The probelm in general is not the breding of horses, but the breeding of low quality horses.  It's all of the back yard breeders that breed mares and stallions that should not be bred in the first place.  Either they have poor conformation, have no show records what so ever, or are just crazy.  If only good quality horse were available, the horse market would go back up and the price of horses would go back up as well.  Why will someone pay $3,000.00 to $4,000.00 for a good/quality weanling or yearling when you can go to an auction and pick one up for a couple hundred dollars.  Unless you know what you're doing, you're not going to.  Personally I think you should have a license to breed horses, where not just everyone can do it.  Until we can control who can breed, we will never control the over-population of poor quality horses, and the slaughter houses will be necessary.  The ones in the US are more humane than the ones in Mexico or Canada.  At least with the ones in the US we could control how the horses are transported, and treated upon arrival.  We can not dictate how the horses are transported and slaughtered in Mexico and Canada.  This is not a case of out of sight and out of mind.  It's only out of sight because it is no longer in the US, and I don't know about you, but it is definately still on my mind!  This is just my opinion, and I respect or try to respect everyone's opinion, that's why I know that this will always be a divided topic.  One that we need to come together to resolve, and the sooner the better.

I agree with many of everyones posts. I believe that we do need to control the backyard breeding of many horses - there needs to be breed wardens around like there are for dogs in Germany. All mares and stallions need to be checked out "conformation & bloodlines etc" prior to them being bred. This would help the species grow to be stronger and help avoid many abnormalities that can occur by someone not knowing what they are doing. In the same sence I can understand utilizing horses for food in other countries instead of taking them to the cruel slaughter houses, doing it the humane way if there is such a thing. I have seen pictures of the slaughter houses and read about them, the way they do things is NOT the right way. I would never say I agree with it but there needs to be some kind of control. Something else I don't agree with is the way we are supposed to dispose of our horses if they pass away naturally. I don't know about other states but ours doesn't want you burying them you are supposed to call the dump and let them lay there and rot. How humane is that....(we still bury)