Editorial—voice your opinion

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Judging from most criteria, one would have to conclude that the US horse industry is alive and well. With the rising stock market and falling gas prices, the economy appears to be set for increased expenditures in the horse industry. However, there is one event that is brewing that may have an impact on the future of the horse business, that is the Horse Slaughter Prevention Act, H.R. 503. Recently, I ran across an editorial written in the Quarter Horse Journal by the editor, Jim Bret Campbell which was quite an eye-opener and presented a slightly different view of the issue. The premise of Mr. Campbell's article was that we must get involved. He indicated that the reason the bill passed in the House was that the horse industry's voice wasn't loud enough, whereas other constituents, such as the Humane Society of the United States, mounted a huge public relations campaign. Despite the fact that every major equine breed registry and agricultural group opposed the bill, Representatives were “swayed” by the outpouring of calls from individuals in favor of the bill.

I include excerpts from the Quarter Horse Journal editorial as part of this editorial, below, because I feel that Jim Bret Campbell makes the important point that we need to get involved in this issue. There may be future consequences that go way beyond whether or not one should slaughter or not slaughter horses, and we need to ensure that the opinions of those in the horse industry are not ignored.

Ed Squires

Editor

Excerpted from: Get Involved. Don't let someone else dictate your horse business. AQHA Journal, October 2006, p. 6.

I was in Washington, D.C., in September for the vote on H.R. 503, the Horse Slaughter Prevention Act. I sat in the gallery of the U.S. House of Representatives in awe and, admittedly, dismay as I watched the process unfold. Believe me, it's not pretty.

AQHA opposed the bill based on the fact that 503 is bad legislation. No matter your stance on the processing of horses, H.R. 503 offered no solutions or alternatives for the approximately 90,000 horses that are sent to slaughter each year. AQHA and the Horse Welfare Council are concerned about the well-being of those horses that might be left to starve or abandoned because owners can no longer afford to care for them and don't have processing as a humane end-of-life option. There was no funding offered for horse rescue sanctuaries or assistance for horse owners who will be faced with additional costs for disposal of carcasses.

Getting beyond that, the primary reason we lost the vote in the House was that the horse industry's voice wasn't loud enough. The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) mounted a huge public relations campaign and motivated its active membership to get on the phone and call representatives. While every major equine breed registry and agricultural group—more than 200 state and national associations—opposed the bill, representatives were swayed by the outpouring of calls representing votes from their districts.

It's time that the horse industry wakes up and realizes that there is a concerted effort to change the way we view animal agriculture in the United States.

How long will it be then before HSUS decides that it is wrong to ride a horse, show one, trailer it to a trail ride or even keep it in your barn?

As horse (and dog) lovers, the primary concern of AQHA members is the welfare of the horses and breed.

Right now, you might be concerned about the horse market or whether show entries are dropping in your area. What would you do if horse shows were legislated out of existence?

As legislation continues to be developed that affects the horse industry, I hope you'll let your voice be heard. Whether you agree with AHA's official position or not, let your representative know your stance with a phone call or letter.

Those representatives—and our horses—deserve to hear from the people legislation impacts most.

JIM BRET CAMPBELL

Editor, American Quarter Horse Journal