The slaughter horse market is not dead, at least not here. I overheard two guys planning a trip to the East Coast with a load of horses. From this not to be mentioned state, the horses are smuggled into Canada. So now you have to worry about who you sell your horses to, they might wind up on the dinner table.

Of coarse the smuggling avoids taxes too on both ends. These guys were saying they made about $3,000, over the cost of the horses and fuel for a two day round trip. Not too bad!

If there is a demand, there will be a supply. Prohabition of horse slaughter should end, so the good horse market can recover from this nightmare!

liquor was made illegal for a short time, and the bootleggers proliferated, and then it was made legal so taxes could be collected off it. I wonder if 10 bucks a head tax was instituted they'd make it legal to slaughter horses again. there needs to be some outlet for the 0 value ones that arn't worth keeping. I didn't like it when beautiful perfect young horses were going to slaughter just because the auction price wasn't quite out of the killers range, but then there's plenty that arn't usable. I think it'd work to bring back the legal slaughter market and then limit the price one could be bought for, like if it goes over $200 the killer has to quit bidding. but I suppose that would be contrary to a free market. (as well as imposible to enforce)

Currently there are no restrictions in hauling horse in and out of Canada. There are many kill horses that go north. In fact there is a holding area at Shelby, MT where horses are transported to. They are quarantined for a few days, vet checked, and then sent to the plants in Canada. There is nothing illegal about doing it in this fashion. Where I live, I know enough backroads that go into Canada where there are no border stations. It wouldn't be too had to get horses in and out of Canada without the paper work. It could be done but I won't chance it. It is easier to do it legally than it is to do it illegally.

I don't understand the logic behind all of this. If a person doesn't want to eat horse meat, that is fine. There are other cultures that think it is acceptable eat eat dogs, cats, and rats. I could care less what they eat, I will just make the conscience effort to not eat those species. I will not condemn another person for eating what they want to.

TNbacklander--If I remember correctly from some of your other posts, you seem to be an anti-govt type of person. What is the basis for desiring a communistic pricing policy implemented by the govt to regulate the horse market? Supply and demand sets the markets and always should. We are seeing the effects of supply and demand right now in the horse industry. Good quality horses that are trained are in short supply and are demanding high prices. Poor quality, untrained, and or both are in high supply and are demanding extremely low prices. Why would anybody want the govt to change that with price caps?

Around here the closing of the slaughter plants drove down the price of backyard pleasure horses too. There has been some rebound but that might be because there are horses being taken into Mexico for slaughter. They aren't exported for 'slaughter' but that's where they're going. Anyway, a good pleasure horse, just for riding and fun, is worth anywhere from $200 to $400 less than before. Of course as feed goes up it's just harder to sell a backyard horse.