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Defining the haves and have-notsThe calendar may say 2008, but one thing hasn't changed--the ability to own a horse becomes more of a challenge with each passing day. I hope that the masses are beginning to see that the victory for horses claimed by some animal rights organizations in 2007 has everything to do with getting humans off the backs of horses. As we look at the facts for 2007, we see that nothing that has happened is beneficial to horses. The American Veterinary Medical Association reports that as of Dec. 20, 2007, 44,475 horses have been shipped to Mexico for processing for human consumption, compared with 10,783 shipped during the same time period in 2006--a 312 percent increase. Canada also saw an increase in 2007, but if you look at the total number of horses harvested in North America for 2007, USDA estimates that there were 30,000 fewer horses harvested than in the previous year. While some think that is a good thing, one must ask the question, "What happened to the horses that were not harvested?" I have personally had three different individuals that run boarding stables tell me that they have had people they have never heard of show up, give false contact information, leave a horse and disappear into the sunset never to be heard from again. Newspapers in the past week have reported that drought and high hay prices are leading to a problem of abandoned horses nationwide. Regina Martin, who runs Hog Heaven Rescue Farm in Pennsylvania, receives a call a day from someone who has a horse to give away. Horses are being dumped in national parks and wildlife areas, the coal mining hills of Kentucky and across the nation. If you've ever had the misfortune of hitting a deer with your vehicle, you know it can be hazardous to both car and driver. Now imagine what it would be like to come head on with a 1,000-pound horse, wandering the road ditches in search of food or water. That is just one of the dangers of this new horse legislation era we live in. To make matters even worse, our nation's lawmakers are trying to increase the cost of owning the beast--again, by further restricting transportation of horses. The current law states that if I have a group of 40 brood mares and wanted to haul them somewhere, to another pasture or even to a performance sale, I can haul them in a double-deck semi trailer. If, on the other hand, I wanted to haul them to a horse harvesting facility, it is illegal to use the same rig. Currently, USDA is attempting to ban the use of all double-deck trailers for any horse transport. The Livestock Marketing Association has even gotten involved in this issue. Last week they stated in a press release, "LMA is concerned these changes will have a significant negative administrative impact on its member markets and a broader negative economic impact on the equine industry." In addition, LMA notes, "It is insufficient reasoning to enforce more regulation on the equine industry, livestock sales and so-called intermediate assembly points by stating in the proposed rule that the Department 'has received numerous reports of this situation (transporting horses to intermediate assembly points to circumvent the law) occurring." It is becoming quite obvious that increasing the cost of owning a horse is limiting the number of people who own them. I am continually told that "a responsible horse owner" understands the financial responsibility of taking care of a horse. Owning any animal always brings about a tremendous amount of responsibility-- particularly food, water and environmental protection. It does not mean that you are required to provide hospital care with more luxury than you would a family member. It does not mean that you should be forced to spend twice as much to haul said animal from point A to point B. It does not mean that you need to have a formal funeral burial when an animal dies. It is a horse--a resource that should, upon its death, provide a benefit to another living thing--be it a human, a coyote, a zoo animal, a bald eagle or a plant. The horse culture is such an important and vital part of our nation's history. Today, the horse is used as a therapeutic tool, a source of transportation, a rancher's right hand and simply as a means of pleasure and relaxation. If we don't stop this trend toward increasing the costs for owning a horse, it will become an extreme luxury item and only the wealthy will be able to afford them. Of course, that was the original plan of the vocal minority and, unfortunately, too many horse owners have been duped into supporting this cause. If you want to continue owning, riding, and transporting horses as you see fit, it's time to get involved. We have no place for the haves and the have-nots in the United States when it comes to the opportunity to own and ride this magnificent beast. Editor's note: Trent Loos is a sixth generation United States farmer, host of the daily radio show, Loos Tales, and founder of Faces of Agriculture, a non-profit organization putting the human element back into the production of food. Get more information at www.FacesOfAg.com, or e-mail Trent at trent@loostales.com. 1/21/08 Date: 1/17/08
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