Pearl Snaps

Stories of a cowgirl living life by her own lights

Tag Archives: View from the Range


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Horse Slaughter: A Hard Sell

By Jesse Bussard

Reports of the reinstatement of horse slaughter have remained constant in news media since the passage of an ag appropriations bill by Congress in November of 2011 that lifted the federal ban on horse slaughter, refunding federal inspection of horse meat. Along with these reports have come recent announcements of plans to build horse processing plants in some states.

One plan for a processing plant slated for Mountain Grove, Mo., in particular has been brought to a screeching halt by local residents. Proponents of the plan did their best to sell the idea to locals touting jobs and tax revenue. However, stories of community stigma, foul odors, and environmental concerns via testimony and public records gathered while the last three horse processing plants in the United States operated were more convincing.

Residents told Wyoming state legislator, Sue Wallis, and Chevideco, the Belgian company to sponsor the plant, “Go home! If we have a horse problem we’ll solve it ourselves. We don’t need her (Wallis) and a Belgium company coming in here.” With that bold-faced response, Unified Equine, run by Wallis and Chevideco, announced they’d look elsewhere.

Since then a plan for a processing plant in Oregon has been announced and hints of the possibility of another in middle Tennessee. Whether these two projects will be met with the same opposition is yet to be seen.

As I’ve said in previous columns, I personally do not feel that there will be any horses slaughtered on U.S. soil anytime soon. The recent shutdown of the plan in Missouri shows me that it’s going to take more than the promise of some jobs and money to convince people that horse slaughter is a good thing.

In addition, a January poll conducted by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), which telephone surveyed 1,008 registered voters, found that 80% of respondents were opposed to the slaughter of U.S. horses for human consumption. The ASPCA’s poll provides further evidence that the general public isn’t buying what horse slaughter proponents are selling. There is an element of questionability as to the demographics of the ASPCA sample pool, but with that aside, the evidence is still pretty convincing to me.

At one time, I was fully on the side of the pro-horse slaughter crowd. But over time, through various conversations and watching the progression of the pro- and anti-horse slaughter campaigns, I’ve become skeptical. Though I may understand the benefits of slaughter, the general public does not, and to be quite honest, I don’t think they want to.

The fact is the concept of consuming horse meat has become taboo and unfathomable to most in everyday society. Americans have not consumed horse meat since during the World War II era. And because of this, the reintroduction of horse slaughter into the United States is a hard, may I say almost impossible, sell.

I’m not trying to be pessimistic here, just realistic. We can sit and argue the pros and cons of horse slaughter until we’re blue in the face. But I have a feeling that all the convincing in the world won’t change the general public’s view of the practice.

In the end, arguing does neither side any good. The reality is we’ve got an unwanted horse problem in this country, and the sooner we stop arguing, the sooner we can start finding solutions.

This article was originally featured as my May View from the Range column for Tack ‘n Togs. You can access a pdf version here.

Related news:

New Mexico Governor to USDA: Deny Horse Processing Permit


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A Constant and Defining Moment

By Jesse R. Bussard

Horses have always been constant in my life.  As a little girl, “I want a horse” was always my answer when being asked what I wanted for Christmas, my birthday, or some other holiday.  I definitely qualified as one of those horse-crazy girls.  I lived, breathed, and slept HORSES.

At about 8 years old I finally got my wish, when my dad surprised me with my very first horse of my own when we were at my Grandma’s house for Christmas dinner.  I had no idea I would be getting a horse and the sight of my dad riding up over the hill to my grandmother’s house astride a tall bay mare gave me feelings of sheer excitement and joy.  I’ll never forget that day.  It stands out as one of the most important memories I have of my childhood.

Whether my father knows it or not, that day was one of the defining moments that set me on the path I’d take in life.  From that day on all other interests I had took a back seat to my horse addiction.  I read about horses, I drew horses, and I made it my mission to learn as much as I possibly could about these four-legged creatures.

My early years of riding were spent traversing the Appalachian Mountains of central Pennsylvania and the many trails through the state forests and parks in the area.  During my sixth grade year, I met my lifelong best friend, Melissa Coleman, who at the time was an active competitor in competitive trail and endurance riding with her grandmother.  That exposure to competitive equine events spurred me to pursue an interest in showing horses.  So at the age of 13 I joined 4H.  While most moms were hauling their kids to soccer and band practice, my mother was busy hitching up the horse trailer and taking me to shows.

Since high school and even into college, my horses were always there for me.  Like many people, I’ve had my fair share of hard times and challenges in life.  Having horses in my life helped me through that. Next to God and family, my horses were part of the glue that kept me from falling to pieces when times were at their worst.

You may be wondering why I’m telling you all this.  The point I’m trying to make here is that we all need something in our lives to teach us responsibility, to give us joy, and make us happy when times are tough.   For some of us, horses are that something.

So if you’re thinking about taking your children to riding lessons or getting them a pony, DO IT!  Maybe you yourself want to have a closer relationship with one of these amazing four-legged creatures.  I say DO IT!  It may be one of the best things you could ever do for yourself and your children.  Or, just maybe, it’ll be one of those defining moments in you or your child’s life that sets you in a completely different direction.  So what are you waiting for?  Mount up and ride!

This article was originally featured as my February View from the Range column for Tack ‘n Togs. You can access the pdf version here.

Below are some photos of me from my horse-crazy adventures over the years!


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Riding for the brand

by Jesse Bussard

Brands have been a part of western ranching culture for well over two centuries.  A brand is known as a ranch’s signature; their calling card so to speak.  When an animal bears a brand, there is no question of ownership.

Hernan Cortes ran the first livestock branded with his Three Crosses on the North American continent in the 1500s.  Since this time billions of cattle and horses have worn these marks across the West.  Today brands are still in use.  Many ranches still brand their horses and some breed registries require branding as criteria for entry into the breed registry.  Even the American mustang is freeze branded as a means of identification before being adopted out through the BLM’s Wild Horse & Burro Adoption Program.

With the advent of modern technology though, branding may be on its way.  Many believe that microchip implantation is less stressful for equines compared to branding.

Photo courtesy of Lauren Chase

To determine this, researchers at the Graf Lehndorff Institute at the University of Veterinary Sciences in Vienna, Austria recently conducted a study to measure the amount of stress induced by either hot iron branding or microchip implantation.  Young foals approximately 1 to 5 months old were either branded or microchipped and then results compared.  Parameters measured were heart rate, physical reaction, salivary level of cortisol, also known as the “stress hormone”, and skin temperature.

Surprisingly, there was no significant difference in stress levels between the horses that received a hot iron brand on the thigh versus a microchip injected into the neck.  Also no extreme aversive behavior was exhibited for either procedure, though some physical reaction was exhibited.   Cortisol levels indicated the procedures did induce some stress but less stressful compared to activities such as weaning or transport.  The most striking observation of all was the foal’s reaction to being restrained prior to either being branded or microchipped.  During this period of immobilization the foals appeared to be almost as stressed as during the actual procedure.

Although there did not appear to be any significant difference in stress induced by branding versus microchipping, the researchers were led to believe that ultimately branding is more stressful.  They were led to this conclusion because of what they believe to be a harmful increase in skin temperature of the foals on the whole body, not just the brand area.

Ultimately these results are only representative of one study and do not provide an accurate gauge of stress induced by branding procedures.  Freeze branding, not examined in this study, also provides another alternative for identification for horses.  Invariably, what horse owners choose to identify their horses comes down to personal choice.

As for the American West, the brand is alive and well, still being used on many working ranch outfits.  Ranches such as the 6666 Ranch in Guthrie, Texas proudly sport their brand on some of the Quarter Horse world’s top racing and performance horses.

While hot branding has been prohibited in some European countries and some breed registries now require microchipping as mandatory identification, I believe the practice of branding won’t be going anywhere any time soon.  Because you see, the brand is more than a means of identification; it’s a way of life, a philosophy and a culture. And that right there’s why many in the American horse industry will keep on riding for the brand.

This article was originally featured as my February View from the Range column for Tack ‘n Togs. You can access the pdf version here.

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