They Shoot Horses Don't They.........

Well actually apparently they do. A local vet reported three incidents in the last three years. That is crazy. What is wrong with people. As the vet answered, " A lot."

A friend who owns a Lippizan herd down in Arkansas, once had her young breeding herd turned loose in the woods. About thirty horses were chased for as long as two or three days on and off, shot at, maimed and some killed. Others required surgeries or were only useful for lawn ornaments afterward. This was done apparently 'for fun' and the authorities never prosecuted the perpetrators even though they had strong evidence to support arrests.

When it's not people shooting horses by accident, because oh yes, they look just like a deer grazing open fields in bright colored blankets, you've have people stealing them for horse meat.

If the horse meat craze hits the U.S.A. you can expect to be locking every gate to every field in creation. This has been a huge issue in the U.K., where horses are often stolen and trailered over to France. So sorry Anthony Bourdain and Andrew Zimmern, while I love your shows your bizarre appreciation of eating horse meat does not gel with my idea of high cuisine. Or any cuisine for that matter.

But then there are those that love the notion and flavor of the low fat horse meat. The delicate flavors from horses' delicate herb grazing behaviors. Perhaps you are one of THEM.

Perhaps it was visiting France as a child and seeing foals hung, skinned and not, outside butchers shops all over the place, Paris and country towns alike, that put me off eating horses. Perhaps that offended my childhood fascination with all things animal. Well I admit to being vegetarian for the first eighteen years of life. I have loved horses with a passion since I was old enough to sit by the farrier three doors down from my house and watch him shoeing horses of every variety. I would sit there for hours and hours apparently from the age of four. At that time owning a pony was my dream, and it wasn't until age eleven when we moved to a lovely house with fields - yay - that my horse ownership dreams were realized. So for the last fifty or so years, horses and ponies have been a real presence in my life and not a dream, and I am proud to say, not on a plate.

Have I ever eaten horse meat? Yes. By accident I hasten to add. You soon learn to tell the difference between horse meat and beef but it's not always easy and I was only thirteen. Where? France of course. It was chewy and horrible. But then contrary to belief, not all French people can cook,

Then we have the whole horse meat in frozen foods debacle. I won't even comment on that. Guess knowing the provenance of what is on your plate is even more important than we thought.

But the shooting of horses purely for fun is just too disturbing. I hope that whoever has been doing this is found and prosecuted.

It's a shame to have to add cameras to your property but unfortunately security demands it though I appreciate not everyone can afford that. Not so easy when you have large pastures far from the buildings, though a neighbor of ours uses them to patrol hunting in his woods too with the added benefit they cover our hay fields and farm road.

The favorite mode of transport is the ATV so you may possible perpetrators around. We regularly chase down any ATV riders who trespass on our property. While most have no bad intentions, somehow friends always get added and 'parties' ensue. Tossed beer cans, errant fireworks, races across the swales, tents bowling around by the paddocks in the winds freaking the horses out, noisy snowmobilers, loose dogs. You name it, we've seen it. And the amazing thing is folks seem to think they have a God given right to be there, on yes, YOUR property.

Be vigilant and if you see any suspicious behavior, be sure to report it.