As a breeder of horses this is something that hits home.
I am against the inhumane treatment of horses but folks some horses need to be euthanized. Horses that are injured and nobody wants to spend the $ to operate, horses that have terminal illnesses, and the list goes on and on.
When we shut the slaughter houses down it dropped the low end of the market out. People that needed to get rid of horses had no place to take the horse. So instead they gave the horse away for free. Now, anybody that wants a horse thinks it should be for free and really has killed the breeding business.
So yes I agree about the poor treatment in these slaughterhouse but folks this is going to kill the horse industry. There are so many unwanted horses out there right now that are need of a good home and they NEVER will get it. There are currently over 100,000 horses that fall into this catergory.
Horses that I could in the past sell for $2000 have dropped to $500. And those that I could sell for $500 in the past I can't give them away.
Where are the gov't bailouts for the horse breeding business? In almost every state, the equine industry is either #1, #2, or #3. It is big business that we are killing.

TM-
Everything that you've said is true about the industry. The horse business is in the toilet right now. People are indeed giving horses away to what they consider to be good homes. Some are, some are not.
Now here's something that I never thought I'd see... People are actually just turning horses loose to fend for themselves, that's right turning them loose. There are actual websites about that. Some of them are really nice too.
The racing industry in Ohio is in so much trouble that they are trying to get casinos at the tracks to supplement the horsemen's purse structure.
I'm not against horses being put down or sent away as long as the horse is treated humanly and with a little dignity.

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You have to do what you love to do, not get stuck in that comfort zone of a regular job.
Life is not a dress rehearsal. This is it...
Lucinda Basset

Cattle are not exactly handled humanely everywhere as evidenced by the Humane Society and PETA's investigations.

You're right about that. I've seen them packed like sardines in trailers. The requirement is that they have to be able to stand and walk without aid, but there are pics of them being picked up with a front end loader to be taken to the chute. All of it's pretty sad when you really think about it.

__________________
You have to do what you love to do, not get stuck in that comfort zone of a regular job.
Life is not a dress rehearsal. This is it...
Lucinda Basset