Ireland's homeless horses face mass cull

[mix]

Bought as trophy-pets during the Celtic Tiger boom years, homeless horses now run wild in their thousands across the Republic, most abandoned by owners who have no money for their upkeep.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/oct/15/ireland-homeless-horses-cull

[Waiting For Everyman]

1. This is so sad. n/t

[GoCubsGo]

2. It's going on here, too.

I live in a town with loads of horse people. There's an equine rescue group here, and it's overwhelmed with horses that are neglected because their owners can no longer care for them. Some of the horse people I know tell me that horses are being abandoned all over the country for that same reason.

[mix]

4. Same in NM

Historically, most "wild" horse herds in the West resulted from the same neglect since the earliest days of settlement, abandonment during bad economic times. They are really feral motley herds, not "wild" ones. Mustangs.

Up by our place, there have been two horses abandoned, one almost died of starvation. There is a horse sanctuary here in the the Pecos Valley and she is completely overrun with abandoned horses and has to solicit donations to feed them.

[LWolf]

5. It's happening everywhere there are horses and horse people.

:(

I'm struggling to feed my own this winter. Locally, it's the norm to buy hay NOW for the next year, as prices will increase all winter and hay will be scarce and pricey come spring. I don't have the cash this year, after suffering pay cuts, plumbing repairs, and unexpected vet bills. I'll be buying one or two tons at a time, and paying about 1/3 more than usual to do so, which means that I won't be saving $$$ for next fall's hay crop.

[mix]

6. Where are you?

We get ours from CO, a family we've known...prices are fairly stable...

[cilla4progress]

3. I'm a horse person

and I've ALWAYS loved Irish horses! I would take one if I could...realistic? I'll read the article at the link.

[riderinthestorm]

7. This is happening everywhere, not just Ireland. What a sad story. nt