Re: Premarin-Alert to horse lovers, the other side

[Connie Hoge <connieh@aa.net>]

Everyone -

This "discussion" can be found in the archives -
Thanks,
Connie H.

Lynette Helgeson wrote:

> Please do not forward garbage like this without knowing all the facts.
> So often when we read stuff like this it is without a lot of knowledge
> and is so one sided view. Read on:
>
> avpinc@bellsouth.net wrote:
> >
> "  As a result  of the successful marketing of this drug by Wyeth
> > Ayerst, more than 70,000 pregnant mares spend six months of every pregnancy on
> > PMU (pregnant mare urine) farms where they stand day after day and week
> > after week tied in cramped standing stalls wearing urine-collecting
> > equipment.
>
> Here is North Dakota we have many PMU farms and the mares are not in
> cramped stalls. They have plenty of room to move around and lie down.
> They also have daily turn out, they only spend a certain amount of time
> on the urine collecting equipment. They are kept in heated barns whereas
> most horses around here are outside in the cold. They are very well
> cared for for those 6 months because if they are not, the urine is not
> marketable, or the foal is absorb or aborted and the mare is no longer
> able to produce pregnancy urine. So the well being of these mares, both
> physically and mentally, are very important for the success of the
> business. PMU farms that do not take the best care of their horses soon
> go out of business. I could only wish that more pregnant mares would get
> as good of care.
>
> > If this were not injustice enough, the foals that are the by-product of
> > this
> > industry are routinely sold at auction to "killer buyers" for meat as
> > soon as they can be weaned from their mothers.  The mothers are re-impregnated after a relatively brief nursing period and face another six months "on the line"."
>
> This is so untrue. All of the PMU farms around here need the money from
> those foal crops in order to survive and they would go out of business
> in a hurry if they gave them away at auction to "killer buyers". Which
> any one knows you get little or nothing for foals at an auction like
> that.
>
> No the truth is these PMU farms have quality registered stock that they
> sell into good markets, such as your QH auctions and private sales. The
> fillies are kept to become producing mares and the colts are either sold
> or the ones who are not sold are kept until they are old enough to train
> and then they are sold as riding geldings.
>
> And because the sale of these foals are so important the foals are well
> cared for and have lots of pasture with green grass to run and play with
> their mothers who have 6 months of 24 hours-7 days a week turn out. The
> foals are weaned off at 6 months and the mares are returned to their
> warm, cozy stalls, where they are kept clean, dry and warm.
> >
> >      The article goes on to discuss efforts to save and adopt these
> > foals and > the frustration of trying to buy them as they are presented in large lots at auction.  It also discusses the need for foster care and housing for those foals who are saved and purchased.  Please check the article and contact the HAHS for more information, and if you don't subscribe, please do.
> > Their ph.# is 815-337-5563.
>
> The foals that I see at killer auctions are the ones that come from
> horse breeders who are looking to get rid of their poor quality foals
> and culls. I have been on big horse breeding farms and I have been on
> PMU farms and I have to say that the PMU mares were healthier looking
> and had more room then the breeding farms. Now I am not saying that all
> breeding farms are bad and all PMU farms are good, there are good and
> bad in any business, but do not judge a business until you have checked
> out all of the facts.
>
> Being endurance riders you should all know how unfair it is when people
> judge endurance riders as people who run their horse till they drop dead
> and are bad horse people while they have never been to an endurance
> ride. So before you judge PMU farms, go check a couple of them out and
> talk to the owners. You might be surprised.
> >
> >      I know this is a distressing post, and I apologize for offending or
> >
> > upsetting anyone.  I just know I will refuse the use of  Premarin in the
> >
> > future, and will be sure to educate my Doctor about the injustice of
> > using this product when there are so many others, equally effective,
> > on the market.  Maybe if those of us who care try to make our concerns
> > known, and if the manufacturerer feels the pinch, we can change things,
> > and help some of these animals we love so much.  Thank you.
> >                                                                Linda
> > Flynn, O.B., FL
> > P.S.  Please pass this info. on or forward it to those who may not
> > subscribe
> > to Ridecamp.
>
> Please before you pass any of this on either as a email or by mouth. Go
> visit some farms and get all of your facts before you act. If you do not
> have any PMU farms in your area, let me know and I can give you some PMU
> farm phone numbers you can call. Talk to these people before you so
> harshly judge them.
> You might find good decent horse people who have horses that live better
> then they do.
>
> Lynette Helgeson
> In ND where it is going to get to 50 degrees tomorrow. Time for some
> horse back riding!