ALL PROGRESSIVE HORSE ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS PROMOTING THE PROTECTION OF AMERICAN HORSES AGAINST SLAUGHTER FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION ABROAD.

It's time to stand up and be counted under one national political umbrella. Metaphorically, it's time to saddle up and get ready to ride!

Horse industry organizations do not represent the sentiments or the interests of the majority of recreational and pleasure horse enthusiasts, or the thoroughbred and racing interests. These "profit over cruelty" hacks are out of step with most right-minded Americans and certainly do not express "the will of the people."

HOOFPAC, (Political Action Committee) believes the majority of horse enthusiasts today and certainly the vast majority of the American voters oppose horse slaughter.

People's new zero tolerance toward animal cruelty and the spread of Natural Horsemanship are two contributing factors in people's desire for a more respectful and humane horse/human relationship.

The Epona politics of the "old" and "new" guard are diametrically opposed. One is an "industry" the other a "community." One refers to the horse as a "commodity" which drives a "for profit" industry. The other refers to the horse as a "companion" enjoyed "for pleasure." One's mission is to protect the "economics." The other's mission is to protect the "horse." HOOFPAC represents horsemen who are neither "return on your salvage" industry, nor animal rights.

HOOFPAC provides a political voice for horsemen who do not put the cart before the horse, so to speak.

Extensive independent polling from across the nation shows that voters think it is illegal to slaughter a horse for human consumption; however, when informed that this is not so 88%-93% think that it should be. And according to the American Horse Council, the pleasure, show, thoroughbred, and racing interests out number the horse slaughter interests three to one.

But conversely, the pleasure constituency which drives the horse industry does not control its own market share and is politically voiceless. Their dollars are reflected in the horse industry's statistics, but their interests are not.

To date the effort to ban horse slaughter has been limited to an unorganized collection of satellite rescue groups and individuals with no real strategy in place to achieve its goal. It is important that we never lose sight that rescue without advocacy will not change people's thinking, set social policy, pass laws or abolish equine cruelty.

That is why we need to support HOOFPAC

Horse slaughter has become the litmus test for the new equine paradigm. Slaughter is the economic underpinning for indiscriminate over breeding, PMU factory farming of horses and its by-product foal genocide, consumer fraud, horse theft, the extermination of our wild mustangs, and irresponsible horse ownership in general.

Whenever necessary for whatever reason, responsible horsemen humanely euthanize their horses. Along with feeding, worming, trimming, floating, and calling the vet for a colic, putting one's horse down humanely when the time comes goes with the territory.

The horse slaughter industry defends its position under the guise of 'waste management' or euthanasia for the poor, citing that horses not slaughtered might be starved or abused. Not so. Animal cruelty and horse slaughter are two different pathologies. Anyone who would neglect or abuse a horse is breaking existing cruelty laws and is a criminal. Why must we keep an industry in operation that 80% of Americans oppose, just to accommodate criminals? Why does the industry fight to maintain the lowest common denominator, keeping in place a conduit that encourages and perpetuates the worst of irresponsible horsemanship?

If you oppose the slaughter of American horses for gourmet export, please join HOOFPAC today and add your organizations' name to its list of supporters. All organizations have been listed alphabetically with links to individual websites. Collective memberships from groups and individuals supporting HOOFPAC exceeds 100,000

HOOFPAC has only one mission to give America's horses the same protection against slaughter as our other non-food, pleasure and recreational animals. Our great nation was developed in partnership with the horse and no other animal is more deserving of our appreciation and protection.

House slaughter is contrary to American values and given today's renewed patriotism,our message is more poignant than ever. If we do not protect our domesticated and wild horses against slaughter for human consumption abroad then America has lost its soul.