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Re: [RC] [RC] Canadian Slaughter - Heidi SmithI have always wondered why can't we regulate backyard/irresponsible breeding? Why can't we require a license to breed and a severe fine for keeping uncastrated male animals (horses, dogs and cats)? What constitutes "backyard?" Who is to be the judge of that? In my experience, most of the truly responsible breeding is being done by smaller breeders who take a personal interest in what they do and in the animals that they produce. A significant number of unwanted horses come from the "big" breeders who have a few stellar individuals in the show ring--and who have the resources and the callous attitude to throw away a hundred foals to get one "stellar" extreme oddball for the show ring. As for fining those who keep intact males--it doesn't take very many males to get a large number of females in foal. It is limiting the number of females that reproduce that controls the population. Furthermore, once again, it is the smaller breeder who has done his/her homework who would be impacted by what you suggest--the ones who try to carefully produce a few quality horses, often on a pretty tight budget. And simply eliminating males from the gene pool is a great way to destroy the diversity of a gene pool as well. Talk to some of the knowledgeable equine geneticists about this approach--it really curls their hair. So what would you do with the preservation breeders like me? I have 12 intact male horses on the place. I don't breed that many foals in a year. Furthermore, I know the whereabouts of almost all of the foals I've bred over the past 30+ years--and a significant number of them are/were loved riding horses of caring owners. And I am not unique--many others have done their homework and understand the importance of gene conservation and genetic diversity, many others work hard to ensure quality offspring and take the responsibility to place them in suitable homes, etc. Too often it is people that simply don't understand what it takes to responsibly breed good horses/dogs/whatever that want to license/fine breeding out of existence. While it is noble to want to adopt rescues, etc., for those who want to actually ride or compete with their horses, there simply are not enough of the "throw-away" variety that have the traits necessary to do the job. Yes, we all have heard of the occasional sterling individual that has become a superstar after being rescued--but the reality is that the vast majority of the horses who go to slaughter are NOT suitable as riding horses. Bottom line--you can't legislate morality. Heidi =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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