There is a lot of comments on here that have great content and I agree with a lot of the opinions, others sadly, seem just like people speaking from emotions only and no facts. I think maybe most agree that IF there is to be slaughter it needs to be managed more humanly. I know everyone thinks that will happen if it is on US soil.. I hope so but we certainly can mis-manage other animal business's. I agree that partly this falls back on responsible horse ownership. To many people run out and buy a horse because it seems "Fun".. I know as we pick up these pieces a lot. I agree it needs to be known that meat buyers do not want the skinny old horse, there is no market for that obviously. LOL No different than selling beef! It is for meat so fat is good.. sorry but people need to know.. Transport needs addressed. Few do this humanly, I have seen it and have only met one that transported in a humane way. I think the term "back yard breeder" gets thrown around a lot as a good excuse. Just ask someone to give their definition of a back yard breeder on a public forum. You might be shocked at the variance of what everyone thinks that term means. Besides, think about it.. If breeding stopped 100% today, no more foals, then in short order we will have all old and retired horses. Remember the ones no one seems to want to deal with. SO that will eventually hurt the market. I also think only pretty snobbish people think a horse has to have papers and a mile long pedigree to be worth anything. They have not rode a good ranch horse that puts in a harder days work than most show horses ever thought of. Or the fantastic trust worthy trail horse.. Sorry but horses really, truly do not give a crud about pedigree. This is a human issue not horse quality. Also many "quality breeders" are breeding very very incorrect horses, just look at a halter horse by today's standards.. sickening. So anyway you look at it, we may all never agree on most things, some due to lack of education, some due to stubbornness ect. but I hope we at least all agree we need to address the issue of irresponsible horse owner-ship and unwanted horses.

There should be a place to send unwanted horses but they should be humanely transported and humanely killed. It's not the USs place to judge other countries by what they eat just because we don't. When our government fails and food distribution stops we'll be more than happy to eat horses and probably other pets as well. Situations change and it is unrealistic to think someone is going to keep a horse 30 or more years. I stopped breeding horses because I've had to give 3 years crops away. Many good sound riding horses are being given away in our area. Some are being starved when the owners can't afford to feed them. Costs more to run through auction than you get. I have 4 "pasture ornaments" left I hope I can afford to keep until they die.

I have horses and love each of them dearly, but I have seen what has happened since the slaughter houses were shut down here. Horses have been turned out in parks and people that can't afford to care for them and can't sell them or give them away are letting them starve to death. And starving to death is not a humane way for a horse to die. It is a long slow horrible death. Where are the people that got the plants shut down? Are they taking care of any of these old, sick, unwanted or crazy horses? Are they putting their money in to help take care of them? At least the slaughter houses in the US could be regulated and was more humane than the Mexican ones.
As far as hearing the cries of horses from those so called edited tapes, have you ever heard a goat being slaughtered?
Shutting down the slaughter houses did hurt the horse industry. You used to be able to buy and sell good horses(roping, barrel or riding) for a good price. Right after they were shut down the price dropped so low that any horses that you may have had you were lucky to get $500 on a horse that was worth $5000. The last horse sale I went to I was horrified to see how bad a shape the horses were in and that the most that they were going for was $25 to $100 and people that made a living buying and selling good horses no longer have a way of living.

I am a true horse lover and hate to see horses being mistreated. BUT something needs to be done. I am for horse slaughter but it needs to be done in a more humane way. There are some horses that are beyond help they are aggressive and crazy. BUT if peta or other activists have a problem with it then they should should pay for them to be put down with their own money and not taxpayers money.

The problem is with the people that make the rules, but won't take the responsibility for their actions. They get the slaughter plants closed down and step away thinking they did the world some good. Not true! They need to get out in the real world and take a hard look. The economy took a dive and people where left with horse's they could not sell or feed. Some horse rescues are not what they seem to be. Some are very credible and doing good things. Quite a few become a horse rescue and then it gets out of hand. They are left with horse's that they rescued and now can't feed. Some of these people become horders and let the horses starve to death.
My husband is a equine veterinarian and is called out to evaluate horses that are starving. It's real. We need the slaughter plants for this reason. Not because of over breeding. Yes the transporting was a problem, but it was getting taking care of. What is worse? Being let go to fend for their selves and dying or sold to a slaughter plant and put down humanely? Horses that are slaughtered aren't all used for consumption.
We live in the desert and there have been hundreds of horses turned out. Domestic horses can't survive on their own in the wild. There have been piles of dead horses found out in the desert and some had plastic bags on their heads. This is a big problem and the horses are the ones to pay the price. You can only rescue so many horses and what happens to the ones you can't rescue.

I forget who's story here was about a rodeo horse that broke a leg performing a PRCA rodeo after bucking out into the arena. However, I do remember reading where the on scene vet made his inspection after evaluation and the stock contractor elected to put the good horse down. The contractor then had to pay the fees to euthanize the horse then more fees for disposal. It was a sad story. However, I suppose he could have taken the horse to perhaps Texas A&M where they have been very successful healing horses with leg injuries. Although the cost is expensive. The stock contractor has horses for bucking, they are not pets and Rodeo and wild horses are very much about an American Western Culture as one can get. Some feel it's cruel to buck out horses or bulls. I think roping likely causes more injuries to animals than those bucking events of bronc or bull riding and could use such words as "poor little calf" having a rope thrown over his head then thrown down and tied up. Sounds cruel to me, but it really isn't cruel....or is it? Maybe being a Cowboy is cruel since we eat BEEF right? Some love chicken as we read the lines here, crispy fried chicken while others love the taste of pork....Even Washington DC loves pork because it seems every time I begin to like some new bill in this country, before it comes to election, so much pork has been added that it no longer looks good.

I'm not really for the slaughtering of horses....That's Right...I'm not for killing a horse. I'm not much of a cat lover but love dogs. However, I can't save all the dogs, and they euthanize them daily where I live. Even the American Humane Society will euthanize if the animal is not adopted in a set time period. CRUEL. They kill dogs....They kill Cats.

Now I have a friend who is some kind of vegan that does not eat anything of flesh....they say it's bad for you....but I love Beef. Come on, a vegan Cowboy going to live on just corn bread and beans? This is not a trail drive.

Today, slaughter houses in the USA have been out-law in most states, I believe and Canada was working on changing their laws too. So, today, these once valued horses that brought some worth sold to slaughter houses now end up being sent for general auction. Horse Auction.....The buyers, well they come from Canada or Mexico mostly where a few really pretty horses might bring top dollar, $500 bucks maybe but the rest sell for around $200. Auction are legal....Slaughter illegal....Foreign buyers...legal....control-lost. Today we gave away control when we illegalizing slaughter houses. The road to slaughter is cruel and without our control....Have you every been in a Mexican Jail? Imagine, these are just horses and they treat people in jail there pretty damn bad...the horses, they are just horses....who cares about the horses any way.

However, the same person that replies to this will be a beef eating dog loving human who enjoys good pork and fried chicken and will say it is cruel to slaughter a horse but not cruel to eat my BBQ brisket. They will talk about starving horses but you don't starve what is going to be use to eat....we want fat. Starving a horse is because I can no longer feed the horse and today, can not give the horse away at any price. Then you offer it for free and some guy comes up and takes it as you believe it's going to a good home and they drive off in the trailer only to meet up with a huge rig with many more horses for Mexico or Canada. They are being slaughter.

Fact....1/3 of today horses in the USA that are going to auction are race horses. So they must be the blame over breeding horses for racing...but it is a great past time and sometimes great fortune on a Tri-Fec-ta. Before I say it is cruel to slaughter a horse, I have to step back and ponder....damn...is it cruel they slaughter caves for my veal...Where does it end....So, I have to evaluate my thinking and ponder....We horse lovers don't want slaughter but we allow auction to buyers from Mexico...Canada...and did we make any laws to protect these horses from becoming slaughter there...or did we just make our life feel good because we support something that appeared good but then turn out even worst for the horses?

Rescues are important. There are so many 501 (C) non profit programs each seeking money for these horses that matter of fact, they would not have this money donated if we had slaughter houses....less need, and they will stand on their soap box and make you feel like you are a mean individuals if you kill a horse, but it is just as mean to kill that dog, those cats, the cow, the sheep, the pig, the bird and let's not leave out fishing...That has to be cruel too. Grabbed up on a hook teased by a good piece of bait then yanked out from the water and looked at deep into those eyes sizing up and the fish is frighten, can't breath wiggling to get back to water....

So if we oppose horse slaughter, does than mean you are going after my steak next? It is kind of like is we ban my handgun, then are you going after my shot gun next? If will make a new law for breeding, did we just create another stupid tax?

Where does it end...Take time to read about what the New York Times think about saving a horse and riding the cowboy....and please me kind....these are merely thoughts and no one here is stupid, dumb or needs badgering....The topic is already cruel enough and Elvis wouldn't like it either "So don't be cruel" ..we are merely looking at this question with logic....And one guy stated the Bible said we do not eat horses....I can't find that quote...but I do know where it stated not to eat pork, shell fish and some other things and guess what, most good loving high moral Christians are enjoying BBQ pork and Texas Gulf Shrimp....So when one desires to use that logic, well I see them being slaughter too:

What NY Times wrote:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/01/sports/othersports/01rhoden.html?_r=1&...

Another story from the times:

Why Horse Slaughter Is Necessary
By JANE SMILEY

Editor’s Note: A version of this article was posted at 2:18 p.m., before the editing process was complete. It was replaced with the correct version at 6:06.

Jane Smiley is a Pulitzer-prize winning author whose work is included in “To the Swift: Classic Triple Crown Horses and Their Race for Glory” (St. Martin’s Press), edited by Joe Drape.

I think it’s time that we talk honestly about the slaughter of horses. On Thursday, William C. Rhoden had a piece in the Times pointing out that more racehorses die at the slaughterhouse than on the racetrack, but he didn’t talk about the alternatives. Few who are anti-slaughter do, even veterinarians, because horse slaughter is a very tricky issue, much trickier, say, than factory farms for chickens or slaughter conditions for beef cattle or even for veal calves. We don’t like to think of a horse, who has been trained to perform or treated as a pet or won a lot of money being slaughtered in terrifying conditions in order that some Germans or some French people might eat horse meat. Would it be different if it were starving children in some third-world country eating the meat? I don’t know.

But here are the issues: the average horse lives between 25 and 30 years and weighs 900 to 1,600 pounds. Thoroughbreds constitute one segment of the population of horses — there are also quarter horses (used for racing, pleasure riding, and ranch work), American saddlebreds, used for riding, driving, and showing, Tennessee walkers (ditto), warmbloods (used for jumping, dressage, driving), various draft breeds and ponies. Because a horse lives such a long time and is expensive to keep, horses are at the mercy of their owners. A lucky horse is one who lives a long, useful, healthy, and well-fed life, with room to roam, grass to eat, and an owner who understands and appreciates him, then, once he is in pain or having difficulties because of old age, has the money to euthanize him and — do what? Bury him? Illegal in most places. Cremate him? A cremated horse takes up 10 human-sized boxes. Send him to the rendering plant? Horse byproducts have some value (they used to have more—glue, horsehair, horse-hide, horse meat).

Sandra Blakeslee described rendering in the Times in 1997 (Mar 11) as “the ancient but seldom-discussed practice of boiling down and making feed meal and other products out of slaughterhouse and restaurant scraps, dead farm animals, road kill and — distasteful as it may seem — cats and dogs euthanized in some animal shelters. Rendering plants produce tallow, bonemeal, fat, and powdered animal protein. There are two possibilities for a dead horse — his body can be treated as if he were human (I did know a woman who had her horse cremated and kept the 10 boxes in her house) or it can be treated as animals are, and go to the rendering plant. You cannot discuss horse slaughter without discussing horse corpses. Horse slaughter makes use of horse corpses.

When I was 14 and my horse broke her leg when she slipped and fell in a patch of mud, she was sent to a foxhunting kennel, euthanized by electrocution (hot wire on the head, steel shoe on the foot), butchered, and fed to the foxhounds. Even at 14, though I was distraught because I loved and missed the horse, I recognized that there was a justice and a rightness about this solution to the problem of the disposal of the horse. She could not walk, she could not be healed, her death was as merciful as we could make it, and her recycling fed hounds who would otherwise eat some other animal.

The horse I rode when I was 14 was a retired racehorse, retrained to jump and gallop cross-country. She was beautiful, and her career was fairly common then — most Americans who liked to ride English rode retired racehorses, and many racehorses trainers had some sort of connection to the equestrian world. Thoroughbreds were prized — they were beautiful and athletic. Even the not very speedy ones excelled at sport.

Beginning in the 70s, though, Europeans began exporting specialized sporthorses to the United States known as “warmbloods.” They were bred in government-sponsored programs — crosses between various draft breeds and thoroughbreds intended to be larger, easier to manage, and more geared to a life spent doing dressage and jumping. The warmblood industry in Europe is well organized and well developed, and horses sent to the United States have in large part replaced Thoroughbreds as status symbols and showhorses. Someone like myself, who prefers riding thoroughbreds, is in the distinct minority, and most race horse trainers do not know show horse people. In addition, most showhorse people have lost the expertise they once had in retraining racehorses. The result is that while there are more racehorses than there were in the 60s (also more venues for racing and more races), the aftermarket for racehorses is quite small and disorganized. The Europeans have made strong connections with American showhorse trainers, the trainers have learned to work with a different type of animal, and riding has changed, too. The result is a huge number of extra horses — not only thoroughbreds, but warmbloods who are past their useful prime. And that is only on the English riding side. Western riding horses abound, too.

But the U.S., while breeding an abundance of horses, has not made any provision for their disposal. Anti-slaughter activists would like all excess horses to be cared for, but have not designated who would pay what Robert Lawrence of the Equine Industry Program at the University of Louisville estimates to be $400 million dollars a year. A few years ago, an anti-slaughter bill was passed in California. The result was just as veterinarians opposed to the bill feared. Horses were still sent to slaughter — only they had farther to travel (Mexico and Canada as opposed to Texas) and they traveled in worse conditions. Many other horses (as the veterinarians also feared) were simply left to starve when their owners could no longer feed them, since euthanizing and rendering cost money that an owner may not have. And abandonment is a problem that has burgeoned since the beginning of the current recession. Last fall, a certain town in Northern California announced that horses could be brought to town on a certain Saturday for no-questions-asked euthanization. It was the most merciful thing to do.

Well-meaning commentators such as Mr. Rhoden can wish away horse slaughter (or even horse racing), but I think it would be far better to regulate horse transportation and institute methods of humane slaughter such as those proposed by Temple Grandin for cattle. We must recognize that there is a market for horse meat (not only for human consumption, but also for zoo and circus-animal consumption) and that in a starving world, a source of protein should not go to waste for sentimental reasons. It is sentimentality that has resulted in profounder cruelty to our horses — because we don’t accept that they are animals and have a utilitarian purpose, we hide from what happens to them, and so what happens to them happens in secret.

The question disallows a proper answer.
There are opposing and valid views that may be held. Even perhaps, by the same person.
Qualifiers are required the provide a certain heartfelt answer.
Analogously, how could one answer - Does deer hunting hurt or help the venison industry?
Without qualifiers, an answer could not be distilled because the following are not qualified.
Does one want to protect deer?
Does one want to protect hunting?
Does one want to protect the venison industry?
Does one want to protect the predators?
Does one want to protect the environment?

That said, LOVE THE MAG!

When they closed down the slaughter houses in the US they did the greatest disservice to the horse population that has ever happend in this country. Note I said population not industry. There are thousands of documented cases of people just dumping horses with no regard to their welfare. They are letting them slowly starve to death in their own back yards. And the ones that are picked up by the meat buyers are in for a long torturious trip to either Canada or Mexico.

It helps because their then are less unwanted horses and less suffering as many horses have been found turned out in the wild. Domesticated animals who have been cared for their entire lives, do not do well fending for themselves in the wild and often die a slow painful death of starvation. Lets regulate the horse slaughter so it is done humanely.