Re: endurance horse price -ridecamp-d Digest V98 #720

[CMKSAGEHIL@aol.com]

In a message dated 98-09-17 04:58:59 EDT, maphh@cowland.com writes:

<<  IMHO the BLM is doing both the equine population and
 the taxpayer a favor.  >>

I guess I will have to disagree about the taxpayer part.  The BLM spends
thousands of tax dollars per horse to capture, feed, and house these horses.
Some are adopted out at the price of $125.  Some are not adoptable and are
kept at taxpayer expense for long periods of time because of our cultural
squeamishness about selling them for slaughter.  Not a good deal for the
taxpayer at all.  True, it would also not be a good deal to have them out
ruining other resources.  I have no objection to people buying these horses,
but the taxpayer would be far better served if the whole program was turned
over to private enterprise (with proper monitoring for humane practices) and
the horses were sold for whatever they could get--that way the better ones go
to homes, the poorer ones go to slaughter, and there is no cost to the
taxpayer whatsoever.  It is certainly your perogative to not wish to eat meat,
but as a horse lover, I strenously object to prolonging the life of the
crippled, injured, old, or mentally unstable.  Their lives are miserable, and
it is criminal for us to make them continue to suffer because our egos are
served by prolonging their lives.

Next time you wish to comment about grazing leases for pennies, come with me
to our family ranch and watch how hard these ranchers work to maintain those
resources for the good of us all.  

Heidi Smith, DVM--Sagehill Arabians (Oregon)