From Race Horse to Main Course
(There is graphic video at the link - but you don't have to watch it)
I swear, at first I thought this was an April Fool's joke. It just seemed so insane that horses were being stolen and killed for their meat in Florida, but apparently it's completely true.
"They are poachers from Miami's black market who sell the horses' meat, which is a popular delicacy among new arrivals from other countries to the area. The horse meat can go for as much as $20 per pound and based on the number of bloody horse remains and meat-stripped carcasses found on the side of dirt roads and in stables across Miami-Dade, harvesting horses for meat is a lucrative business."
Holy crap! At this point, if I lived in the area, I'd be sleeping with my horses. Can you even imagine coming outside to find that your horse has been butchered?
What shocks me is that no arrests have been made. Unbelievable!
So what can you do when something like this is going on in your area? I'd definitely get a security camera system. I'd keep my horses in at night, close to the house. I'd post signs stating that you have the area under surveillance and anyone tampering with your livestock will be prosecuted. (I'd post 'em in Spanish, too) A big noisy dog is always a deterrent to all kinds of crime and it doesn't have to be mean - it just has to sound mean.
If you have other tips for keeping your horses safe when you know there is a theft problem or just something like someone randomly going around shooting horses, please post them. If you are in the Miami-Dade area, I'd love to hear your take on this.
Here's a Friday Featured Rescue for those of you in Southern California. Rhetoric Express, barn name Dragon, is a nine year old Thoroughbred gelding. He won $181K on the track and apparently he feels like he has done enough as he is described as a nice calm boy who likes to walk. :-) He has done well ridden by children and is ready for a new career. Dragon's adoption fee is just $300 and he's in the San Diego area. Contact Falcon Ridge Equine Rescue for more information!
