Grumpy Girl

I've had a strange day.  In some way's I've had a great, fun filled, but exhausting day.  But in other ways it's put me rather out of sorts.  And as I often do when somethings really bothering me - I'm going to write about it.  

Today was field trip day.  Today, I loaded up 42 kids, and 5 other adults and headed down the road to a local museum.  This museum is a really neat place to visit and the program we attended fits our curricular goals to a T.  It's a historic village, complete with costumed interpreters who pretend they're living in the past.  Ooodles of fun!

That was the fun part.  The part that's sticking in my craw happened when my group had their turn in the horse drawn wagon.  Last August I had popped over to the local horse auction.  As a general rule I avoid the auction as a depressing and demoralizing place for me to visit.  This time I had stopped to put up puppy posters and got sucked in.  Too curious for my own good.  And of course the visit still haunts me.

Back in August, I watched horse after horse sold to the meat buyers.  One of those horses had been sent to the auction by this organization I visited today.  I genuinely wondered what was wrong with the horse.  After all, why else would you send a horse through an auction of this sort?  Today I was horrified to discover there was nothing wrong with the creature.  This horse had been born and raised on this museum farm.  He was 10 years old, and well broke to pull a carriage.  This is a horse that was used to a lot of noise and people.  And he's now on somebody's plate.  Because this horse sold straight to the kill floor.  (I was paying attention.)  This really bothers me.  

If they had bothered to give the horse's story there's a pretty good likely-hood I would have bought him.  If even to just rehome him.  But they didn't.  He was sent in loose, with no information.  I just can't wrap my head around a nice, decent animal being condemned this way.  And yes, sending a horse to the meat factory is simply not a choice I'm willing to make.  If necessary I will have the animal put down.  Ethically, I just don't feel good about the meat solution.  I'm not saying that it shouldn't be an option, just that it's not one I'm willing to make.  (Have you ever gone on YouTube and watched any of those videos on it?  Eeek!)

Okay - back on track....

The bottom line is here we have a government run organization that seems to be randomly disposing of animals in the most convenient manner.  And this is what bothers me most of all.  In fact, it bothered me so much that I've sent an email to the director.  I'm curious to see if I get a response because I would love to hear their side of the story.