A group of horsemen and -women and agriculture industry activists are meeting at Southpoint Casino in Las Vegas this week to discuss wild horse management and domestic horse slaughter in the inaugural Summit of the Horse, organized by United Organizations of the Horse.
The opening keynote, “The Politics of Land and Horses,” will be given by retired U.S. Congressman and horse meat industry lobbyist Charlie Stenholm (D-TX) on Tuesday morning. This will be followed by a forum discussion of horse industry professionals on restoring the horse industry in the United States.
The Wednesday afternoon session opens with a speech by Dr. Temple Grandin, an animal scientist who has advanced the welfare of cattle and other meat animals. Grandin’s session will be followed by a panel discussion on reviving American horse slaughter. Speakers in this panel include former Senator Ed Butcher of Montana and Representative Sue Wallis of Wyoming. Both legislators have worked to bring horse slaughter to their home states, and Wallis is one of the organizers of the Summit.
On the topic of wild horse management, Bob Abbey, BLM Director, will discuss sustainable solutions for the wild horse and burro program. Forums on how wild horses and current mustang programs affect western ranchers and the horse industry as a whole will follow. Currently, the BLM does not slaughter or sell for slaughter any of the mustangs gathered in its roundups, but opening that option is one of the goals of the United Organizations of the Horse.
Other topics scheduled for the Summit include the perceived threat of animal rights organizations and the affect of the American horse slaughter ban on the Canadian and Mexican horse industries.
View the full schedule of events and biographies of featured speakers at www.united-horsemen.org/summit-of-the-horse
Congratulations. By mentioning only their own publicity you have beautifully demonstrated that they are not horse people but a motley collection of lobbyists, meat packing insiders, and other anti-horse groups. This is not a “Summit of the Horse”, but a summit of their tormentors.
The few horse organizations that they list as “sponsors” tell me they are not and never were sponsors.
A group of horse butchers and profiteers . . . Next they will want to sell dog & cat meat to the population for human consumption.
Wild Horses need to be protected. The horse originated in North America~on our land.
Free roaming mustangs represent the spirit of the West and American freedom. Is that going to be sold next?
This is actually what we need, some people may not realize it and think its wrong, but there are too many horses. The horse industry is not what it used to be. People are just letting horses go everywhere and there are too many in resuces, alot of these horses cant even be touched. The prices of horses dropped because of this and almost anyone can buy one, which is not good because once they realize they cant afford to actually keep the horse they just let them go. None of this would have happend if they didn’t ban slaughter in the first place.
It is true the horse industry is in sad shape, but it has always been in sad shape, but now they are paying instead of the horses that they over breed every year . Most of the horses that go to slaughter were young horses that were over runs from ranchers breeding for number and keeping the cream of the crop. You open the slaughter plants and they will just breed more for the big bucks and dump the others for trash like they did for years. Mark my words when the first wild horse dies to slaughter, people will not stand for it or stand it line at the beef counter, Eastern and southern beef producers you better take note, because you will be paying
god just let the mustangs be they were fine in the wild before…
HORSE SLAUGHTER NEEDS TO END COMPLETELY EVERYWHERE. IMMEDIATELY. horses should not be a food animal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is a summit of cattle ranchers. Their intent is to get the last pound of flesh from the horses they overbreed. All of this talk of horses running loose is mere fiction. Any increase in animal abuse and neglect is because of the economy just as it is with dogs and cats. Too many horses then quit breeding them. It is time to end this barbaric practice once and for all and for people to set up to the plate and demand that the US passes the federal ban on horse slaughter.
perfect timing I’m writing a paper on horse slaughter
I am totally embarassed the Mr Butcher hails from Mt. I have been fighting him for a long time. Horse slaughter is an unnecesary evil that should stay banned from the USA. Foreigners have their own hands full with too many horses, let them get their own meat, they don’t seem to mind slaughter. USA doesn’t need a foreign slaughter house, doesn’t pay taxes, ignores the millions in penalties assessed and destroys the land and water. Why would a cattle person be giving an opinion on horse slaughter? Horses contain harmful drugs that are leathal to humans. It should never be reinstitued. Horses were not bred for human consumption. More care should be given by those who breed.
The BLM should be putting their efforts in cost effective energy solutions, sun/wind and taking care of the lands that the Mustangs range on, instead of cowtowing to the cattle groups. That land wasn’t purchased with tax payer dollars to maintain their cattle herds. If the ranchers want the land, why didn’t they purchase it with their own money, not mine?
I completely agree. Horse slaughter is not needed in the USA. I understsnd that some people cannot keep their horses,but they should have been prepared for that in the first place. My uncle was offered 2 horses for doing some work for a friend, He almost took them but relized how much it costs to keep 1 let alone 2 horses. He asked me how much it costs and nearly fell over when I told him. I also think that if they’re going to continue sending the horses out of the country they shouldn’t be allowed to ship to Mexico, where they’re stabbed to death, at least in Canada they’re shot it’s quicker. As for the mustangs the Cloud Foundation is stepping up and so should the rest of us. Cattle does not belong on public land. If the rancher’s don’t have enough of their own land for them they should down size and stay off the public land. I know I don’t want to see cattle grazing when I go to see mustangs.
I wish you all would listen to the summit web podcast to educate yourselves about the subject
When I was young, my father was a butcher and had a small slaoghter house. This was back in the 50’s.I would go with him on certain days of the month where wild horses were delivered to him for slaughter.My father was preasured into this by a certain group of people in the slaughtering business.{The preasure did exists.] After a few sessions he got really sick to his stomach and pulled away from this. But it cost him his business. Ever since this happened to my dad I always wanted to get a wild mustang. Well some 40 years later I have gotten mine. She is one of the best horses around, and the most loving horse any one could ever have. My next horse is going to be another. Just a littlebigger in size.
I understand why we have slaughter in the world for horses. Just like we have animal shelters for the cats & dogs & other house pets that people can no longer care for or just dont want anymore. If we didnt have somewhere for the unwanted or unsellable horses to go, we would have walking skeleton horses roaming the streets & cities & peoples farms just like stray dogs & cats. But I dont think slaughter is the kindsest of thigns. Its completely cruel actually, but necessary. Although not necessarily as cruel. Putting them down, yes. But live slaughtering & butchering, and selling them for meat. No. That is just downright sick. I dont really agree with how they kill pigs & cows & other animals for food either but that is necessary if we want to eat them. If the horses must die, dont sell them for meat, and give them at least a cleaner, less frightening & neglective place to stay until it is their time. I really wish we didnt have to slaughter them at all, just like putting down animals. But sadly it is necessary & id rather have a horse in a better place or taken out of its misery than rotting in a stall neglected & abused until it dies of starvation. I am thankful for the horses I have today & encourage people to adopt rather than breed & produce more even though we all want to have our own foal one day, but let those horses who need a better life have a second chance first.
A sticky subject. I personally don’t like the idea of horses being slaughtered but if they are I don’t see why their meat can’t be used. Once they’re dead they’re no longer a horse but a carcass.
This whole situation is about respecting animals. Think about it only the past 100 years we as humans did not need horses for our survival. One hundreds years later and it’s hey lets get rid of the horses and slaughter them for money. Or cause we can’t use our heads to resolve the over populations.
I’ve driven 1/2 way across these western United States. Looks Like there is still plenty of Free Land for Horses to Run to me!! To those of you opposing horse slaughtering nice to know some of you still have your wits and true grits! To those of you who agree to slaughtering of horses, do you also agree to be the ones doing the slaughtering, or just on the side lines taking the money?
Alternatives People we need alternatives.
Just because you see *ample* lands, Karen, doesn’t mean they can support all the animals on them. Would you prefer that horses eat the feed for elk/antelope/deer populations? Would you like the price of beef to skyrocket?
The whole idea of horses being anthropomorphized has gotten way out of hand. And how quickly you people have forgotten that as recently as the 70s we were able to buy horse meat in butcher stores in the US. I personally would not eat it, but if a frenchman wants to eat it, then by all means, let them do so. I see that as a good use for an otherwise unwanted horse.
Grass isn’t infinite. But that’s hard concept for some of you people to grasp.
This is sick. End. Of. Story. You can’t b a “horse lover” a “moral person” or a “good/kind/humane/worth while person” is you support slaughter. THE.END.
Oh and I don’t care about beef prices because I’m a vegetarian .
I am unsure why both sides can’t work toward a solution for reducing the wild horse population that doesn’t involve eating them. But I digress.
What I am still trying to understand are the ties between Charlie Stenholm and the American Humane Association. They are having him speak at an event in Ft. Worth, Texas honoring Temple Grandin. They claim it’s because they ‘were together at the Summit of the Horse.’ But when I Googled this event, I see it is promoting horse slaughter, and it appears Mr. Stenholm is still a lobbyist for that industry. I am troubled by this connection. Certainly the Obama Admin. doesn’t appear to care about animals, so who else do we have left to help us, if not the major animal orgs?
Someone please define the “Humane” in “Humane Slaughter”
http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs022/1101655399670/archive/1109617301648.html