HORSES
Throughout history horses have been used by human beings for companionship, farming, wars, transport, traction, sports, showmanship, as companion animals, and food. The idea of eating horse meat never took off in the United States. Although horses are slaughtered in the United States for food, the numbers don't compare with other slaughtered animals. If ever passed, the upgraded version of the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act will make it illegal for any institution to slaughter horses for human consumption or to ship horses abroad for the purpose of slaughter.
Horses were first domesticated 5 thousand years ago. Today, there are over 200 recognized breeds of horses.
Horse slaughter plants in the United States send most of their meat to Europe and Japan. Some of the slaughtered horses were once carriage, racing (retired), or wild horses. The use of horses for food dates back at least as far back to the Ancient Egyptians.
It's difficult to estimate how many horses were stolen during the Wild West era.
Since the turn of the 20th century, more than 2 million horses have been slaughtered in USDA-approved horse slaughter plants.
Horses are sent to slaughterhouses in cramped trailers or carts. The crowding is so bad horses can't stand up properly. If a horse falls it may be trampled. During transport horses may spend up to 28 hours without food, water, exercise, or adequate veterinary care. To aggravate matters the sealing inside the trailers or carts is often lower than the level of horses' heads. Horses in these transport facilities are forced to lower their heads for extended periods of time. This is unnatural and painful for a horse.
U.S. Federal Law requires that horses are rendered unconscious before slaughter. A device called a captive bolt gun is shot into the heads of the horses to render them unconscious.
Because of the hectic pace of plant work, the captive bolt gun is sometimes incorrectly used. Horses in this predicament are hoisted up and sent to have their throats cut while kicking and screaming.
For humane slaughter of horses, the entire process, from beginning to end must be smooth and well-coordinated.
Horses' urine is also a valuable commodity on the market. Premarin is pregnant mare urine. Premarin horses endure extreme boredom, inactivity, pain, and discomfort in their stalls. The hormone premarin is used to treat women with menopausal symptoms.
Up to 80 thousand mares are used for premarin. This hormone is extracted from horses" urine through the use of collecting devices strapped to their bodies.
Premarin mares are placed in tiny stalls, chained, and are partially water-deprived. It's believed that increased amounts of water consumption will dilute the potency of premarin.
Foals (a horse younger than a year-old) of premarin mares are normally sent to the slaughterhouse shortly after birth.
Therefore, a mare is unable to form a bond with her foal. The foal is of no use to premarin manufacturers.
When the mare can no longer produce more premarin, she is promptly sent to the slaughterhouse.
Since March of 1999; Cenestin (conjugated synthetic estrogens), an FDA approved synthetic estrogen product can be used to treat women with menopausal symptoms.
Like dogs, horses have been bred by humans for special uses.
Healthy horses have long-snappy strides, with incredible lung capacity. With strenuous physical exertion, horse's blood oxygen can increase thirty five-fold.
Horses have good memories regarding routines and routes (returning home, delivery jobs). In addition, they"re faster and have more stamina than oxen. This is one of the reasons that many more horses were used in North America than oxen for strenuous work.
Mules, horses, and oxen have historically been used to pull. Draft horses are very strong and massively built. They"re not as fast as thoroughbreds, but can pull more weight.
The word mule is derived from the Spanish word meaning half-breed; the commonly known word mulatto. A mule is a cross between a donkey stallion (male) and a horse mare (female). Camels were briefly used by the U.S. Military in the mid 19th century.
The United States Camel Corps was an experiment in the use of camels in addition to horses. Camels have a nasty temperament and terrify horses. Their use was ended quickly.
Draft horses (Clydesdales, Shires, Percherons, Punches, and Suffolks), are used for pulling heavy loads. Shires are the largest and most powerful of the draft horses.
With so many horses used in cities, horse manure dotted streets, thereby creating an engulfing stench.
The horse contributed to the opening up of the American west. Later, the iron horse (railroad) became the fastest long distance runner.
The 20th century saw an increase in horse breeding. Breeding is for the benefit of humans, not for the horses involved.
The use of horses has helped to improve this world. In the not so distant past horse speed and power was the engine of its day. Without horses, travel on land would"ve been much slower.
Nathan Bedford Forest (founder of the KKK) was a cavalryman and a talented rider of horses.
Famous men and fictional characters had special horses. Robert E. Lee (Traveller and Lucy Long), Ulysses S. Grant (Cincinnati), the Lone Ranger (Silver, Hollywood Horse),
Alexander the Great (Bucephalus), and in Islam the Prophet Muhammad was taken to Paradise on a lightning-fast white horse named Buraq. The aforementioned was only a partial listing.
Horses helped to build the Erie Canal. Horse ferries transported many people and merchandise over long distances. Sadly, the horses used for these ferries were usually worked mercilessly.
During the American Civil War many thousands of horses were used. Transport, feed, and general care of the horses took much work. Horses were used by the North and the South, carrying supplies, equipment, and soldiers.
By war's end many thousands of horses had died. The South found it difficult to feed horses throughout the brutal war. No feed, no functioning horses. For optimum performance horses need hay, grain, and corn. Corn is less nutritious than hay or grain. To ease the feeding problem, mixtures were also used. Horseshoes were in great demand by both sides.
The Union purchased many of their horseshoes from The Burden Horseshoe Company. In 1835, Henry Burden received the first patent for a horseshoe manufacturing machine.
For the Union Army transportation of soldiers, equipment, horses, and any other essential items was the responsibility of the Quartermaster's Department.
Horses used during the Civil War had to endure exhaustion, fear, anxiety and injury (from shrapnel, strenuous work or trauma).
Countless horses were taken as booty by both side, then later used for the war effort.
Historically many jobs and uses evolved around horses.
These include but are not limited to ambulance workers, law enforcement, delivery workers, show horse industry, delivery man (food, milk, beer, etc.), race industry, jockey, streetcar operator, farm worker, furrier, showmanship, horse breaker, rodeo, manufacturers of horse equipment, horse food workers, stable worker, stagecoach driver (Concord stagecoach was the standard type), nutritionist, hunting, circus, fire truck operator, Knacker (a person who purchases over-the-hill livestock then butchers them for sale), masseuse, veterinarians, vivisection (limited), corral worker, waste removal, entertainment industry, war, fire departments, groomer, horse show judge (prestigious), breeder, butcher, horse fighting promoter (dishonourable job), Pony Express rider (short-lived but well-respected), wagon and carriage manufacturers, carriage driver and riding instructor.
The Kentucky Derby is the most well-known racehorse in the world. Exceptional horses that are ridden by tenacious jockeys win the Triple Crown.
The "mint julep" is 'the drink" of the Kentucky Derby. The winner of the Kentucky Derby is literally draped with a garland of roses (564 rosebushes). The trophy is presented with the horseshoe turned up.
Unfortunately, all is not good in the horse industry. Because only a select few horses can make the grade the "large surplus" must be removed.
The incredible training and racing regimen result in numerous injuries to horses. Sometimes, a horse must be
euthanized.
When careers end the horses must be removed from the glamour of the racing industry. Unless a person or an organization decides to care for the horse, slaughter or euthanasia is the usual outcome.
Financial gain and the thrill of winning are powerful motivating factors in the horseracing industry. Pain killers alleviate the pain only, not the underlying cause. In effect a racehorse may run on an injury.
Horses are only two or three years-old when first race. Their bones may not be fully developed.
Horses can also be put to other uses. The Persians developed the first cavalry. There are guide horses for the blind, and for the physically and mentally challenged.