Reply #29: The animal rescue group might want to start with the facts.

[Justpat]

Exceller was not in this country. His death galvanized the racing
industry to make sure this doesn't happen again. Ferdinand was in
Japan where they put him down by their methods which are appalling
in contrast to euthanasia here.

Most horses are humanely put down on the farms where they live or
board. The issue of equine slaughter is something being worked out
right now in the industry. The May 27th issue of the Blood Horse
had an article by the past head of the American Association of Equine
Practicioners in which he explains the association's position on
equine slaughter. He does not support the new bill coming up for
consideration before Congress. He says that: "The bill pay little
attention to equine welfare and does not provide the infrastructure
or funding provisions to care for the unwanted animals." He wants
there to be programs like the ones the racing industry has come up
with for all horses. He thinks that before slaughter is considered
the animals should be given a chance at adoption. The bill also
does not prohibit horses from being shipped to Canada or Mexico where
they are slaughtered for food. Only 10% of horses put down in slaughter houses in US are Thoroughbreds. The Vet's objections to
the current bill put up for passage is that it does not offer enough
of the options that Thoroughbred people have put in place to take
care of old and unsound horses.

On a personal note - here is my own story of a horse I owned and
bred. I had a little gelding that I raced for a year and half, then
sold him to another trainer who had an owner who paid a decent price
for him. He was claimed from this new owner in his first start for
him. Then he was claimed again by someone else and ended up running
at a cheap track in West Virginia. My daugher and I pooled what
little money we had and claimed him one night up there. By this time
he had a bad knee and was basically just running around picking up
a check almost every time he ran. We took him home and turned him out
for a year and now my daugher is making him into a hunt horse. He loves it and we are happy that he is safely back where he belongs.