Animalogy: Conquest of the Animal World by Bassam Imam - HTML preview

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HORSES

Throughout history horses have been used by human beings for companionship, farming, wars, transport, traction, sports, showmanship, as companion animals, and food. The idea of eating horse meat never took off in the United States. Although horses are slaughtered in the United States for food, the numbers don't compare  with  other  slaughtered  animals.  If  ever  passed,  the upgraded version of the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act will make it illegal for any institution to slaughter horses for human consumption or to ship horses abroad for the purpose of slaughter.

Horses were first domesticated 5 thousand years ago. Today, there are over 200 recognized breeds of horses.

Horse slaughter plants in the United States send most of their meat to Europe and Japan. Some of the slaughtered horses were once carriage, racing (retired), or wild horses. The use of horses for food dates back at least as far back to the Ancient Egyptians.

It's  difficult  to  estimate  how  many  horses  were  stolen during the Wild West era.

Since the turn of the 20th century, more than  2 million horses  have  been  slaughtered  in  USDA-approved  horse  slaughter plants.

Horses are sent to slaughterhouses in cramped trailers or carts. The crowding is so bad horses can't stand up properly. If a horse falls it may be trampled. During transport horses may spend up to 28 hours without food, water, exercise, or adequate veterinary  care.  To  aggravate  matters  the  sealing  inside  the trailers  or  carts  is  often  lower  than  the  level  of  horses' heads. Horses in these transport facilities are forced to lower their heads for extended periods of time. This is unnatural and painful for a horse.

U.S.  Federal  Law  requires  that  horses  are  rendered unconscious before slaughter. A device called a captive bolt gun is shot into the heads of the horses to render them unconscious.

Because of the hectic pace of plant work, the captive bolt gun is sometimes incorrectly used. Horses in this predicament are hoisted up and sent to have their throats cut while kicking and screaming.

For humane slaughter of horses, the entire process, from beginning to end must be smooth and well-coordinated.

Horses' urine is also a valuable commodity on the market. Premarin is pregnant mare urine. Premarin horses endure extreme boredom, inactivity, pain, and discomfort in their stalls. The hormone  premarin  is  used  to  treat  women  with  menopausal symptoms.

Up to 80 thousand mares are used for premarin. This hormone is extracted from horses" urine through the use of collecting devices strapped to their bodies.

Premarin mares are placed in tiny stalls, chained, and are partially water-deprived. It's believed that increased amounts of water consumption will dilute the potency of premarin.

Foals (a horse younger than a year-old) of premarin mares are  normally  sent  to  the  slaughterhouse  shortly  after  birth.

Therefore, a mare is unable to form a bond with her foal. The foal is of no use to premarin manufacturers.

When the mare can no longer produce more premarin, she is promptly sent to the slaughterhouse.

Since  March  of  1999;  Cenestin  (conjugated  synthetic estrogens), an FDA approved synthetic estrogen product can  be used to treat women with menopausal symptoms.

Like  dogs,  horses  have  been  bred  by  humans  for  special uses.

Healthy  horses  have  long-snappy  strides,  with  incredible lung capacity. With strenuous physical exertion, horse's blood oxygen can increase thirty five-fold.

Horses  have  good  memories  regarding  routines  and  routes (returning home, delivery jobs). In addition, they"re faster and have more stamina than oxen. This is one of the reasons that many  more  horses  were  used  in  North  America  than  oxen  for strenuous work.

Mules,  horses,  and  oxen  have  historically  been  used  to pull. Draft horses are very strong and massively built. They"re not as fast as thoroughbreds, but can pull more weight.

The  word  mule  is  derived  from  the  Spanish  word  meaning half-breed; the commonly known word mulatto. A mule is a cross between  a  donkey  stallion  (male)  and  a  horse  mare  (female). Camels were briefly used by the U.S. Military in the mid 19th century.

The United States Camel Corps was an experiment in the use of camels in addition to horses. Camels have a nasty temperament and terrify horses. Their use was ended quickly.

Draft horses (Clydesdales, Shires, Percherons, Punches, and Suffolks),  are  used  for  pulling  heavy  loads.  Shires  are  the largest and most powerful of the draft horses.

With  so  many  horses  used  in  cities,  horse  manure  dotted streets, thereby creating an engulfing stench.

The  horse  contributed  to  the  opening  up  of  the  American west. Later, the iron horse (railroad) became the fastest long distance runner.

The  20th  century  saw  an  increase  in  horse  breeding. Breeding  is  for  the  benefit  of  humans,  not  for  the  horses involved.

The use of horses has helped to improve this world. In the not so distant past horse speed and power was the engine of its day. Without horses, travel on land would"ve been much slower.

Nathan Bedford Forest (founder of the KKK) was a cavalryman and a talented rider of horses.

Famous  men  and  fictional  characters  had  special  horses. Robert  E.  Lee  (Traveller  and  Lucy  Long),  Ulysses  S.  Grant (Cincinnati),  the  Lone  Ranger  (Silver,  Hollywood  Horse),

Alexander the Great (Bucephalus), and in Islam the Prophet Muhammad was taken to Paradise on a lightning-fast white horse named Buraq. The aforementioned was only a partial listing.

Horses  helped  to  build  the  Erie  Canal.  Horse  ferries transported  many  people  and  merchandise  over  long  distances. Sadly,  the  horses  used  for  these  ferries  were  usually  worked mercilessly.

During the American Civil War many thousands of horses were used. Transport, feed, and general care of the horses took much work.  Horses  were  used  by  the  North  and  the  South,  carrying supplies, equipment, and soldiers.

By war's end many thousands of horses had died. The South found it difficult to feed horses throughout the brutal war. No feed, no functioning horses. For optimum performance horses need hay, grain, and corn. Corn is less nutritious than hay or grain. To ease the feeding problem, mixtures were also used. Horseshoes were in great demand by both sides.

The  Union  purchased  many  of  their  horseshoes  from  The Burden  Horseshoe  Company.  In  1835,  Henry  Burden  received  the first patent for a horseshoe manufacturing machine.

For the Union Army transportation of soldiers, equipment, horses, and any other essential items was the responsibility of the Quartermaster's Department.

Horses used during the Civil War had to endure exhaustion, fear,  anxiety  and  injury  (from  shrapnel,  strenuous  work  or trauma).

Countless  horses  were  taken  as  booty  by  both  side,  then later used for the war effort.

Historically  many  jobs  and  uses  evolved  around  horses.

These  include  but  are  not  limited  to  ambulance  workers,  law enforcement, delivery workers, show horse industry, delivery man (food,  milk,  beer,  etc.),  race  industry,  jockey,  streetcar operator,  farm  worker,  furrier,  showmanship,  horse  breaker, rodeo,  manufacturers  of  horse  equipment,  horse  food  workers, stable  worker,  stagecoach  driver  (Concord  stagecoach  was  the standard  type),  nutritionist,  hunting,  circus,  fire  truck operator,   Knacker   (a   person   who   purchases   over-the-hill livestock then butchers them for sale), masseuse, veterinarians, vivisection    (limited),    corral    worker,    waste    removal, entertainment  industry,  war,  fire  departments,  groomer,  horse show  judge  (prestigious),  breeder,  butcher,  horse  fighting promoter  (dishonourable  job),  Pony  Express  rider  (short-lived but well-respected), wagon and carriage manufacturers, carriage driver and riding instructor.

The Kentucky Derby is the most well-known racehorse in the world. Exceptional horses that are ridden by tenacious jockeys win the Triple Crown.

The "mint julep" is 'the drink" of the Kentucky Derby. The winner of the Kentucky Derby is literally draped with a garland of  roses  (564  rosebushes).  The  trophy  is  presented  with  the horseshoe turned up.

Unfortunately,  all  is  not  good  in  the  horse  industry. Because only a select few horses can make the grade the "large surplus" must be removed.

The incredible training and racing regimen result in numerous injuries to horses. Sometimes, a horse must be

euthanized.

When  careers  end  the  horses  must  be  removed  from  the glamour  of  the  racing  industry.  Unless  a  person  or  an organization  decides  to  care  for  the  horse,  slaughter  or euthanasia is the usual outcome.

Financial  gain  and  the  thrill  of  winning  are  powerful motivating  factors  in  the  horseracing  industry.  Pain  killers alleviate the pain only, not the underlying cause. In effect a racehorse may run on an injury.

Horses  are  only  two  or  three  years-old  when  first  race. Their bones may not be fully developed.

Horses  can  also  be  put  to  other  uses.  The  Persians developed  the  first  cavalry.  There  are  guide  horses  for  the blind, and for the physically and mentally challenged.