Horses face starvation as drought ravages Texas pastures

[one...two...tree 2,762]

FORT WORTH — With drought-ravaged pastures turning into dust, water tanks drying up and the price of hay skyrocketing, equine rescue groups across Texas are being inundated with horses surrendered by cash-strapped owners or simply abandoned on back roads.

"I've taken in 14 horses in the last two weeks," said Bob Williams of Ranch Hand Rescue in Argyle. "Law enforcement agencies can't keep up with the numbers of animals they are rounding up on country roads. Nobody knows what to do. I'm telling you it's an epidemic.

"The problem is everyone used up their winter hay supply during the summer. Between the drought and the wildfires, there's no hay in Texas," said Williams, noting that the cost of forage has more than doubled in a year.

The drought is a serious problem for the $5.3 billion Texas horse industry, said Dennis Sigler, an animal science professor at Texas A&M University and horse specialist for the Texas AgriLife Extension Service. "It's a statewide problem. People don't realize how important the horse industry is in Texas. It's right up there with cotton," he said.

Cattle ranchers, whose pastures were withered by the hottest and driest summer on record, have been trucking in loads of out-of-state hay, selling off herds or shipping them north to greener pastures. But that's not an option for most of the estimated 181,000 people who own the nearly 1 million horses in Texas, Sigler said.

With the drought expected to continue into next year, dwindling water supplies are an even greater concern for Sigler.

"The tanks are dry and wells are going dry, and some water suppliers are restricting water use for livestock," he said.

With the horse market glutted, people can't even give horses away.

Read more: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2011/11/06/129446/horses-face-starvation-as-drought.html#ixzz1cyadPV4C

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

And Obama does nothing about global climate change! He hasn't done anything he promised in that regard.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Open the slaughter houses and end the prohibition against horse meat in the US. Every horse owner I talk to agrees. Otherwise, unwanted horses will continue to be sent to Mexico, or turned loose on public and private property, without the government, or the property owner's permission.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Open the slaughter houses and end the prohibition against horse meat in the US. Every horse owner I talk to agrees. Otherwise, unwanted horses will continue to be sent to Mexico, or turned loose on public and private property, without the government, or the property owner's permission.

Hey the sell Cheval in Montreal! Smoked horse! MMMMMMMMMMMMM

Obama could do this and claimed to have furthered trade with Canada. And maybe they will trade us for drowned Polar Bears as Obama sits there with his thumb up his butt.

[lostinblue 1,989]

As US Senators, both Barack Obama and Joe Biden were co-sponsors of a national horse slaughter ban. I guess they could feed the starving horses now.

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

What does horse taste like (please don't say chicken...)?

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

What does horse taste like (please don't say chicken...)?

It used to smell a lot like dog food.

[Obama 2012 1,714]

Only Steven would think this article is political.

[scandal 951]

What does horse taste like (please don't say chicken...)?

I've had it, in Belgium, where it's quite popular. It was in a stew and to me it tasted pretty generically like beef. I wouldn't have known it was horse if I hadn't ordered it off the menu.

I've also had kangaroo in Australia, which I did not like. Tough and gamey. Kangaroos aren't really eaten much there, they just serve them to the tourists (like me) as a novelty.

[Ban Hammer 13,502]

I've also had kangaroo in Australia, which I did not like. Tough and gamey. Kangaroos aren't really eaten much there, they just serve them to the tourists (like me) as a novelty.

i heard it has quite a kick to it.

[lostinblue 1,989]

Only Steven would think this article is political.

As US Senators, both Barack Obama and Joe Biden were co-sponsors of a national horse slaughter ban.

[Nagishkaw 510]

As US Senators, both Barack Obama and Joe Biden were co-sponsors of a national horse slaughter ban.

So what? It is still legal to ship horses to Canada and Mexico to be slaughtered.

Even though we've had nothing but rain this year in Michigan, I'm paying way more for grain than I did a few months ago. Horse owners should always have a back up plan in the event something happens to them or they can no longer care for their animals. If they can't think ahead, they have no business owning a horse/horses. We're not talking about dogs or cats. These are huge animals who live much longer and eat a lot, not to mention the over all maintenance and veterinary care . Sometimes, people make me sick.

[Ban Hammer 13,502]

eating trigger just seems unamerican.

[Nagishkaw 510]

And what is the point of this ? More meat on European and Asian plates ?

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

So what are we saying here? That the weekend of praying for rain that the good governor of Texas ordered back in April - over the Easter weekend no less - didn't work? God didn't listen? Or has God just turned his back on Texas?

Edited November 7, 2011 by Mr. Big Dog