkward phrasing aside, this is actually where he’s heads and tails above Clyde (sorry Clyde, the truth hurts).
And now for the obvious: NEITHER AD MENTIONS HEIGHT AND ONLY ONE OF THEM MENTIONS AGE! But hey, don’t sweat it sellers, just because those details are among the first that most people fill out on those fancy-schmancy horse selling websites, doesn’t mean they’re important! Minor details, clearly. Only some people actually find them noteworthy.
*head desk*
Wonder if they get more for Straight Egyptian in the butcher shops in France?
I got a shocking e-mail today from someone filling me in that the owner of a large Texas Arabian farm had passed away, and that the family, after making a token attempt to sell some horses, had decided they did not want the hassle and sold them all to kill buyer Bill Richardson for $200 each.
I’m going to leave it to you guys to name the farm in the comments. I want to see if the news has spread. I almost have a hard time believing it myself, looking at their (out of date) web site (still up) and seeing the beautiful horses there. Many were Straight Egyptian, many were black (which is often more marketable despite the fact that, like roan in Quarter Horses, it is a color that has been bred for without a thought to the quality of the horse that carries it). I don’t want to think of them on a double-decker to Mexico, even though I believe this person’s email that it did happen. If it did, there is a special place in hell for the family member responsible (but it also appears the deceased gentleman had a gf or wife with him, so WTF was wrong with her? Ladies, learn to take a little responsibility for the animals living on your property and stop wanting everybody else to handle your problems…THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS.)
But again…over 100 horses. Obviously no provision for them in his will or this would not have happened. Though I’m told this person wasn’t exactly Responsible Breeder of the Year, and his pastures were generally dotted with underweight horses with poor hoof care. He just took pictures of the select few that he kept fattened up and cared for.
First of all, I’m curious if you guys know what farm I’ve talking about and have details to add. EDITED: OK, the word is out. It was Ramses Arabians in Texas and the horses CAN still be saved. Here is the info: “Darlene Cruite is corresponding with Bill Richardson. She is trying to compile a list of available horses. Bill bought 150 for $20,000 ( about $150 each)He has to keep them 2 to 4 weeks to have their paper work ready for them to cross the border. We only have that much time to find homes and get them moved. Darlene’s contact info is: home; 903-893-8690, cell; 940-368-3329, e mail ; 4kuhaylan@prodigy.net. Bill is not returning Lett’s calls. His contact info is; Penncross Ranch 121 85 FM Rd., Kilgore, Texas 75662 . Phone; 903-984-3819, 903-649-1658, e mail; penncross@tyler.net The clock is ticking, get this info on all the egyptian forums ASAP”
I’M SERIOUS PEOPLE…don’t call unless you can save a horse. I don’t want to hear that someone started shit and acted like an idiot. If I find out you did, you will be featured here…prominently. P.S. The kill buyer no more cares that you think he’s a fuckhead than Charles Manson cares that you think that. Don’t talk to him unless you can be NICE. It accomplishes nothing except endangering horses to do otherwise.
Secondly, and this goes for ALL breeds, what do you think is the best solution to these 100, 200, 700 horse clusterfucks we seem to be seeing? Do you think there should be restrictions on how many animals you can own without showing proof of financial stability and ability to care for them? If you are the owner of a very large farm like one of these, I’m especially interested to hear from you what restrictions you think are fair and would not punish the good people.
I have been saying for years that there needs to be a $50 or $100 per foal municipal tax. The local municipalities would LOVE to enforce it as a source of income. It would not harshly affect the breeders of quality foals that are going to sell for good money. What it would discourage is the breeding of a large quantity of foals, or the breeding of foals likely to sell for $500 or less.
I know this is America, and we’re the land of the free, but we genuinely can’t afford to keep cleaning up someone’s 100 or 200 or 300 horse mistakes, and I think it’s atrocious that many were deliberately created just to wind up going to slaughter. Again, if horses were more rare, your prices WOULD be back up. It has nothing to do with slaughter, it has to do with the fact that we’re still breeding more horses than the market will bear, and plenty of them aren’t getting any training. How in the world do we make breeders scale back/take a break? I know many of you are already doing that, but I don’t mean you — I mean the arrogant idiots who think their horses are more valuable than gold even though their inability to sell any contradicts that. Is there ANYTHING that you’ve seen work on these people? What do you think might?
I know you are all very concerned about EHV-1. The latest info, state by state, is at The Horse, so check it out there for sure. The only travel restriction right now is for horses coming into Wyoming, so if you need to get in there, you MUST read the article and make sure you have a health certificate within 72 hours with VERY specific language and a temperature reading or you aren’t getting in! I’ll continue to post the news if other travel restrictions go into effect.
For those of you in the PNW with a soft spot for old broodmares, here is some recent video of Exclusive Report. She is still at Second Chance Ranch looking for a home. She had several months of professional training last year and was riding nicely at a walk, trot and canter at that point but she has been vegging out for a while now. This is a lovely mare who is sound and loves people. Watch her video here.
