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w w w . H o r s e m e n s C o u n c i l . o r g

Inside this Issue

Horse Neglect: Recognize andReport It .................................................4

Legislative Update................................. 7

OVETS 2007...........................................3

President’s Corner...................................2

Responsible HorseOwnership..............................................8

Mr. Bowman Goes to Washington...and Comes Back With a Job for You!

Horse Council CourierFall 2007, Volume 13, Issue 6

The Horsemen’s Council of Illinois newsletter dedicated to promoting ahealthy horse industry statewide through information and education.

As president of the Horseman’sCouncil of Illinois (HCI), Frank Bowmanattended the American Horse CouncilNational Issues Meeting in WashingtonD. C. the end of June. He also attendedthe State Horse Council AdvisoryMeeting to which he is the Illinoisdelegate. What’s more, he put intopractice what he preaches, stopping bynearly a dozen offices of IllinoisCongressmen to meet legislators and theiraids and impress upon them that he ownshorses and votes!

This wasn’t just a personal mission,of course. Bowman used the time withrepresentatives to tell them how hard theHorsemen’s Council of Illinois is workingto address the need for continued accessto public lands, equality in health carecoverage, the problems that create thesurplus horses in America and HCI’sattempts to counter the anti-agriculture/animal rights rhetoric that threatens ourequestrian lifestyles.

Bowman explained that if it is trulythe will of the legislature and theAmerican people to prohibit theprocessing of horses for export as a foodand fiber source, then HCI believes thatit is unwise to legislate such a prohibitionwithout having the funded alternatives inplace to help state and local governmentswith the surplus of animals that willbecome their responsibility.

This is the same approach HCI isasking every member to take thissummer while state and federallegislators are back home in their districts.

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It follows the Council’s Grass RootsLobbying Tutorial:• Get to know your legislator’s staffin the local office, visit often• Try to meet with legislators at localfunctions• Be sure to contact your legislatoron issues important to you• Encourage participation by yourfriends and other constituents• Work to get an equine champion inthe Governor’s office

Bowman also reports that thediscussions identified a huge need todefine and foster “good stewardship”within the industry, promote responsibleownership and work to bring our storyto the general public. “We haven’t beendoing enough to sell the positives ofhorse ownership and recreation to thepublic, instead we tend to dwell on the“poor me” aspects of the story. Therewill be no knight in shining armor comingto save the horse industry or animalagriculture for that matter, we must doit ourselves.”

The animal welfare/rightsorganizations are also working diligentlyto effect trail closures to horses acrossthe country. Consider this:if we have nowhere to ride a horse itonly stands to reason that there will befewer horses employed for recreationand therefore fewer reasons to own ahorse. An animal rights dream cometrue!

Bowman also met with Keith Dane,the Director of Equine Protection for

The Humane Society of the UnitedStates (HSUS) who claims that “ifequine rescues are doing their jobproperly” there will be enough facilitiesto care for the unwanted horsesgenerated by the prohibition on slaughter.

Truth is, the national capacity forhousing these horses has already beenexceeded. When HSUS asked why HCIworks so hard to try to educateirresponsible horse owners, Bowmananswered “because irresponsible horseowners tend to breed more irresponsiblehorse owners.” No response wasavailable from HSUS.

Bowman suggests that we find tiesto other segments of the community,stretch out beyond our normal comfortzone and take the time to attend meetingswith groups such as the Sierra Club,HSUS, PETA, and Farm Sanctuary.

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The Horsemen’s Council of Illinois

Board of Directors

PresidentFrank Bowman, Pleasant Plains

Vice PresidentSheryl King, Ph.D., Carbondale

Secretary/TreasurerGeorge Malsam, Wheaton

Past PresidentPaul Briney, Chatham

Jeff Davis, Lebanon

Russ Derango, Lexington

Karen Freese, Hammond

Anne Gallagher, Walnut Hill

Kevin Kline, Ph.D., Urbana

Joseph Lowry, DVM, Davis Junction

Joy A. Meierhans, Elburn

Mark Nieburgge, Effingham

Yvonne Ocrant, Barrington

Cherry Stout, Argenta

Peter Veit, Naperville

Advisors

Richard Bingham, Elk Grove Village

Donna Ewing, Barrington

Kandee Haertel, Galena

Jack Martin, Libertyville

Patricia Walker, Sherman

HCI Administrative Office Springfield

Bonnie Chandler217.585.1600

www.HorsemensCouncil.org

Readers are encouraged to shareinformation in this publication andpermission is granted to reprint

articles with acknowledgment to theHorsemen’s Council of Illinois. Frank Bowman

movement of horses internationally,interstate and potentially intrastate.Inspections currently made by APHISpersonnel at horse shows, racetracks andfairs across the country would also behave been prohibited.

In furthering their animal rightsagenda, our friends at the HumaneSociety of the United States haveapparently proposed this languageseeking to limit the ability to move horsesacross state lines and make it difficult toeven go to the local park or state forestfor a day with friends and family onhorseback.

Let’s face it, animal welfare is aneasy sell. Horses are majestic andmysterious creatures to most urbandwellers several generations removedfrom the farm. We, as an industry,haven’t been doing enough to demystifyhorses and sell the positives of horseownership and recreation to the public.There is a huge and pressing need foreach and every one of us to define,understand and foster “stewardship”within the equine industry. We need toeducate horse owners and potentialowners to their responsibilities for theirhorses, promote responsible ownershipand work to bring our story to the generalpublic.

We must do it ourselves. You musttake on the responsibility. Become anEquine Ambassador for the horseindustry, HCI is here to help. Stretch outbeyond your normal comfort zone andattend meetings with groups like theSierra Club, HSUS, PETA, and FarmSanctuary, they’re attending yours. Don’tbe afraid to speak out on behalf of thehorses you love. Stop by your legislator’shome office, get to know his/herstaffer(s) and share your concerns onissues important to you and for the futureof horse ownership. Do it today!

Over the past many years I haveobserved first hand at horse and livestockfunctions that horse people tend tobecome emotional and possibly even alittle defensive when talking about theiranimals and their chosen equestrian life-style. The horse industry under a fullfrontal attack by animal rightsorganizations and as a whole we needto be on the defensive right now in orderto protect the life-style we love so much.

I just returned from the AmericanHorse Council National Issues Forum inWashington D.C. where leaders in theequine industry from around the countrydiscussed all sorts of emerging trends,successes and failures, the nationwideproblem of unwanted horses, how toreconnect land managers with horses andencourage new participates to join in thisfun and exciting industry.

Among the most pressing issues ishow do we as horse owners stem thetide of misinformation about horseownership being widely spread by theanimal rights organizations to their urbanconstituents.

Recently defeated wordingcontained in the Ag Appropriations Billsought to create a prohibition on usingfederal funds to “examine, inspect,certify or mark horses…or file anycertificate concerning horses…” andwould have had dire consequences forthe horse industry and made it impossiblefor the Secretary of Agriculture toadminister existing animal welfare andquarantine laws which protect thenation’s horse herd.

Under the proposed restriction, webelieve the Animal and Plant HealthInspection Service (APHIS) would havebeen prohibited from engaging in anyinspectional activities or issuingcertifications with regard to equinedecease or animal welfare. Thislimitation would directly affect the

President’s CornerIt’s All About Horses!

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OVETS 2007, held on June 21 - 24, 2007The 2007 Ohio Valley Equestrian

Trails Symposium, hosted by the IndianaTrail Riders Association, was held onJune 21st through June 24th at MidwestTrail Ride near Norman, Indiana. Thefour day program featured a keynotespeaker, informative presentations, andhands-on workshops.

The informative presentations beganat 7:00 PM, Thursday, June 21 withDoug Baird, the Property Manager ofthe Brown County State Park, theIndiana Department of NaturalResources. Mr. Baird has worked forthe IDNR for the past 20 years and hasseen big changes in trail design,construction, and maintenance. Hiscompliments go to the Indiana TrailRiders Association and the IndianaBackcountry Horsemen who haveworked closely with the National ForestService in the Hoosier National Forestto design, construct, repair, and maintainequestrian and hiking trails. Due to thenumerous trail design and constructioncertifications obtained by ITRAmembers, they have been allowed towork in the Deam Wilderness Areawhere absolutely no mechanizedequipment is allowed,

Friday morning, June 22, was startedoff with Dr. Mylon Filkins from BackCountry Horsemen of America. Hispresentation, “Partnerships in Action,”demonstrated the need for equestrianservices in the back country of the westto stock lakes with fish and pack insupplies for the youth-oriented CaliforniaConservation Corps. The NationalForest Service and the Fish and WildlifeDepartment have grown to depend onthese services to continue theirconservation efforts in the westernUnited States.

“Training Crews and Leaders” waspresented by Bud Wills, PennsylvaniaEquine Council State Trail Chair, andGwen Wills, Pennsylvania EquineCouncil Trails Stewardship ProgramDirector. Just a few short years ago,the Gaming Commission of the Fish and

Wildlife Department closed 1.4 millionacres of forests that contained hundredsof miles of horse trails due to“unregulated recreation.” Bud andGwen Wills rose to the challenge ofreopening these trails by establishing aTrails Stewardship Program. ThePennsylvania Equine Council now offers1-day, 2-day, and 3-day training programsfor anyone interested in trail design,construction, repair, and maintenance.

Dr. Filkins followed the Wills’presentation with “BackcountryHorsemen of California Shasta-TrinityFish Plant 2005.” He gave a much moredetailed description of the trainingneeded for the planting of 40,000fingerling trout in the 14 lakes on MountShasta in the Trinity National Forest. Thegroup of backcountry horsemen whoventure forth on this day-long journeymust carefully pack coolers with coldwater as well as thousands of fingerlingfish. The Fish and Wildlife Department

have great respect for these equestrianswho have increased the survival rate ofthese fingerling fish from 30% to 90%by using pack mule teams.

After an afternoon of individual freetime to ride in the Hoosier NationalForest, the OVETS registrants returnedin the evening to listen to Mary Hanson,the Outdoor Recreation Planner forRivers, Trails and ConservationAssistance, the National Parks Service,Nebraska. Her presentation, “Advocacy,

Building Support for Trails andKeeping Your Morale High,”was based on the “come withme” technique of generatingmore trail advocates. Trailadvocates should not only bringtheir fellow equestrians to seetheir accomplishments in buildinghorse trails but also fellow trailusers (such as hikers and bikers)and, especially the nextgeneration of horse trail users.Trail advocates need to keep thehorse trails open for manygenerations. Ms. Hanson alsorecommended knowing thegovernment agency’s enablinglegislation so trail advocates willknow what restrictions apply tothat agency’s field agents.

Saturday’s presentationswere led by Candace Bourne,representing Brian Bourne fromthe Trails for the Future, Inc., agroup that has been hired todesign the designated trails for

the Shawnee National Forest in Illinois.The Bournes’ power point presentationdemonstrated the dangerous and erosivecondition of “user generated” trails.Many of the horse trails in ShawneeNational Forest have been developed byusing existing trails. These existing trailswere many times simply deer trails thatwandered in very winding paths insometimes dangerous rocky places andcaused erosive conditions when a greatmany more horses started following the

OVETS Newsbit2008 Ohio Valley Equestrian Trails Symposium

will be held at the Little Lusk Trail Lodge nearEddyville, Illinois on June 19-22, 2008. The programwill feature great speakers and demonstrations rangingfrom trail construction and maintenance to horse healthon the trails. The OVETS is an unparalleled educationalexperience so encourage your local public landmanagers; all trail users, and the general public toattend. Watch for posted flyers and check theHorsemen’s Council of Illinois website for registrationforms.

The OVETS Steering Committee is comprised ofmembers from 6 different states:

Illinois - Brian Bourne, Candace Bourne, andSara Rhoades;Indiana - Christine Eickleberry and YvetteRollins;Kentucky - Jennifer Truax;Michigan - Mike Foote;Ohio - Jean Dunbar;Wisconsin - Dan and Linda Catherman.

(continued on page 6)

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You’re driving down the roadwhen you pass a dilapidated farmwith an emaciated horse standingnext to a barn. What should youdo?a) pick some grass and feed itover the fence to the horseb) go home and get some of yourhay and grain and feed it to thehorsec) let the horse loosed) report the situation to theauthorities

Hopefully you chose answerd), but believe it or not, concernedcitizens often choose a), b), andc). Horse neglect happens in ourstate, and it is up to you to do theright thing when you see it. Thefirst step is recognizing true horseneglect.

Recognizing horse neglectWhat is horse neglect? Simply

put, it is the withholding of basicneeds from a horse: food, water,shelter and veterinary care whenneeded. To read the HumaneCare for Animals Act, the statelaw that requires animals be cared forproperly, visit www.ilga.gov and clickon Illinois Compiled Statues. Scrolldown and click on Chapter 510 underHusbandry, then go to 510 ILCS 70/Humane Care for Animals Act.Section 3 lists Owner’s Duties, section3.01 describes Cruel Treatment,section 3.02 describes AggravatedCruelty and section 3.03 describesAnimal Torture.

Some complaints of equine neglectare based on seeing an animal withburrs, covered in or standing in mud,with dangerous equipment in its pastureor being kept within inadequate fencing.While the owners of these horses maybe “neglecting” to groom their horse

or maintain their pastures and fences,these observations serve more as “redflags” that this horse may become trulyneglected in the future since its ownermay not spend much time or money onit or be very knowledgeable.

What does true horse neglect looklike? The most common appearanceof a horse that is not having its basicneeds met is weight loss. Horses thatare not receiving appropriate food orwater, that lack shelter from wind andprecipitation during cold months, thatare not receiving dental care, or thatare not being dewormed properly mayall be underweight. Some of thesesituations may also cause poor haircoats, lethargy, and pot-bellies. Horses

with diseases or injuries that arenot receiving veterinary caremay also have weight loss, inaddition to the signs of theirmain condition. Overgrownhooves are another sign ofneglect.

Reporting horse neglect Now that you know whattrue horse neglect looks like,what should you do when yousee it? Unless you are wellacquainted with the person youbelieve is neglecting theirhorse, the best thing to do iscontact the appropriateauthorities. It can be pointlessas well as dangerous toapproach strangers on theirown property and confrontthem about the poor care theyare giving an animal they own. The reasons owners neglecthorses can be placed into fivegeneral categories:

·ignorance (don’t know whathorses need)·apathy (don’t care what horses

need)·lifestyle change (can’t help it because offinancial or other problems)·intentional (can help it but don’t want to)·mentally ill (e.g. a hoarder or collector)

More than likely you do not havethe training or experience to improvethese situations. The appropriateauthorities however, do have thenecessary background as well ascredentials to make a difference. InIllinois, there are four main categoriesof animal welfare authorities: privatehumane societies, animal controlagencies, any law enforcement official(State Police, municipal police, andcounty sheriff), and the StateDepartment of Agriculture.

Horse Neglect: Recognize It and Report ItBy Lydia F. Gray, DVM, MA

Medical Director/Staff Veterinarian, SmartPak Equine

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Private humane societies sponsorvolunteers and/or staff to sit for theDepartment’s annual test to becomestate-approved humane investigators(employees of the other threecategories already have the authorityto investigate animal neglect.) With thiscard and an official complaint, humaneinvestigators have the legal right to goonto private property and conduct aninvestigation.

The investigator uses a friendlyapproach to gather information aboutthe situation and provide helpfulsuggestions. If these suggestions gounheeded, the investigator may write anotice of violation which lists theproblem, corrective measures, andprovides a deadline for compliance. Ifthe investigator returns and the noticeof violation has also gone unheeded, heor she can then ask the Department forauthorization to impound the animals.

Generally, the Department will onlygrant an impoundment if one of theirown employee investigators or a localveterinarian is also on the scene andagrees that the animals are in poorhealth and need to be removed. Theprivate humane society will either bringthe animals to their facility, put them inapproved foster homes, or, if it is a largeimpoundment, temporarily house themat a fairgrounds or other facility untilthe hearing has been appealed and/ora conviction obtained.

Following up on horse neglectWhen you make an official

complaint to any of the four animalwelfare agencies described in theprevious section, you will be asked foryour name and contact information, theaddress where the neglect is occurring(and name and contact information ofowner if you know it), directions to theaddress from a main intersection orcity, and specific details of the neglect.Important things to note are what kind

of animals are involved, how manyanimals, and what you see that leadsyou to believe they may be neglected.A proper investigation cannot beconducted without the aboveinformation.

It is natural to want to know theoutcome of an investigation that youset into motion. However, if you callback before the investigation iscompleted, be prepared for the agencyto say “the investigation is ongoing.”

That means they are still trying toget the owner to voluntarily improvethe situation and/or they are stillgathering evidence to be able toimpound the animals and press charges.Sharing details of an ongoinginvestigation could jeopardize the case.Sometimes it may seem like weeks ormonths and that no action is beingtaken.

Do not take matters into your ownhands by feeding, watering, providingveterinary care or other aid to help theanimals. That will only close the casein favor of the alleged violator. Givethe agency time to do their job. If,however, you call back and are told theinvestigation is closed and you truly feelthe situation was not handled properly,contact the Department of Agricultureand make another official complaint.

As long as an official complainthas been recorded, an investigatorMUST check out the situation. It ispossible that a follow up visit to thescene may expose different evidencethat will lead to a different outcome.

NOTE: Agencies in Illinois do nothave the authority to continue to makefollow up visits to an address. Oncethe owner fulfills the law, the case isclosed and a new official complaintmust be logged in order to legally permitinvestigators to set foot on the property.Also, without a warrant, investigatorscannot enter into a building whichserves as a residence for the owner.

The Loose HorseNow imagine you’re driving

down the road when you spot a loosehorse in a corn field. What shouldyou do in this situation? The lawthat applies to loose horses is 510ILCS 55/ Illinois Domestic AnimalsRunning at Large Act, which canfound on the same website as theHumane Care for Animals Act.

In this situation, if you feel safe,it would be appropriate to knock ondoors in an attempt to locate theowners. If the owners cannot belocated or they are not interested incatching their loose animal, then alertthe nearest law enforcementagency.

Stay in the area if possible (butnot close enough to the animal toscare it away) until the police orsheriff arrives. This may preventanother driver from having anaccident. Once the authorities areon the scene, follow theirinstructions, which may be to leave,assist with the roundup, or makeadditional phone calls.

Be sure to supply your nameand contact information to lawenforcement before leaving.

Dr. Lydia Gray was the executivedirector of the Hooved Animal Humane

Society in Woodstock, IL, and anapproved humane investigator.

She currently serves on the AmericanAssociation of Equine Practitioner’sEquine Welfare Committee and is an

advisor to the newly formedUnwanted Horse Coalition.

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same trails. Since the judicial systemhas become involved in the decision toclose or keep the horse trails in theShawnee, equestrians must be verycareful to follow the judicial guidelines,such as staying on the designated trails, inorder to keep the horse trails open. Manylongtime trail users are understandablyangry about the curtailing of long standingtradition. However, the choice betweenwhether to stick to the designated trailsor not have any trails at all should be aneasy decision.

Next up was Jennifer Hillmer,Land Steward from the HoldenArboretum in Ohio presenting “Workingwith Volunteers.” Ms. Hillmer’sperspective as a land manager in aprivately funded facility which dependedon donations and grants to support theirtrails gave a fresh look to applyingvolunteer hours to completing a project.Using a volunteer’s time and skillsefficiently is a must for any landmanager. Of course, dealing with adisruptive volunteer also takes training.Evaluating a project as a land manageris very different than evaluating aproject from the perspective of avolunteer.

Saturday afternoon riding time gaveway to hands-on workshops with a DitchWitch demonstration (which all registrantswere allowed to run) and a 2-hourdemonstration of “Packing with Mules”by Bud and Gwen Wills. The programoriginally included a hands-on trail projectfor the Midwest Trail Ride but the rainprevented the actual work on the trail.Instead, the registrants went up the trailto a trouble spot and divided into groupsto study the situation and give the bestresolution to the trail problem.

Les Wadzinski from the HoosierNational Forest gave the first of 3 Sundaymorning presentations. “Working with theUser Permit Fees” began with a briefhistory of the legislation that has governedthe inception of (the Land and WaterConservation Fund Act of 1965), theexperiment with (the Recreation Fee

(continued from page 3)

Demonstration Project of 1998), and theestablishment of (The RecreationEnhancement Fee of 2005) the current userfees for the National Forests. The feesare divided into 3 categories: basic (e.g.parking, etc.) which is completely taxsupported, standard (e.g. bathrooms, etc.)which is shared by users and tax support,and expanded (e.g. horse trails, mountainbike trails, etc.) which is largely supportedby users. The good news is that 80% ofthe fees collected for the expanded divisiongoes directly back into the trails.

Stacy Lowe, president of theIndiana Trail Riders Association,followed with her presentation:“Working with State Parks and Forests.”This presentation was an informativespeech about the best ways to approachand work with the administrations ofstate parks and forests. Ms. Lowe’sadvice centered around getting thegeneral public involved in learning abouttrails and apprising various park andforest officials of public needs. ITRA’sannual “VIP Ride” has done a great dealto acquaint local politicians andlegislators to the economic impact ofequestrian activities.

Yvette Rollins, president of HoosierBack Country Horsemen, completedthe presentations with “Working with theHoosier National Forest.” Her powerpoint included wonderful before andafter photos of the horse trails that herorganization has designed, constructed,repaired, and maintained over the pastseveral years. The numerous trail designand construction certifications earned bymembers as well as the tight networkof statewide volunteers that comprisethe Hoosier Back Country Horsemenhas led to the ultimate compliment ofbeing allowed to work unsupervised inthe Deam Wilderness of the HoosierNational Forest. This group has beenan outstanding leader in the developmentof a productive working relationship withthe National Forest Service. All othertrail advocates take notice!

The 2007 OVETS was a wonderfulexperience for any equestrian. Be sureto attend the 2008 OVETS in theShawnee National Forest!

OVETS

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Legislative Update“They attend our meetings and infiltrateour organizations; we need to reciprocateand stem the tide of misinformationpresented about the horse industry andrural life in general,” he said.

We, each and every one of us, needto expand our efforts to demystify horsesto the general public. Horses aremajestic creatures that haveunfortunately been made bigger than lifein Hollywood epics and made for TVadventure stories. How do we removethe “Big Mystery” surrounding horsesin the minds of our urban friends?

HCI offers the opportunity for youto actively participate in the process andhelp influence the decisions that directlyaffect your equestrian lifestyle. Getinvolved on an HCI committee thatinterests you, volunteer to help at thenumerous horse fairs and publicappearances throughout the year, andbecome an Equine Ambassador! Contactthe HCI office to find out how.

For help in locating contactinformation for your state andfederal legislators, see the“Legislation” page on the HCI website: www.HorsemensCouncil.org.

Mr. Bowman Goes toWashington

(continued from cover)Late August 2, 2007, the U.S. Houseof Representatives passed the fundingbill for the U.S. Department ofAgriculture for Fiscal Year 2008 afterremoving the overly-broad language thatwas opposed by the horse industry.

Adverse Funding ProhibitionEliminated

When the USDA funding bill wasreported out of the House AppropriationsCommittee two weeks ago, it includedlanguage that was intended to apply toslaughter horses. But the provision wasso broadly drafted that it would haveapplied to all horses and been disastrousfor the horse industry.

Section 738 of the bill would haveprohibited USDA’s Animal Plant andHealth Inspection Service from carryingout all horse health monitoring andregulatory work and prohibited theinspection of horses required to importor export a horse.

Obviously, this would havedramatically affected the horse industry,which is national and international inscope. Horses are transported, importedand exported for many reasons, includingracing, showing, sales and breeding. All

these activities would have beenadversely impacted by this provision.

Fortunately, this provision wasremoved before the House gave finalapproval to the USDA appropriationsbill. The import, export, international andnational movement of horses underUSDA supervision and oversight willcontinue as it is done now. This wasaccomplished because organizations andindividuals from numerous segments ofthe industry contacted House membersraising the issue and their concerns.

Slaughter Horse De-FundingProvision Included

The House did include language inthe bill that would cut-off funding forUSDA activities related to the slaughterof horses. This provision is similar tothe one that was included in the USDAappropriations bill passed in the lastCongress. Since the amendment is partof an appropriations bill, the funding ban,if it is also passed by the Senate, willlast for Fiscal Year 2008, which extendsfrom October 1, 2007 throughSeptember 30, 2008.

Reprinted with permissionAmerican Horse Council

Grass Roots Lobbying Works!For 20 years the Horsemen’s

Council of Illinois (HCI) has been anactive voice in the ears of legislators inSpringfield and Washington, DC. Wehave secured changes in the Illinoisstatutes, worked to enhance equinehealth and welfare and havecontributed to the rule making processwhich has resulted in direct benefits toour members. Most importantly, HCIhas become recognized as a legitimateand active participant in the ongoinglegislative debate that affects horseowners.

Now it is more important than everthat our legislators become aware ofthe thousands of HCI members andequine enthusiasts throughout Illinois

and the important role the equineindustry plays in the state’s economy.HCI is asking you to make apersonnel visit to your legislatorswhile they are in their home districtsthis summer to say hello and simplybecome acquainted. Let them knowyou are a resident of their district andparticipate as a member of the IllinoisEquine Industry. Nothing is as importantto elected officials as maintaining goodrelations with the voters of their district.The visit will be an enjoyableexperience for you and providelegislators with a source ofinformation on things that areimportant to you now and will be inthe future.

HCI NeedsYour Help!

Become an EquineAmbassador

If you wish, an HCI representativecan accompany you on your visit. Thisis a great opportunity for you to helppreserve and enhance the equine life-style as an intricate part of Illinois historyand culture. Become an EquineAmbassador today! For moreinformation contact Frank Bowman,HCI president at 217-585-1600 or by e-mail to hci@HorsemensCouncil.org.

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Horse Council CourierHorsemen’s Council of Illinois, Inc.P. O. Box 1605Springfield, IL 62705

Responsible Horse OwnershipWhat can you do with a horse that

is unusable, unsafe, unsound, ormerely unwanted, now that slaughteris being taken away as an owner’s endof life decision?

(The Illinois legislature passed lawsprohibiting the slaughter of horses bymaking it unlawful to knowingly sell ahorse that may end up beingprocessed for meat for humanconsumption. Cavel International inDeKalb, IL still harvests horses,having challenged the constitutionalityof the Illinois laws, which currentlyare under judicial review. But whatwill be your options if the laws areupheld and slaughter is effectivelybanned?)

The Horsemen’s Council of Illinois(HCI) offers a full discussion of youroptions on its web site

www.HorsemensCouncil.org/pdfs/Slaughter%20Collection.pdf.

Included are descriptions of theprocesses along with references andresources offering guidance onretirement farms, euthanasia,composting, cremation, rendering andburial along with a generalizedcommentary on regulations governingsuch aspects as conditions for burial onprivate property. Specifics are a matterfor county control.

The material also encouragesresponsible horse ownership and offerscounsel on assessing your horse’sslaughter susceptibility.

HCI’s position is that while no horseowner is required to send a horse toslaughter, it is the right and duty of horseowners to make benevolent end-of-life

decisions for their unwanted, unusable,unsafe or unsound horses. TheCouncil has worked successfully withthe Illinois General Assembly to addlanguage to the Equine InfectiousAnemia control act which effectivelyeliminates the possibility of severelymedicated horses from going toslaughter and further requires sellersof equine at auction to sign a writtenacknowledgement stating that theyunderstand the possibility that theequine they sell may end up going toslaughter.

The articles referenced aboveattempt to help educate horse ownerson identifying the options available andto assure that the best welfare of thehorse remains the highest priority ofthe responsible horse owner.