So, I have completely neglected this blog. I apologize for that. However, recently there was an event not too far from here, which has motivated me to get something off my chest.
My father approached me a couple of weeks ago, talking about a fire at a local horse rescue which burned down their barn and all their hay. Thankfully, the horses were out that night and were all OK. I decided to look into it further. I didn't have a lot of money to spare, but thought I'd offer to bring over some hay, or even take a couple of geldings in while they re-built.
When I started looking around their site, my heart sank. Not because of pictures of malnourished ponies like I normally see on rescue sites. Not because of heart-wrenching stories of abuse and neglect. But because this 'rescue' is breaking some of the most fundamental rules of being a responsible rescue. In fact, I have a hard time referring to them as one at all. The reason? They are breeding their rescue stock.
Let me back up a little. I know that many of you who will be reading this (my friends and family) are not involved in the horse world. And from outside of the horse world, people tend to have a romantic notion that horses are majestic and majikal creatures, and that surely there must be a loving home for every horse. But the fact of the matter is that while yes, horses are majestic animals, the horse industry has never been in worse shape, and there is a HUGE overpopulation problem. What people outside the horse world don't realize right now is that I could drive 15 minutes across the boarder, and come back with a nice sound horse for about the same as it would cost me to adopt a dog from the SPCA. Or maybe less:
Free TB
Free Paint
Free QH
And in Ontario:
$500 TB
$500 Trakehner X
$500 Welsh X
When hard economic times hit, the first thing people get rid of are their luxuries. Horses are not only a huge luxury, but they also require an ongoing cost to keep around. At the very least, you will have feed bills, farrier bills, and de-worming. Add to that boarding costs (if you board) property maintenance (shelters, fencing) if you don't, plus bi-annual vaccinations and emergency vet bills, and one can't deny that horses have the potential to be very costly.
What that means is that a couple of years ago, everyone started downsizing their herds. At the same time, people stopped buying. That means that horses that used to be extremely valuable couldn't find homes. So now there are huge numbers of horses who are not receiving proper care (owners can't afford it) and unable to get into a rescue (they are busting at the seams). Many owners won't do the responsible thing at that point and have the animal humanely euthanized (costs money), and instead send them to the local auction to try to recoup a couple of hundred bucks. Most of the time, those auction horses end up at slaughterhouses. I'll stay away from the slaughter topic, because that's not what this post is about... but suffice it to say you wouldn't want to end up there.
So this brings me back to the problem I have with this rescue. How on earth can you consider yourself a rescue when you are helping to perpetuate the horse overpopulation problem? THERE ARE TOO MANY HORSES RIGHT NOW. Good horses aren't finding homes. And these geniuses decide to produce more mediocre ones? And call themselves a rescue and take public donations? How would people feel if the SPCA started breeding their stray cats? IT'S THE SAME DAMN THING!
Not only are they breeding their rescued stock, AND adopting out their mares as potential broodmares (I strongly believe that all rescues need "no breeding" contracts... nevermind encouraging people to breed their rescues) but they are standing mediocre unaccomplished stallions at stud. 3 of them. The stud fee for their "International Spotted Horse" (Which means he is spotted but grade... so this was the only thing they could register him as) is $50. If your stud's seamen is only worth $50 bucks a shot, he needs to lose his balls. Period.
The other two are registered Paints (at least they've got that going for them) with mediocre bloodlines and they haven't accomplished anything. I won't comment on their conformation as I couldn't find any pictures. But I haven't seen anything telling me that THEY should be siring any horses right now (or ever).
Irresponsible breeding is the probably biggest contributor to the horse over-population problem we are seeing. Responsible breeders with amazing, proven stock are giving their broodmares a break right now. There is absolutely NO reason this horse (last one on list - Green, unproven, foundered) should be bred to the $50 wonder. NONE. I can't even tell you how angry that makes me. There is more to being a rescue than taking in unwanted horses.
So Dreamscape Acres, shame on you. Start conducting yourself in a manner that does not contribute to the problem. Set an example and educate the public. Or stop calling yourself a rescue and taking public money.
